Despite my ignorance of the most popular sport in this country, and my lack of football fever, I have always watched with interest the advertising alongside the big game, both as a marketing journalist and as a consumer. The Super Bowl ads tend to be entertaining and visually interesting. Super Bowl ads command big bucks, and this year, while the average price — $2.8 million for a 30-second spot — is less than last year's $3 million price tag, that trend continues.

G2 Direct & Digital, the relationship marketing arm of global agency G2, has named Julie Spoleti, managing director for healthcare. The hire is due to expanded business from existing clients, according to the agency.

AOL acquired StudioNow, an online video company for $36.5 million in cash and stock, in order to accelerate its investment in content technology and platforms. With the acquisition, which closed on January 22, AOL has aggregated more than 3,000 editors, videographers and creative individuals to provide on-demand video content. It will also provide management, storage and syndication services to clients. AOL intends to integrate the video platform into its existing Seed.com content management system.

Modern Postcard, a direct mail company, named AccuData Integrated Marketing as its online data provider. The postcard marketer will use AccuData's on-demand customized data tool, List Choice.

American Business Media President and CEO Gordon Hughes II announced January 20 he will leave the association in July to launch a production company. He has led the business-to-business media trade association since 1994.

It is a new year, but one in which direct and digital marketers continue to watch marketing budgets and exercise caution by sticking with proven and efficient marketing channels. Many companies remain more inclined to keep close to their existing customers rather than experiment with lofty acquisition strategies.

The Direct Marketing Association and the DMA Nonprofit Federation have stepped up in the aftermath of this week's devastating earthquake in Haiti to help potential donors pinpoint relief organizations. The DMANF compiled a list of DMA nonprofit member organizations involved in relief efforts, along with their contact information, and posted it online at www.nonprofitfederation.org. New organizations will be added on an ongoing basis.

MasterCard Worldwide on January 12 announced it has launched Advisors Merchant Solutions, a data analytics and marketing service for clients. The credit card issuer said the service will help companies understand spending activity, evaluate performance compared with competitors and focus direct marketing campaigns to target the most precise segments and prospects.

Media auditor BPA Worldwide has refined the publisher widget it launched in early December based on customer feedback, DMNews has learned.

When a company like PepsiCo breaks tradition, skipping $3 million Super Bowl ads for the first time in more than two decades in favor of a CRM program, you know it is a watershed moment. Direct marketing is now the centerpiece of all advertising. We saw other signs of this turning point in 2009, as blue-chip marketers that historically favored TV branding campaigns — such as Ford Motor Co. — embraced social media and online communities to sell products and engender loyalty.