Ad spending down, viral marketing up, Purina podcasting out

In our Marketing Trends segment, host Albert Maruggi takes a look at some of the headlines the are affecting the marketing world. This week, Maruggi's talking about decreasing advertising spending (must have a WSJ account to access story) - a trend seems to go hand in hand with our other topic, viral marketing, which is on the rise, according to USA Today.

We also talk about Purina's voyage into podcasting. The Wall Street Journal reported on Purina's use of podcasting as a tool for increasing brand loyalty; we see it more as a lame-duck attempt to hop on the bandwagon. Have a listen and you'll hear what we mean.

Don't forget about our survey (and your free mini iPod)! We're trying to learn more about our listeners' likes and dislikes - and we're giving you a chance to win great prizes in exchange for your opinion.