I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not much of a sports fanatic. Sure, I’ll go to the occasional football game or accidentally stop on ESPN while I’m flipping channels, but generally I’m not one that’s going to turn on a football game. That said, when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, I usually make an exception—not for the game itself, but the commercials.

Unlike most in the advertising industry this year, I waited all last week to see this year’s Super Bowl commercials. I wanted to see them just like I always have, during the game, not on YouTube days before the actual event. While countless lists will abound today about which ads were the best and which brands could’ve done better, what I noticed more than anything this year was countless commercials starring dogs.

Whether it was the new Volkswagen commercial with a heavy pooch looking to lose a few pounds, a dog bribing its owner with Doritos, a Sketchers-wearing bulldog moon walking over the finish line, or the dog who survived the 2012 apocalypse in the Chevy Silverado ad, it seemed almost every commercial during the big game this year featured man’s best friend.

While dogs have long been staples of Budweiser’s classic commercials, 2012 seems to be the year of the dogs. And when you look at consumer statistics, it makes sense to feature man’s most faithful companion.

According to the U.S. Humane Society, in 2011 39 percent of Americans owned at least one dog and 30 percent of those owners had two or more dogs. Dogs and other household pets have become staples in the American family with many owners shelling out hundreds to thousands of dollars on toys, health care, grooming, pet supplies, etc. all for their pet. Last year, the American Pet Products Association estimated that Americans spent a record $50 billion on their pets alone.

With consumers showing significant spending power when it comes to their pets, it makes sense that Super Bowl marketers would want to ride the wave by including pets any way they can in their commercials and products.

In total last night, I counted five commercials that featured a dog as one of the main characters. When done right, these commercials can not only position a product like Doritos in a new way, but also remind consumers that such products and brands are to be enjoyed by literally the whole family.

Of all the ads featuring dogs, I think my favorite was Sketchers’ :30 spot featuring Mr. Quiggly as he moon walks his way to first place. What was your favorite ad from the big game?

1. Netflix/Hulu/YouTube’s new content series. Could Internet video become the future of TV?

Netflix, Hulu and YouTube are beefing up the competition by launching new, original content over the next few months. The Huffington Post reports that the quality of online video is not up to par with that of TV, but it will get there in due time. The quality must improve if Internet video hopes to compete.

Laura Mitchell mentioned that the CES trade show was held in Las Vegas recently. At the show YouTube’s global head of content predicted that by 2020, 75 percent of TV channels will be transmitted via the Internet. YouTube already has plans to expand with hundreds of niche channels, and predicts that most interests will have a channel within the next few years.

How will this affect your company’s TV ad placement? Well it won’t, yet – but we will want to keep our eyes and ears on Internet video over the next couple years.

Can these online video giants become viable premium content providers? Have a look at the trailer below and tell us what you think!

2. Coca-Cola to dominate the Super Bowl. Will you interact with the polar bears on game day?

Coke is hoping to drive greater fan engagement during the big game with in-game animated TV spots and live-streaming video on the web. The main element of the campaign will be commercials and online video showing the iconic polar bears reacting to the game as it happens live. In hopes of reaching consumers on whatever screen grabs their attention, the brand will also be interacting with Facebook and Twitter users. Roughly 60% of the 100 million anticipated game-watchers will be interacting with their friends and foes online.

Check out the hype on Facebook and RSVP for the Coke Polar Bowl – if nothing else, your RSVP will donate $1 to the World Wildlife Fund.

3. Google’s new personal assistant app. Move over Siri. Meet Alfred.

Google has launched a new app called Alfred – a digital assistant that can learn what you like, how you like it, where you want it and when you want it. How does he do it? He learns from each user by asking a series of questions – future recommendations are based off of those answers and the answers from others with similar preferences. For people like me who can never decide where to get lunch, or what to make for dinner, Alfred might just be the perfect answer. Read more at alfredmobile.com or download the app and start teaching Alfred! You’ll never miss a place you might love again.

4. You choose the ads you see on TV, billboards and more? For a worthy cause, LoudSauce will help spread the word.

Depending on where you live, you may have seen Occupy Wall Street ads on television, ads representing the need for clean energy in the Boston train station, or billboard ads in North Carolina with a positive immigration message. These are the types of ideas and causes that people are raising money for on LoudSauce.com – a place where you can choose the campaign you want to promote and donate money to put that message on billboards, radio and even national television. Most people are not aware of the great causes and inspirational projects going on around them, and through this website groups can raise funds and spread the word. Check out all the messages seen in 2011, and browse the current campaigns raising money, like the next occupy ad below.

Here are some of the hottest topics this week.

1. Fast growing online darling Pinterest is inspiring lots of interest, with copycats galore.

TechCrunch reported that Google expressed interest in buying Pinterest for $100 million. No deal yet, and other rumors say Google is creating a similar site on their own. Facebook has also introduced 60 new lifestyle apps from partners like Pinterest, Spotify and Ticketmaster. The apps are currently only accessible for those using the new Timeline. The apps go beyond traditional Facebook “likes” to showcase things users have “pinned,” “listened to” or “wish-listed.” The most brazen imitation (the most sincere form of flattery, right?) site is Pinspire, which looks shockingly similar to Pinterest. Forbes.com reports the site is pulling users from Pinterest through a guerilla marketing campaign.

Is it Pinterest? Look again, it’s Pinspire.com.

2. Volkswagen has garnered a lot of pre-Super Bowl buzz this week, with their “The Bark Side” teaser.

To date, the ad to promote their Super Bowl spot has recieved more than 9 million YouTube views, out-trending last year’s award-winning Darth Vader spot. If you’re not one of the 9 million people who have seen the new ad, take a look.

The teaser looks promising, but can the in-game ads live up to the hype?

3. It was a big week for the proposed anti-piracy legislation SOPA/PIPA, with Wikipedia going dark for 24 hours, and more than 7 million people signing pledges opposing the legislation.

All of the negative attention seems to have slowed the momentum of the bills, which are on hold for now. However, backers and opponents alike think some anti-piracy legislation will move forward.

“At a minimum, Congress should start from scratch to determine the nature of the problem,” Public Knowledge legal director Harold Feld said in a statement. “If Congress goes ahead with legislation, it should hear widely from those concerned about the pending legislation — from Internet technologists, from law professors, artists, human rights activists, consumers and even public interest groups. Only then will legislation be truly accepted and truly be effective.”

Read more here.

4. NBC News announced this week it is starting an e-book publishing unit.

They will create original e-books and videos, repurposing content from their other divisions, like NBC Sports, Universal Pictures and Telemundo. With the proliferation of tablets and e-readers, they see an opportunity to create an opportunity to “ bring readers a unique and immersive content experience,” according to Cheryl Gould, senior vice president of NBC News, who will lead NBC Publishing.

We received an email from the Sioux Empire United Way recently thanking Lawrence & Schiller for its support. The email was another reminder of the generosity of the Lawrence & Schiller team. Seeing the L&S staff give back is just another indication of their character and commitment to the community.

Thank you to everyone at the agency who raised $36,125 for the Sioux Empire United Way. Here a look at what our donation will provide:

• 248 children with one weekend’s supply of food.
• 100 people with suicide crisis support.
• 36 children with free dental screenings.
• 207 meals to a homebound older adult.
• 88 children with one book each month this year.
• 12 cyberbully prevention programs for students.
• 6 rental deposits for homeless families.
• 40 mattresses for bunkie beds, for young children.
• 1 year of after school programs for 4 students.
• 136 families with connections to child care.
• 16 hours of financial counseling for a couple.
• 40 wigs to cancer patients.
• 16 children to take part in swimming lessons.
• 100 grocery deliveries to homebound older adults.
• 60 low-income Cub Scouts with 3 day summer camp.
• 80 girls with scholarships to join Girl Scouts.
• 8 months of helping a disabled individual live independently.
• 18 adults in a GED class with funds for fees and books.
• 1 year of craft supplies for an after school program.
• 6 families with grocery cards incentives to complete their self-sufficiency goals.
• 16 sessions of marriage counseling for one couple.
• 20 hours of interpreter support for refugee/immigrant parents to communicate with their children’s teachers.
• 36 children an hour of safe interaction with a noncustodial parent.

2. Select your business type in the middle of the page.

4. Choose “Register my business.”

Businesses today have plenty of opportunities to engage with their customers online. Responding to online reviews is an easy way to strengthen consumers’ confidence in your business, especially in the travel industry. Our L&S research shows (depending on the study) that 65-85% of consumers refer to online reviews when making travel plans.

TripAdvisor is the leading online review forum for the travel industry. Below are five key guidelines for responding to customer reviews. Use them to your advantage and build consumer confidence in your destination, attraction or event. Check back tomorrow for a step-by-step look at how to manage your reviews on TripAdvisor.

1. Listen

Sometimes listening is the hardest thing to do without responding. Just remember that complaints your customers have are really about them, not you. They’re about how they feel. How they were let down and what they want. Customers comment on the site because they want to be heard. Listen, find the root of the problem and address it. This shows customers they’ve been heard.

2. Reply Responsibly

Responding to negative reviews is a great way to show customers that you are listening and truly care about your customers’ feedback. A negative review with a response from management can be worth even more than a positive review. The response shows that you can graciously deal with complications if they occur and address them as needed.

Responding to every review is time consuming, but every once in a while you should recognize good reviews. Remember that a timely response is expected. It also shows you are attentive and receptive to feedback.

3. Watch Your Tone

Whether the review is critical or glowing, your reply should always be polite and professional, just as you would handle any other customer service response. Online users want to talk to humans, not corporations, so remember to talk to customers as if they were standing in front of you. Customers will give you a lot of credit for offering a courteous and thoughtful explanation, especially when the criticism is unnecessary.

4. Encourage Reviews

A higher volume of reviews weakens the impact of an occasional negative review. Volume also generally increases consumer trust, so encourage guests to respond and rate their experience online. However, refrain from offering incentives for writing reviews. Such a response may make the guest feel like you are trying to influence them. Incentives are also against the policy of many review sites.

Highlight any positive changes that are the result of customer feedback. It’s important to state that you’ve taken their feedback seriously and made positive changes for future visitors.

 5. Promise To Improve

End your reply with a promise to be better. Give reviewers a sign that you listened, you cared and you want to be better for them and future visitors.

Take a look at this week’s hot topics:

1. Online Ad Spending to Pass Print for the First Time

For the first time in history, online ad spending is predicted to pass print ad spending in the U.S.

In 2012,  eMarketer predicts the projected ad spend winners will be:

• Total ad spending is predicted to grow 6.7% to $169.5 billion in 2012, thanks to this year’s elections and the Summer Olympics.
• Online ad spending is predicted to grow 23.3% to $39.5 billion in 2012.
• Magazine print ad spending will increase to $15.4 billion in 2012, from $15.3 billion in 2011.

In 2012, eMarketer predicts the projected ad spend loser will be:

• Newspaper ad spending will decrease from $20.7 billion in 2011 to $19.4 billion in 2012 with a projected decrease to $17 billion by 2016.

It will be interesting to watch how the paid placement mix continues to evolve. One thing to note, ad dollars that are shifted to the online versions of print publications are not accounted for in the print category; rather, they move into the online advertising category. Therefore, as print viewing continues to grow on tablet and other online devices, we will continue to see this shift. Read the full eMarketer study.

2. 31% of Display Ads Go UnseenWith the shift of ad dollars to online buys, a ComScore study released Wednesday shows that 31% of display ad impressions reported are invisible (out of view of the consumer). For marketers, this means that we need to make sure the impressions we’re paying for are actually within the consumer’s view. And taking it one step further, consider pay-per-performance cost models to ensure that you’re getting the response you desire from your online ad buys. Read the full ComScore study.

3. Your TV May Be Watching

Last week, Laura talked about the Consumer Electronics Show and questioned where the buzz would like – well, it once again focused on webcams, but a much smarter kind. Just as webcams are now at the core of virtually all laptops, tablets and smart phones, TV’s are next. And we’re not just talking about Skype – these smart cameras will recognize you the minute you walk into your living room and automatically log you into your social sites, launch your favorite channels and websites. Now this takes “favorites” to a whole new level. This also provides one-to-one advertising opportunities for the first time on TV’s and could eventually lead to new TV advertising cost models, counting impressions only when an attentive audience actually sees the ad. Fun food for thought.

4. Long Term Positive Effects Shown for Social Media Campaigns

According to a BzzAgent study, the average social media campaign lasted 8 weeks and was typically successful in increasing consumer intent to purchase and likelihood to recommend to others. But what happened three months out or a year after a campaign ended?

Here’s a time series of the positive consumer opinion of a product which was the target of a campaign:

• Pre-campaign: 40%
• Post campaign: 80%
• 3 months out: 78%
• 6 months out: 77%
• 9 months out: 77%
• 1 year out: 75%

Not only was there a significant short-term impact, but a year later the advocates were just as enthusiastic about the brands as they were when they first participated in the campaigns.

Micah Aberson, Lawrence & Schiller’s Vice President of Client Service, is featured in the latest issue of Sioux Falls Business Magazine.

Read about the importance of consulting marketing experts to help develop successful plans that yield positive results. And remember to pick up a copy of this month’s Sioux Falls Business Magazine.

When I ask you to think about healthcare, what comes to mind? Flu shots, doctors’ offices and ambulances may flood your thoughts, but what about music?

Music can be an expression of self, an outlet for raw emotion or praise after one of life’s victories, but I think Billy Joel said it best. He commented, “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everybody loves music.”

Did you catch that? Music is healing.

And many hospitals around the country have decided to expand their current healthcare practices to include music. The American Music Therapy Association is one of the many organizations devoted to helping individuals through the use of clinical and “evidence-based” music intervention. The organization can even help connect you with a music therapist in your area.

One hospital in California hired a music therapist to come visit its Children’s hospital with different kid-friendly instruments for them to play. Not only is this activity fun for the kids, but it also helps them to heal.

See how an impromptu concert at the Mayo Clinic can lighten the atmosphere in a hospital lobby, even though it isn’t “therapy” it’s still good for the soul!

Although healthcare is primarily focused on more traditional approaches to healing, it has also expanded to include a holistic and empowering approach to improving or adding value to patient care and comfort. How is your hospital marketing its non-traditional approaches to health and healing that are adding value to their patient experience? Please share in the comments section below.

Last week, Lawrence & Schiller’s famed business cards were featured on the iBrand Studio blog in a post entitled, “30 Creative Circle Business Card Designs.”

We’ve heard many comments about our unique business cards throughout the years. They’ve been compared to coasters and used as office frisbees. But the most popular question is, “Can I fit this in my wallet?” We like that question because at L&S we like to stand out from the crowd. We don’t want our business or a client’s business to get “lost in the shuffle.”

Take a look at our business card and other circular designs at iBrandStudio.com.

Oh, and drop us a line if you’d like to find a place for our card in your wallet.

The South Dakota Office of Highway Safety kicked off its latest campaign as the state continues its plunge into the winter season, a time of year that is notorious for its hazardous driving conditions. The campaign — which urges drivers to move over for emergency vehicles — is made up of a series of interviews conducted with Highway Patrol Officers who were involved in severe accidents caused by motorists “overdriving” the road conditions.

Last year alone, the Office of Highway Safety responded to a total of thirteen such accidents; mishaps that could have been avoided had the other drivers slowed down and moved over for the response crews. South Dakota’s “Move Over” Law requires drivers to slow down at least twenty miles per hour less than the posted speed limit and merge into the farthest lane from the flashing yellow lights of emergency vehicles.

The campaign will be supported by a series of billboards and posters, with the posters being placed in areas like truck stops and interstate restrooms. Scroll down to watch all three of the spots. And remember, moving over for emergency vehicles isn’t just a courtesy. It’s the law.

Thanks for reading the first edition of Friday DigiKnow. Visit us again next week!

Each year at the Day of Love, our pre-Christmas celebration, we recognize team members who have reached significant landmarks in their careers at L&S. This year, three employees were honored for 10 and 25 years of service.

John Pohlman

Twenty-five years ago, John impressed the leadership of Lawrence & Schiller with his professionalism and intelligence when he assisted Scott Lawrence as a producer on a commercial shoot. Shortly after, he joined the L&S team and has worked his way up to executive vice president.

John’s leadership, wisdom and composure have proved invaluable to L&S over the years.

Shelly Johnson

As an account service team member, Shelly has proven her ability over the past 10 years to produce the best outcomes for her clients. She successfully manages a substantial flow of projects, primarily for Midcontinent Communications. Her leadership and foresight are assets on the account service team.

Chris Matheson

Ten years ago, Chris was living in Sioux Falls but traveling to Los Angeles to produce commercials for Boston Market. He was hired to take the quality of Lawrence & Schiller’s broadcast production to the next level. With hard work, creativity and humor, Chris has done just that. By surrounding himself with talented individuals and ensuring L&S stays true to its brand, he has helped our agency produce effective and award-winning work for clients.

The entire L&S team wants to thank John, Shelly and Chris for their continued dedication and leadership. Feel free to congratulate them on their accomplishments in the comments section below.

Paul Schiller & Craig Lawrence

The Lawrence & Schiller staff also honored Paul Schiller and Craig Lawrence, the founders of Lawrence & Schiller, for their 35 years of partnership. A plaque with the four logos that have represented L&S over the years was given to both men.

I love the holidays. Every day brings something new, with parties, decorating, delivering gifts and serving. In advertising, holidays are a prime time for promotions, truly a no brainer for our retail clients. What we shouldn’t overlook, however, is what happens after the holidays.

As we sadly pack the decorations away, we get back into our normal routines, and the flood of ads start slow. In the world of retail, you’ll also notice once full price items are now on sale.

With the demand for ad space letting up, media, too, will go on sale after the holidays. Some stations looking to get numbers on the books early in the year may have ‘fire sales’ or one day sales blitzes offering packages for committing to a whole year of advertising. Other stations and publications aren’t quite as forward, but sales can be found nonetheless. Typically in the first quarter, inventory allows room for negotiation, and ads are less likely to be pre-empted.

This year, while your competitors are recovering from the holiday rush, why not take advantage and stay in front of your audience by continuing to advertise? Another bonus – grabbing your audience’s attention early in the new year is a great way to get ahead of the political ads we’ll start seeing later in the year.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about new year ad buys in the comment section below.

Happy post-holiday buying!

The American music service market is crowded, and reaching customers where they listen is becoming increasingly complicated. As a result of the fragmentation, advertisers today are faced with a dilemma. Going the route of traditional radio could mean missing out on reaching younger consumers who avoid the old-school model. Concentrating an entire radio advertising plan on online opportunities could mean missing out on local radio.

Let’s take a minute to look at the characteristics of the available listening platforms.

Pandora

Pandora is arguably the most successful Internet radio option for users that is supported by advertising. Pandora boasts 80 million users, and ComScore estimates about 19 million unique listeners on a monthly basis. While this is a small percentage of the entire adult population – it is an audience of active listeners. Users are required to listen to an ad to continue listening for free, and the company has made it a priority to make sure ads don’t infringe on the listening experience for users. They utilize fifteen second ads with companion banners, which don’t give advertisers much time to get their message across. Also, while Pandora’s age demographics span the spectrum, the median age is young compared to traditional radio.

Spotify and Myxer

Spotify and Myxer are up-and-coming online music services (or ankle biters depending on how you see it). Spotify has shown considerable growth since its 2008 inception – with about 10 million users worldwide, and a modest 3 million U.S. users. The trend is expected to continue upward supported by a Facebook partnership that debuted in September 2011. Experts don’t expect that partnership to be exclusive, and competitors may have a chance make inroads with Facebook and other social media platforms.

Myxer entered the crowded market earlier this year with Myxer Social Radio, which allows friends to thumbs up or thumbs down your music taste, song by song.

Traditional Radio

And what of traditional radio? I would call traditional radio, local; if not for the two radio giants, Cumulus Media and Clear Channel Radio, who control a combined 1,372 stations across the U.S. One major advantage of using traditional radio is having the option to choose how long your commercial will be. Controlling the length of a spot can be important depending on the message you’re delivering. Some say this form of radio is dying, but according Arbitron September 2011 data, the U.S. market increased by 1.7 million listeners 12 years old and above over the previous year.

The standard traditional radio model hasn’t changed significantly in a long time, but over the years many stations and groups have been toying with Internet radio by streaming live radio on individual station websites. Now Clear Channel Radio is taking Pandora and other Internet radio options on full-force with the acquisition of iHeartRadio.com. The model will allow users to listen to free, streaming audio from 800 live broadcasts and digital-only radio stations, from 150 cities across the U.S. The network will be ad-free until April 2012.

What to Know

Ways to intersperse advertising messages among music will only increase in the near future, but a variety of options is a good thing as long as you establish two things: your goals and your message. Knowing those two things will help you decide which platform or combination thereof will be best in your media mix.

The advent of blogs and social media has given companies a new platform to share information. Prior to these platforms, many companies relied entirely on the news sections of their site to place important information. Announcements about awards, new hires and press releases lived online, and companies were able to keep interested parties up to date on the latest information.

Social media added another piece to the puzzle. Now you can not only post relevant information in blogs and news sections, but also let people know that you posted it. This is where the ball has dropped with many companies. Many businesses have adopted the practice of posting their news and information, but still haven’t jumped on the social media bandwagon. These businesses are leaving great information about their company on their website, hidden from the eyeballs of their audience.

The process of engaging in new technology can be daunting, and for bigger organizations it can be a process that takes several years to sort out, which is okay. The social media landscape can be very good for business, but if you aren’t prepared, it can also backfire in a hurry. That being said the risk is worth taking.

Today, the decision to start posting important content online, needs to come with a plan to share that content through social media channels. The Internet is a massive beast full of hundreds of companies just like yours fighting you for the next big account or sale. If you are sitting on the sidelines completely, or worse yet spending time and money to post updated content and not share it, it is time to take that next step and join the social media fray.

The important thing to remember is you could have the greatest website with the freshest content, but if you aren’t sharing it on Facebook, Google+ and/or Twitter, people just aren’t going to stumble upon it. Google search of course does wonders and good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important, but there is something about social media that separates it and makes it a stronger tool. That distinction is the ability to truly connect with the people that love your brand or industry. By creating a strong connection, you build trust, and through that trust you will gain business.

An important fact to remember is that with the constant conversation online people ARE talking about your brand, company or small business. By sitting on the sidelines you have no ability to defend yourself or change their mind. Stepping into the fire, however daunting that may be, gives you the opportunity to connect with your customer and make sure that the content you are working hard to post online is getting out to the audience you want to reach.

With the weather getting colder and snow starting to fly, I’ve already started thinking about next summer when temperatures will again reach into the 80s and 90s and I can spend more time outdoors enjoying longer, warmer days. And while I daydream about enjoying the nice weather rather than bundling up and rushing inside to escape the cold, those in the travel industry are already a step ahead of me, with destinations and industry members preparing for the 2012 summer season.

Several industry leaders have already shared next summer’s travel outlook. The U.S. Travel Association is predicting that 2012 leisure travel will increase 1.5 percent throughout the next year. Also, hotel performance leader Smith Travel Research (STR) is predicting slightly slower growth next year for those in the travel industry. STR expects occupancy numbers to increase to 60 percent while room rates see mild increases throughout the year.

In addition to modest travel growth next year, destinations will also encounter consumers with new vacation priorities like increased vacation spending coupled with more intrinsically focused trips.

According to TripAdvisor’s 2012 Travel Trends Forecast, 31 percent of people are expected to spend more on travel next year than they did this year. Seventy-nine percent will spend at least $3,000 on vacations in 2012, while nearly 1 in 5 will spend $10,000 or more.

Another trend will be consumers’ shift to more experiential getaways, with several consumers citing increased interest in cultural trips, cruises and all-inclusive vacations as top 2012 vacation interests. Rather than simply haphazardly crossing destinations or vacation icons off of vacation wish lists, visitors in 2012 are looking for vacations that provide a deeper sense of meaning and more intrinsic, valuable memories both for themselves and their families.

For travel destinations weathering the winter season as best they can, early predictions for the 2012 travel season seem optimistic. With visitors exploring a new type of vacation and spending expected to increase, 2012 could be a year of strong growth.

It’s that time of year again – A time for Christmas lights, presents, hot chocolate and Lawrence & Schiller University!

That’s right! Our vigorous and sometimes rambunctious hunt for summer interns is well on its way. To apply online or to get more information feel free to visit us at http://www.l-s.com/internships/index.cfm

We also have an array of fun and insightful videos designed to give this year’s applicants an insider’s perspective on what to expect out of their internship, what all the Meet Greet Repeat will entail  and a few words from our team on what it means to be “5280″ and what exactly it is we do here.

Don’t be shy! Pass this on to anyone who might be interested in a 2012 summer internship at Lawrence & Schiller.