Just when you thought you knew who would be responsible for bringing mobile content to market...you were wrong.
More and more the shift to deliver content over mobile devices is falling to the handset makers. Competition amongst handset makers has become so fierce that manufacturers fight for favor with the carriers for ways to better feature their devices. Carriers ask the handset makers to throw in products and services other than the usual manufacturer rebate in order to help the carrier sell the device, in addition to allowing the carrier to mark up these services at an added profit margin for themselves.
Make no mistake - this is a big deal as it is akin to television set manufacturers getting involved in the development of the content.
Take a look at Nokia's public entree into the content creation and delivery space at: http://www.ovi.com
At launch the service will primarily focus on services surrounding online photo sharing, map services, music delivery & gaming.
Sprint has also launched Sprint Exclusive Entertainment, the first wireless TV network to be produced in house by a major U.S. carrier. http://www.sprint.com/landings/see/?id8=vanity:see
This is also a big opportunity for Brands to participate in the development of the content as the handset makers look for valuable, household name partners in order to lower their risk as they enter this new market.
Everyone knows mobile content will be big business. Some regions of the world have developed faster than others due to technological advancement, ubiquitous standards or simply lifestyle differences. Whatever market you are in, the delivery of content over a mobile device will be yet another service that we will not be able to live without.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
New Opportunities In PR!
As we know, PR is essentially all about creating press coverage in one form or another for a client via established media relationships.
Measuring the value paid towards PR has always been a challenge with no guarantee of media coverage. And what about the effectiveness of coverage? For the most part this never happens in any accountable form.
PR does not have to be this way.
Armed with a good SEO strategy, marketers and content creators can reach the consumer directly provided value is being created. Is that not what PR is all about anyway? Today, digital media has broken down the walls protected by the major media companies allowing anyone to publish content. So why not PR?
As a PR professional you have the power to self-publish any message in ways that may ultimately prove to be way more target-able, powerful and measurable. In an age of DVR's and VOD, no one likes to watch advertising and they don't. The trick is in providing content that is valuable for your audience, much in the same way that good press coverage provides information that we all want to read and be informed about. It's all about knowing your audience and being authentic.
If you are looking to seed content to mainstream digital media for use within their offerings, make sure you keep this new medium in mind. This is NOT TV. Keep content to 15 to 20 second snippets as journalists are not inclined to use video that requires extra editing for example.
If you are a non believer, here are a few stats for you:
One in five broadband homes will have the technology to watch internet-based video on their TV sets by the end of 2007, according to a new analysis from Emerging Media Dynamics. The report assesses the progress made by devices such as Apple TV, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and SlingMedia's SlingCatcher in solving the final "twenty foot" barrier. Over 72 million broadband homes – representing over two-thirds of the marketplace – are projected to have PC/TV devices by 2017.
IPTV subscription video revenue will grow exponentially from $779 million in 2006 to $26.3 billion by 2011 not including advertising and value-added TV services, according to a new report from market intelligence firm iSuppli.
A new Bivings Research survey of the U.S.'s top 100 newspaper sites found video to be more of a central component of its content. About 92% of paper sites now offer video (up from 61% in 2006). Within this group, 39 sites offer original video content, 26 use AP's video service and 13 offer video content from local news outlets.
Clearly times they are a changin'. So don't sit back waiting for mainstream media. Take your story into your own hands and self publish.
For additional insight, I recommend you read:
Video Rocks Traditional PR
http://www.prnewsonline.com/digitalpr/casestudies/videorocks.html
Healthy Video Snacks - Shelly Palmer
http://www.shellypalmerblog.com/?p=465
While I primarily focus on innovation in online video and IPTV within this blog, there are of course many new formats to be mastered and monitored in PR such as blogs (written & video), wikis & social media solutions to name a few.
Measuring the value paid towards PR has always been a challenge with no guarantee of media coverage. And what about the effectiveness of coverage? For the most part this never happens in any accountable form.
PR does not have to be this way.
Armed with a good SEO strategy, marketers and content creators can reach the consumer directly provided value is being created. Is that not what PR is all about anyway? Today, digital media has broken down the walls protected by the major media companies allowing anyone to publish content. So why not PR?
As a PR professional you have the power to self-publish any message in ways that may ultimately prove to be way more target-able, powerful and measurable. In an age of DVR's and VOD, no one likes to watch advertising and they don't. The trick is in providing content that is valuable for your audience, much in the same way that good press coverage provides information that we all want to read and be informed about. It's all about knowing your audience and being authentic.
If you are looking to seed content to mainstream digital media for use within their offerings, make sure you keep this new medium in mind. This is NOT TV. Keep content to 15 to 20 second snippets as journalists are not inclined to use video that requires extra editing for example.
If you are a non believer, here are a few stats for you:
One in five broadband homes will have the technology to watch internet-based video on their TV sets by the end of 2007, according to a new analysis from Emerging Media Dynamics. The report assesses the progress made by devices such as Apple TV, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and SlingMedia's SlingCatcher in solving the final "twenty foot" barrier. Over 72 million broadband homes – representing over two-thirds of the marketplace – are projected to have PC/TV devices by 2017.
IPTV subscription video revenue will grow exponentially from $779 million in 2006 to $26.3 billion by 2011 not including advertising and value-added TV services, according to a new report from market intelligence firm iSuppli.
A new Bivings Research survey of the U.S.'s top 100 newspaper sites found video to be more of a central component of its content. About 92% of paper sites now offer video (up from 61% in 2006). Within this group, 39 sites offer original video content, 26 use AP's video service and 13 offer video content from local news outlets.
Clearly times they are a changin'. So don't sit back waiting for mainstream media. Take your story into your own hands and self publish.
For additional insight, I recommend you read:
Video Rocks Traditional PR
http://www.prnewsonline.com/digitalpr/casestudies/videorocks.html
Healthy Video Snacks - Shelly Palmer
http://www.shellypalmerblog.com/?p=465
While I primarily focus on innovation in online video and IPTV within this blog, there are of course many new formats to be mastered and monitored in PR such as blogs (written & video), wikis & social media solutions to name a few.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Why the pro-sumer can now compete with the networks...
First a few facts...while most people still watch most programming on their TV, a four-year analysis of Internet use have found that 47% of time online is currently spent viewing content as opposed to 33% of that time spent for communication purposes. This is significant because 4 years ago, those numbers were reversed. This shows that viewers of content are more and more using the web as a respected delivery tool for online video.
Powerful production tools have been at the hands of the pro-sumer for quite some time, and quite a bit of talent is being discovered as a result. Distribution has been another story with every site requiring different specifications for upload, making the task a laborious one.
And lets not forget how everyone is trying to get paid for their efforts...via advertising. Advertisers & sponsors price the value of programming against the amount of viewers. Before now there was no easy way for a small publisher to aggregate all of their viewers across multiple distribution points on the web, other than counting them manually. This left advertisers to question the math behind the numbers. Now things are about to change.
Online video distribution and analytics tools that allow undiscovered talent to distribute and measure the success of their programming throughout the web are beginning to emerge. These types of tools will become the great equalizers, as small publishers are able to more easily distribute their content to all of the major online video portals, while tracking the numbers through an impartial 3rd party.
The new, online video publishing tools are now offering one stop shopping for distribution, bundled up with analytics tools to enable programmers to more easily track their fan base.
Tubemogul: http://www.tubemogul.com/
Vidmetrix: http://www.vidmetrix.com/
Or how about a budding local news journalist being able to broadcast live with little more than a laptop, web-cam and internet connection. Now they can with Mogulus: http://www.mogulus.com
To compete with the networks is no easy feat, given their infrastructure and the dollars they place behind advertising their own shows. But at the end of the day it is all about the quality of the idea, and new ideas tend to come from the ground up, not the top down.
All this makes it much more likely that the next 'Sopranos' will be an online show, and that that show has a high likelihood of being brought to you by someone other than a major network.
For those of you that think that watching video content over the internet is for the few or decades away...a few more facts.
IPTV subscription video revenue will grow exponentially from $779 million in 2006 to $26.3 billion by 2011 not including advertising and value-added TV services, and 1 in 5 broadband homes will have the technology to watch internet-based video on their TV sets by the end of 2007. Over 72 million broadband homes – representing over two-thirds of the marketplace – are projected to have PC/TV devices by 2017.
ComScore's Video streaming reports:
• Online viewers watched an average of 158 minutes of streaming video per streamer.
• The average video stream duration was 2.5 minutes.
• Nearly three out of four (74.3 percent) U.S. Internet users streamed video online.
• More than one out of three (35 percent) U.S. Internet users use YouTube.
• The average online video viewer consumed 63 video streams (more than two per day).
Adobe’s Flash Player, YouTube, Apple’s QuickTime are all planning on being fully H.264 (HD) compatible this year.
The bottom line is that this will all make for a much more competitive marketplace. One that will keep the networks on their toes, while giving the little guy a real chance to compete...
Powerful production tools have been at the hands of the pro-sumer for quite some time, and quite a bit of talent is being discovered as a result. Distribution has been another story with every site requiring different specifications for upload, making the task a laborious one.
And lets not forget how everyone is trying to get paid for their efforts...via advertising. Advertisers & sponsors price the value of programming against the amount of viewers. Before now there was no easy way for a small publisher to aggregate all of their viewers across multiple distribution points on the web, other than counting them manually. This left advertisers to question the math behind the numbers. Now things are about to change.
Online video distribution and analytics tools that allow undiscovered talent to distribute and measure the success of their programming throughout the web are beginning to emerge. These types of tools will become the great equalizers, as small publishers are able to more easily distribute their content to all of the major online video portals, while tracking the numbers through an impartial 3rd party.
The new, online video publishing tools are now offering one stop shopping for distribution, bundled up with analytics tools to enable programmers to more easily track their fan base.
Tubemogul: http://www.tubemogul.com/
Vidmetrix: http://www.vidmetrix.com/
Or how about a budding local news journalist being able to broadcast live with little more than a laptop, web-cam and internet connection. Now they can with Mogulus: http://www.mogulus.com
To compete with the networks is no easy feat, given their infrastructure and the dollars they place behind advertising their own shows. But at the end of the day it is all about the quality of the idea, and new ideas tend to come from the ground up, not the top down.
All this makes it much more likely that the next 'Sopranos' will be an online show, and that that show has a high likelihood of being brought to you by someone other than a major network.
For those of you that think that watching video content over the internet is for the few or decades away...a few more facts.
IPTV subscription video revenue will grow exponentially from $779 million in 2006 to $26.3 billion by 2011 not including advertising and value-added TV services, and 1 in 5 broadband homes will have the technology to watch internet-based video on their TV sets by the end of 2007. Over 72 million broadband homes – representing over two-thirds of the marketplace – are projected to have PC/TV devices by 2017.
ComScore's Video streaming reports:
• Online viewers watched an average of 158 minutes of streaming video per streamer.
• The average video stream duration was 2.5 minutes.
• Nearly three out of four (74.3 percent) U.S. Internet users streamed video online.
• More than one out of three (35 percent) U.S. Internet users use YouTube.
• The average online video viewer consumed 63 video streams (more than two per day).
Adobe’s Flash Player, YouTube, Apple’s QuickTime are all planning on being fully H.264 (HD) compatible this year.
The bottom line is that this will all make for a much more competitive marketplace. One that will keep the networks on their toes, while giving the little guy a real chance to compete...
Monday, July 09, 2007
IPTV is finally here...
All of a sudden the technology and GUI experience of being able to watch TV via the internet is upon us. I'm not talking about YouTube or the multitude of UGC sites with a small video window and endless amounts of mindless (yet often entertaining) content.
I'm talking about the fact that most of the major networks hit shows are available to stream online whenever we want to see them. Most are also able to do so in a full screen format.
Accompanying the networks are technologies from both new and veteran technology companies. They are doing deals with all of the major networks and are able to stream this content via the web and serve it up in an on-demand model, full screen and over a standard internet connection. They are like virtual versions of the cable companies that we know of today.
...EXCEPT, they're FREE!
Now don't get too excited, because all that FREE stuff means we still have to watch commercials as someone has to pay for the content. But SO WHAT, we watch commercials now and that is not about to change. What will change is the shape and form in which these sponsorship messages arrive. Some of these new services come with DVR-like capabilities, allowing you to...skip commercials.
But all this is great news. It means we are getting closer to a true on-demand content model. One that may bypass out traditional cable operators, and one that will push brands and their marketing agencies to get off their asses and create compelling content that their clients customers actually want to watch.
Now, most of this content will also be pushed out to multiple devices which will also revolutionize the ad model as we know it. Technologies like Visible World will enable advertisers to push out different versions of a commercial on-the-fly depending on what device is being served at the time.
http://www.visibleworld.com/homepage.php
While things are moving faster than any one of us in the industry imagined, true adoption won't take place until the traditional networks can more easily push their content out to the web, and web content creators are able push to their content to the big screen.
There are also major hurdles for the IPTV delivery companies as they try to figure out what their business model moving forward will be. They face major competition from new entries into this marketplace as the barrier to entry is low given the fact that, unlike the traditional cable companies, there are no infrastructure costs into the home & no licenses to acquire. Basically, anyone with access to money can develop a similar solution and get it up in a fairly short period of time, as Joost found out after the release of Veoh's full-screen player. Many of these companies rely on hosted solutions as their bread and butter money, but peer to peer has proven that this is not the most efficient way to serve video and the costs soon outweigh what you can charge.
What will set these companies apart is content and their ability to quickly sign up the best of the networks in order to get the best following. The problem here is that the networks will NOT be giving exclusivity to anyone. The only option left for them at the end of the day will be to start to create and own their own content as the emerging, traditional networks had to do. Without this, they are purely a commodity play.
For more information or to sign up to be part of the Beta Testing programs of some of these IPTV companies:
Joost: On-DemandTV from major networks on your computer-full screen. (http://www.joost.com)
Veoh: On-DemandTV from major networks on your computer-full screen. (http://www.veoh.com/veohTV/veohTvIntro.html)
Microsoft's LiveStation: On-DemandTV from major networks with the added ability to actually display live TV on your computer-full screen. (http://beta.livestation.com/)
If you want a more in-depth view at how quickly this has been evolving, read two blogs that I wrote within the past year on related subjects:
The death of the networks...and what is a channel anyway?
http://web.mac.com/jaredhendler/iWeb/smashtube/smashblog/2DF1DDEB-1160-45DD-AE83-E0EBD17617B3.html
The New Syndicators...Googled again?
http://web.mac.com/jaredhendler/iWeb/smashtube/smashblog/F0E3EA09-4E3B-43F2-9AC0-393D1542422F.html
I'm talking about the fact that most of the major networks hit shows are available to stream online whenever we want to see them. Most are also able to do so in a full screen format.
Accompanying the networks are technologies from both new and veteran technology companies. They are doing deals with all of the major networks and are able to stream this content via the web and serve it up in an on-demand model, full screen and over a standard internet connection. They are like virtual versions of the cable companies that we know of today.
...EXCEPT, they're FREE!
Now don't get too excited, because all that FREE stuff means we still have to watch commercials as someone has to pay for the content. But SO WHAT, we watch commercials now and that is not about to change. What will change is the shape and form in which these sponsorship messages arrive. Some of these new services come with DVR-like capabilities, allowing you to...skip commercials.
But all this is great news. It means we are getting closer to a true on-demand content model. One that may bypass out traditional cable operators, and one that will push brands and their marketing agencies to get off their asses and create compelling content that their clients customers actually want to watch.
Now, most of this content will also be pushed out to multiple devices which will also revolutionize the ad model as we know it. Technologies like Visible World will enable advertisers to push out different versions of a commercial on-the-fly depending on what device is being served at the time.
http://www.visibleworld.com/homepage.php
While things are moving faster than any one of us in the industry imagined, true adoption won't take place until the traditional networks can more easily push their content out to the web, and web content creators are able push to their content to the big screen.
There are also major hurdles for the IPTV delivery companies as they try to figure out what their business model moving forward will be. They face major competition from new entries into this marketplace as the barrier to entry is low given the fact that, unlike the traditional cable companies, there are no infrastructure costs into the home & no licenses to acquire. Basically, anyone with access to money can develop a similar solution and get it up in a fairly short period of time, as Joost found out after the release of Veoh's full-screen player. Many of these companies rely on hosted solutions as their bread and butter money, but peer to peer has proven that this is not the most efficient way to serve video and the costs soon outweigh what you can charge.
What will set these companies apart is content and their ability to quickly sign up the best of the networks in order to get the best following. The problem here is that the networks will NOT be giving exclusivity to anyone. The only option left for them at the end of the day will be to start to create and own their own content as the emerging, traditional networks had to do. Without this, they are purely a commodity play.
For more information or to sign up to be part of the Beta Testing programs of some of these IPTV companies:
Joost: On-DemandTV from major networks on your computer-full screen. (http://www.joost.com)
Veoh: On-DemandTV from major networks on your computer-full screen. (http://www.veoh.com/veohTV/veohTvIntro.html)
Microsoft's LiveStation: On-DemandTV from major networks with the added ability to actually display live TV on your computer-full screen. (http://beta.livestation.com/)
If you want a more in-depth view at how quickly this has been evolving, read two blogs that I wrote within the past year on related subjects:
The death of the networks...and what is a channel anyway?
http://web.mac.com/jaredhendler/iWeb/smashtube/smashblog/2DF1DDEB-1160-45DD-AE83-E0EBD17617B3.html
The New Syndicators...Googled again?
http://web.mac.com/jaredhendler/iWeb/smashtube/smashblog/F0E3EA09-4E3B-43F2-9AC0-393D1542422F.html
Monday, June 25, 2007
iPhone...one affordable mobile PC!
I swore I would not write anything about the iPhone. I mean really...at this point, what has not been said? The biggest debate has been on cost. Who will pay $500-$600 dollars for a phone with no carrier discounts? Yes, for a phone this is expensive. But a phone this is not.
This is a mobile PC, and a cheap one at that. One that is about to change how many people use a wireless network. So, for those of you that are still waiting for Apple to design another Newton-like device, I’ve got news for you - this is it.
Most people in the United States own 2 devices. A phone and a PC. One is used for voice, the other for data and email.
In Asia, most people have one device, a phone for all of the above.
My bet is that the iPhone changes America's relationship to their ‘phone’ to more closely resemble the habit of our Asian friends, where one device is all you may need.
For many people, owning a PC is a luxury, high ticket item. My bet is that the iPhone will be viewed by many people as a great AFFORDABLE option as an all around communications device rather than as an expensive phone. I am willing to say that many people, especially young adults, would choose this over a PC if given the option. Yes, I know that you cannot do your homework on the iPhone, but this is a launch model. You can bet Apple has several follow up models behind this one in addition to a whole host of applications like Office ready to run on it’s streamlined OS.
The iPhone is a layman's PC bargain, one that is about to change our communications habits while it challenges our notion of personal computing.
This is a mobile PC, and a cheap one at that. One that is about to change how many people use a wireless network. So, for those of you that are still waiting for Apple to design another Newton-like device, I’ve got news for you - this is it.
Most people in the United States own 2 devices. A phone and a PC. One is used for voice, the other for data and email.
In Asia, most people have one device, a phone for all of the above.
My bet is that the iPhone changes America's relationship to their ‘phone’ to more closely resemble the habit of our Asian friends, where one device is all you may need.
For many people, owning a PC is a luxury, high ticket item. My bet is that the iPhone will be viewed by many people as a great AFFORDABLE option as an all around communications device rather than as an expensive phone. I am willing to say that many people, especially young adults, would choose this over a PC if given the option. Yes, I know that you cannot do your homework on the iPhone, but this is a launch model. You can bet Apple has several follow up models behind this one in addition to a whole host of applications like Office ready to run on it’s streamlined OS.
The iPhone is a layman's PC bargain, one that is about to change our communications habits while it challenges our notion of personal computing.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Twitter - The next killer APP?
Twitter is a micro-blogging application. So, what is micro-blogging? Think of it as a snack sized journal that you post to using either your cell-phone via text or your computer via IM or though Twitter's website. Every-time you make a post, all of your friends can elect to be notified or they can elect to login and see everyone's location whenever it is convenient.
Why the hell would I want everyone to know where I am and what I am doing you may ask? Well, some of us 'older' folk may not, but the upcoming generations are all about connectivity and this is the start of where it is at. Think of this as GPS in reverse, but with a personality you can control. Pretty soon, all of us will be able to be located via GPS from our phones, in much the same way that we can find our location using a GPS device. With GPS, the world is a cold place and we are all just a number. With an application like Twitter, we have control over how the world sees us vs. letting the world define us. This is an extremely important distinction and big perception shift. We take control of ourselves as a brand, so be careful what you write.
This may sound crazy, but I have personally been able to spot trends and make stock choices based on watching the habits of users from around the world. If the music industry wants to find their way out of the mess they are in, they should start tracking Twitter chat. I'll leave it at that.
A sure sign that this is all catching on is the rapidly developing community of application developers who support Twitter such as:
Twitter Search: Search and compare what people are talking about or doing. Are there more Apple vs. Dell conversations for example?: http://twitterment.umbc.edu/
Twitter Maps: Watch chat real time around the world. Imagine if this came with a translation tool, could we diffuse misunderstanding?: http://twittermap.com/maps
Twittbin: Toolbar for Firefox: http://www.twitbin.com/
Twitteroo: Toolbar for PC's: http://rareedge.com/twitteroo/
To follow Twitter mash-ups see: http://twitter.com/mashable
So, why is this the next killer app? Simply because upcoming generations do not only want to stay in touch and be connected 24/7, but they want to continue to be in control over how others see and perceive them. This is the start of personal branding on the go...
For more specific information on Twitter, the blog Mediashift has written a comprehensive article on the application itself and all you can do with it. You can view that post here.
Check out Twitter online at: http://twitter.com/
Check out Twitter for mobile devices at: http://m.twitter.com/home
For the only true competitor to Twitter go to: http://jaiku.com/
If you are really bored and want to follow what me and my friends are doing, go here: http://twitter.com/sadude/with_friends
(I may be responsible for who I choose to be friends with, but I am not responsible for what my friends do :-)
Why the hell would I want everyone to know where I am and what I am doing you may ask? Well, some of us 'older' folk may not, but the upcoming generations are all about connectivity and this is the start of where it is at. Think of this as GPS in reverse, but with a personality you can control. Pretty soon, all of us will be able to be located via GPS from our phones, in much the same way that we can find our location using a GPS device. With GPS, the world is a cold place and we are all just a number. With an application like Twitter, we have control over how the world sees us vs. letting the world define us. This is an extremely important distinction and big perception shift. We take control of ourselves as a brand, so be careful what you write.
This may sound crazy, but I have personally been able to spot trends and make stock choices based on watching the habits of users from around the world. If the music industry wants to find their way out of the mess they are in, they should start tracking Twitter chat. I'll leave it at that.
A sure sign that this is all catching on is the rapidly developing community of application developers who support Twitter such as:
Twitter Search: Search and compare what people are talking about or doing. Are there more Apple vs. Dell conversations for example?: http://twitterment.umbc.edu/
Twitter Maps: Watch chat real time around the world. Imagine if this came with a translation tool, could we diffuse misunderstanding?: http://twittermap.com/maps
Twittbin: Toolbar for Firefox: http://www.twitbin.com/
Twitteroo: Toolbar for PC's: http://rareedge.com/twitteroo/
To follow Twitter mash-ups see: http://twitter.com/mashable
So, why is this the next killer app? Simply because upcoming generations do not only want to stay in touch and be connected 24/7, but they want to continue to be in control over how others see and perceive them. This is the start of personal branding on the go...
For more specific information on Twitter, the blog Mediashift has written a comprehensive article on the application itself and all you can do with it. You can view that post here.
Check out Twitter online at: http://twitter.com/
Check out Twitter for mobile devices at: http://m.twitter.com/home
For the only true competitor to Twitter go to: http://jaiku.com/
If you are really bored and want to follow what me and my friends are doing, go here: http://twitter.com/sadude/with_friends
(I may be responsible for who I choose to be friends with, but I am not responsible for what my friends do :-)
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
The Need For a New Online Video Ad Model...
If the media establishment wants a new revenue stream, then why is everyone treating advertising within online video as if it were TV?
We all know that the potential of video on the internet is huge. The idea of on-demand content that you can control and participate in is a big change from the linear television experience we have all grown up with. It is so different that it requires a better way to integrate the sponsor messages within the programming. For one thing, we trust it more than we do TV. The influence of User Generated Content drives the authentic nature of online content. This needs to be protected in order for it to continue to grow. Most of the content online is pretty short which ends up giving a disproportionate amount of time to the sponsor. Is there even time for a commercial? Not to mention the fact that skipping Pre, Mid and Post-Roll advertising will be as easy as skipping the commercials on TV with a DVR. Every PC is in fact a DVR, and scripts are being written to allow us to do that as we speak.
We also have access to much more content. We like to search for it. It takes work. We are rewarded when we find what we are looking for and we don't want to sit through a commercial - especially if there are dozens of pages filled with similarly competitive content at our fingertips - get it?
So what do we do? Isn’t it obvious? Integration.
Integrate our sponsor messages within the programming. Involve them. From an executional standpoint this can take place via titles, product placement opportunities or announcements. These are all pretty standard fare, but better than 'spots'. To take this a step farther, the agencies need to start thinking about producing programming on an ongoing basis rather than one-off spots tied to linear media buys. It takes time to build an audience.
How about creating an online creative marketplace to match producers directly to advertisers similar to eBay? Not one that simply matches advertising inventory against a brand’s media spend in order to place a commercial, but a marketplace that matches brands with content creators in order to allow the content creators to integrate the brand in a way that works authentically within the programming. Sure, there will have to be an element of trust. Brands have corporate ID manuals and logo guidelines for that. And trust works. Look at eBay. If someone would have told you that people would be trading with strangers online for thousands of dollars a whole world away a few years back, would you have believed it? Lets put the people with the money (the brands) in direct contact with the creators. Everyone will win. The brand gains an authentic connection with the consumer. The consumer gets high quality content without the annoyance of a commercial.
And what about no-risk media models for the sponsors. Why should a brand buy media based upon a promise of what was or what could be. What if they only pay AFTER content is viewed. Brand should pay based on what is actually viewed via pre-set thresholds with bonus levels built in to incentivise content creators. Create crappy programming and you don't get paid beyond the production. Once again, everyone wins. The brand only pays media fees if the content they are associated with is a hit. The creators and online gatekeepers get rewarded for exceptional programming with successful content integration and promotion.
I'm not sure where this leaves the advertising agencies unless they evolve part of their offering into an entertainment model. They may be able to play the part of agents representing the creative talent that will deliver for the brands, but Hollywood may do a better job of that just as Michael Ovitz started with CAA over a decade ago. Hollywood may end up being the new Madison Avenue. The agencies can only protect their client relationships for so long. Media is one place they can participate and help their clients to navigate. Look at how Ajax technology is threatening the very way in which precious page views are measured.
Even with the criticism against eBay’s recent foray into the creation of a Media marketplace - this will be a mere hiccup along the way. Once sophistication is built in along the lines of organic content creation and brand integration, you won't be able to stop the growth.
Despite this, the idea of media exchanges is gaining momentum. So what's with trying to figure out the Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, Post-Roll strategy? There shouldn't be one. Get rid of them. THIS IS NOT TV! This is another medium folks. The sooner we all understand that, the better off we will all be and the faster the new revenue streams will fall into place.
We all know that the potential of video on the internet is huge. The idea of on-demand content that you can control and participate in is a big change from the linear television experience we have all grown up with. It is so different that it requires a better way to integrate the sponsor messages within the programming. For one thing, we trust it more than we do TV. The influence of User Generated Content drives the authentic nature of online content. This needs to be protected in order for it to continue to grow. Most of the content online is pretty short which ends up giving a disproportionate amount of time to the sponsor. Is there even time for a commercial? Not to mention the fact that skipping Pre, Mid and Post-Roll advertising will be as easy as skipping the commercials on TV with a DVR. Every PC is in fact a DVR, and scripts are being written to allow us to do that as we speak.
We also have access to much more content. We like to search for it. It takes work. We are rewarded when we find what we are looking for and we don't want to sit through a commercial - especially if there are dozens of pages filled with similarly competitive content at our fingertips - get it?
So what do we do? Isn’t it obvious? Integration.
Integrate our sponsor messages within the programming. Involve them. From an executional standpoint this can take place via titles, product placement opportunities or announcements. These are all pretty standard fare, but better than 'spots'. To take this a step farther, the agencies need to start thinking about producing programming on an ongoing basis rather than one-off spots tied to linear media buys. It takes time to build an audience.
How about creating an online creative marketplace to match producers directly to advertisers similar to eBay? Not one that simply matches advertising inventory against a brand’s media spend in order to place a commercial, but a marketplace that matches brands with content creators in order to allow the content creators to integrate the brand in a way that works authentically within the programming. Sure, there will have to be an element of trust. Brands have corporate ID manuals and logo guidelines for that. And trust works. Look at eBay. If someone would have told you that people would be trading with strangers online for thousands of dollars a whole world away a few years back, would you have believed it? Lets put the people with the money (the brands) in direct contact with the creators. Everyone will win. The brand gains an authentic connection with the consumer. The consumer gets high quality content without the annoyance of a commercial.
And what about no-risk media models for the sponsors. Why should a brand buy media based upon a promise of what was or what could be. What if they only pay AFTER content is viewed. Brand should pay based on what is actually viewed via pre-set thresholds with bonus levels built in to incentivise content creators. Create crappy programming and you don't get paid beyond the production. Once again, everyone wins. The brand only pays media fees if the content they are associated with is a hit. The creators and online gatekeepers get rewarded for exceptional programming with successful content integration and promotion.
I'm not sure where this leaves the advertising agencies unless they evolve part of their offering into an entertainment model. They may be able to play the part of agents representing the creative talent that will deliver for the brands, but Hollywood may do a better job of that just as Michael Ovitz started with CAA over a decade ago. Hollywood may end up being the new Madison Avenue. The agencies can only protect their client relationships for so long. Media is one place they can participate and help their clients to navigate. Look at how Ajax technology is threatening the very way in which precious page views are measured.
Even with the criticism against eBay’s recent foray into the creation of a Media marketplace - this will be a mere hiccup along the way. Once sophistication is built in along the lines of organic content creation and brand integration, you won't be able to stop the growth.
Despite this, the idea of media exchanges is gaining momentum. So what's with trying to figure out the Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, Post-Roll strategy? There shouldn't be one. Get rid of them. THIS IS NOT TV! This is another medium folks. The sooner we all understand that, the better off we will all be and the faster the new revenue streams will fall into place.
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