Archive for the ‘movie’ tag
Pay Closer Attention To YouTube
It’s not just about the views anymore.
There are two strikingly new(ish) things happening on YouTube that could very well position it to be one of the most interesting developments in how television (and eve movie-like) content gets consumed and monetized. At this moment, marketers have one of the most compelling platforms to better understand which of their messages resonate. Prior to jumping into the two new(ish) developments that are worthy of your attention, it is still somewhat fascinating to note how few brands leverage YouTube to better understand their consumers. Simple multivariate testing is one way: posting different television ads on YouTube and seeing which one gets more views, ratings, shares and more. Search is another fascinating domain. YouTube remains the second largest search engine (after their parent company, Google). From tutorials to product demos and reviews, it’s amazing how few brands actually leverage the channel to extend their brand narrative and give consumers more in-depth understanding of their products and services. Without question, there are countless other imaginative and innovative ways that brands can use YouTube, sadly we’re still seeing a vast majority of brands simply pumping and dumping their videos on YouTube as if it is one big and free receptacle for all things video. The prevailing attitude still seems to be, "hey, just post it to YouTube as well… it’s free!" as some kind of after-thought.
Two new developments on YouTube to pay attention to:
- TrueView. TrueView is YouTube’s way of understanding how consumers feel about the pre-roll video ads that happen before a video starts. You may have noticed that some of these ads now feature a button that allows consumers to click and skip an ad after five seconds. There is little doubt that regular YouTubers lament the day that the company started running pre-roll ads on videos. Now, with TrueView, YouTube can have a better understanding of which ads get zapped and which ads work. It’s interesting to note that TrueView forces brands to not simply run their 30 second TV spots on YouTube, and that the brands who are getting the most efficacy out of TrueView know that they have less than five seconds to keep the viewer from zapping them. The business model for TrueView is also similar to that of Google AdWords. If a consumer clicks the "skip this ad" button, the advertiser does not pay. You can well imagine that Google will soon be kicking off advertisers who don’t get the full view in a bid to create a better consumer experience. Much like AdWords has matured as a performance-based marketing engine, you can see a time – in the not too distant future – where TrueView offers the same type of performance and analytics to TV ads. Just think about that: TV ads may get better and more relevant over time if advertisers are forced to create content that actually performs.
- Paid channels. YouTube is planning to allow video makers to charge a monthly subscription fee on channels. Don’t panic, everything you’re seeing for free will remain the way it has always been, but giving the video makers an opportunity to charge for access to certain types of content creates a fascinating new layer to the YouTube story. If you look at some of the massive success that mobile app developers have with the freemium model, you can see how compelling of a business model this could be for YouTube. Take, for instance, Joan Rivers. Currently, she is building an audience for her new video podcast, In Bed With Joan. In theory, she could produce 4 episodes a week and offer up only one of them for free as a compelling and consistent ongoing show, but for her more adoring fans, she could charge a monthly fee of five dollars for access to the other three episodes. Brands could use these paid channels to offer heavy users more personal and in-depth content that is worthy of being paid for.
The new, new media model.
Both of these YouTube business strategies help pave the way for business leaders to better understand the true dynamics of digital media. We started off in the raw terrain of selling advertising online much in the same way that traditional media was bought and sold. Now, close to fifteen years after the first paid banner ad appeared, we are still at the very early stages of seeing how digital can actually transform and improve upon the old model. Whether it is turning a TV ad into a performance-based marketing engine or allowing brands to create their own paid subscription channels to see if consumers would actually pay to be connected to said brand, we could well be entering into a entirely new domain for how video content and advertising is produced, consumed and engaged with… across multiple consumer experiences (think YouTube on traditional TVs, Apple TV models, computers screens, tablets and smartphones). Ultimately, this means that media could be shedding its reliance on advertising as the sole income earner.
The one screen world never felt closer.
Tags:
performance based marketing consumer experience
next generation interactive poster
Over the last couple of years we’ve shared some pretty cool interactive posters, typically requiring you to snap a pict or QR Code, visit a url, etc. Well, welcome to the next generation of interactive posters: the Wi-fi poster.
This said poster (from Korea) has wireless hotspot technology hidden in it so when a person passes by, they get a notification to connect to the open network. This one, specifically, was created to promote an upcoming movie and populates the movie trailer once a user connects.
So what’s next, sentient posters? Ah, technology you’re awesomely scary.
Bain invests $20M in robots for moms (sign me up, too)
Bain Capital has invested $20 million into 4moms, a Pittsburgh company that focuses on innovative answers to problems parents face … with a more than a dash of technology and automation.
The company produces products such as “MamaRoo,” a calming baby rocker that is basically a multi-function massage chair with five different rocking motions … and a built-in iPod dock with speakers.
Not made by NASA, not a prop in a SF movie
Or Origami, a stroller that folds and unfolds at the touch of a button, includes daytime running lights (!), has a LCD dashboard that shows temperature, trip and lifetime distance travelled, and speed.
The kicker? It not only charges itself while you walk … it also charges your phone.
This is not yo momma’s stroller.
Essentially, the company is doing for parenting aids what Apple has done to consumer electronics, and what Dyson is doing to home appliances: making everyday tools smarter and better by harnessing an intensely user-focused design to the power of sophisticated modern technology.
Of course, all this high-end automation and electronics does not come cheap: Origami is $850. MamaRoo is a comparative bargain at only $200.
According to AllThingsD, the company plans to use the new funding to expand internationally and increase the range of products it offers.
I’m not a mother (does father count?) but I would have loved these tools — although price would have been an issue.
My biggest question:
When will 4Moms can focus on the biggest source of home drudgery … preparing meals?
Filed under: deals, VentureBeat 
The New Social Producers
Miles Fisher may not be a household name, but chances are, you may have already seen his work. Perhaps you’ve seen his Tom Cruise spoof in Superhero movie or the clip that’s still making the rounds on the Web. Or maybe you’ve seen his clever rendition of “This Must be the Place” by the Talking Heads shots as a video homage to American Psycho.
While many hopeful souls move to Hollywood with dreams of getting discovered and becoming the next “it” person, Miles Fisher had another idea. His plan was simple, but far more complex. His goal was to make Hollywood come to him. Viral hit after Viral hit, Fisher earned the attention of TV executives, movie producers while also build a loyal community along the way.
In just the past few years alone, Fisher has appeared on Gossip Girl, Mad Men and also earned roles in J. Edgar and Final Destination 5. It was Final Destination 5 where Fisher was given a unique opportunity to create one of his trademark videos as a social marketing vehicle for the movie. He recorded “New Romance” as a parody to the movie but set in a perfect recreation of the popular late 80s early 90s television series Saved By The Bell.
I’ve followed Miles work over the years and while in Los Angeles, I invited him to the Revolution set to share his vision for the future of social production and how it differs from traditional media development. More importantly, we review how to bring the two together to inspire a new genre of engaging and shareable content production and marketing.
Great content = engaging + discoverable
Great social content = engaging + discoverable + shareable
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The End of Business as Usual is officially here…
Monopoly, the movie
*imagine deep, epic voice*
In a world where classic board games meet the real world… this is what the movie posters would look like.
More here.
Netflix Brings ‘Just For Kids’ User Interface To The Xbox 360
Netflix is making it even easier for kids to bypass channel surfing and search for their favorite shows and characters, with an updated app for the Xbox 360. The latest version of Netflix’s Xbox 360 app, which went live this morning, brings its increasingly popular ‘Just For Kids’ user interface to the gaming console.
Netflix’s Just For Kids UI debuted nearly a year ago, offering its younger users an easier way to find and watch their favorite shows. Unlike Netflix’s usual user interface, which highlights movie box art and descriptions, Just For Kids is character-centric, so that toddlers can navigate what they want to watch based on which popular characters most appeal to them, whether it be Dora The Explorer or Spongebob Squarepants. Since introducing the UI on the web, Netflix has been busy porting it to other devices, such as the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Apple TV… and now the Xbox.
For the Xbox 360, the updated app is a clear win, as it will mean even more media consumption on the game console. Microsoft seems to be pushing the Xbox more as a media hub than a game console these days, so grabbing the attention of a home’s youngest users is one way to solidify its place in the living room.
That said, the emergence of the interface and increased Netflix viewing from younger viewers might be having an effect on traditional children’s programming channels. Viacom has seen a fall in ratings at its Nickelodeon channels, for instance, which seems to coincide with the broader release of Just For Kids.
Google To Be Backdrop For Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson Flick Filming Now
Ever wonder what it’s like being an intern at Google? Well, don’t look to an upcoming film, called “The Internship,” to provide much insight, even though the movie, starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, is set at the search giant, as reported by Search Engine Watch. The…
Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
Hey Netflix, Amazon Instant Video’s new iPad app is eating your lunch
Online retail giant Amazon has released an iPad app today that provides streaming access to its library of Prime Instant Video movies and TV shows.
The Prime Instant Video is a complimentary video service offered to Amazon Prime Member, the $79 per year service that provides free two-day shipping to tons of products sold by Amazon. The new Instant Video iPad App represents one of the first big steps by the company to directly compete with streaming video service leader Netflix, which currently has 24 million domestic subscribers.
Netflix has long since predicted that Amazon would break off the Prime Instant Video service into a direct competitor, along with its own monthly subscription fee. Amazon, however, is taking a different route that should make Netflix investors nervous.
The new Instant Video app basically functions like Netflix’s iPad app in the sense that subscribers can watch streaming videos, add videos to a queue (or Watchlist) for later, Whispersync (bookmarking the last moment you watched in a particular video), and more.
In terms of recommendations for what to watch, Amazon only gives you a small portion to choose from. You’re better off visiting Amazon’s website for the full selection, where you can then add titles to your Watchlist. I assume this won’t change because Amazon wants its Prime users to buy products via the website, which might happen while sifting for something to watch.
Yet, Amazon’s iPad app goes a step further than Netflix by providing streaming access to movie and TV show you’ve purchased or rented through Amazon’s online store. You also have the option to download those video purchases directly to your iPad for viewing offline. For now, Netflix is against the idea of providing movie rentals of new releases through its streaming service.
Don’t get me wrong, Netflix still has a far better streaming service, but Amazon is slowly catching up by adding new features and consistently increasing its content library.
Unleash the Power of Android with These Automated Apps [Video]
If you’ve ever thought “I wish my Android phone would do [X] whenever [Y] happened”—for example, text your significant other whenever you leave work; silence your phone when you walk into a movie; or turn on your ringer when you wake up in the morning—Tasker makes it possible. More »
Stop working and watch TV: Viggle hits 1M users, opens up code to developers
As if watching TV on the couch is not tempting enough, Viggle has made it even more alluring by rewarding viewers for checking into a show from their smart device.
Since launching six months ago, the company has acquired more than one million registered users who have checked in more than 63 million times. That is a lot of Seinfeld.
In exchange for being a couch potato, users receive points that are redeemable for movie tickets and gift cards from places like Best Buy, Amazon, Fandango, iTunes, and Hulu Plus (so you can watch more TV). Users can also earn rewards by participating in real-time voting and game features while they watch.
The platform is now available for free to third-party developers. Now, networks, producers, and programmers can choose the specific content they want to use to enhance viewer engagement. Developers can create real-time polls, prediction cards, mood-o-meters, trivia, and quizzes with embedded widgets and keep all the profits generated from their app within the Viggle platform.
Viggle launched in January of 2012. It arose out of mobile media company Function(x), which went public in August of 2011 and changed its corporate name to Viggle in June of 2012. As of today, it has officially rebranded under the stock symbol (VGGL). It is based in New York.
Filed under: VentureBeat 