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Electus, Ogilvy, Deep Focus Executives on Branded Entertainment Panel at ELEVATE
If you think the pre-roll ads are all there is to online video advertising, then think again. "Branded entertainment" - the creation of original web series sponsored by specific brands - has become one of the most exciting new ways to break through and reach specific audiences. Major brands including Denny's, Sprite, Ragu, IBM, Hellman's, Kraft, Lexus, Royal Caribbean, HP, Mitchum and many others are already achieving success. But despite branded entertainment's growing popularity, it's still a relatively new format with lots of unknowns.
To tackle the issues and explain why branded entertainment is such a compelling new opportunity, I'm pleased to announce "Branded Entertainment's Role in the New Marketing Mix," a featured panel discussion at ELEVATE: Online Video Advertising Summit on Tuesday, June 7th in NYC. The session includes some of the most experienced, active executives leading the branded entertainment charge:- Jordan Hoffner - President, Digital Media, Electus
- Ian Schafer - CEO and Founder, Deep Focus
- Doug Scott - President, OgilvyEntertainment
- Josh Cohen - Co-Founder, Tubefilter (moderator)
Categories: Branded Entertainment, Events
Topics: Deep Focus, Electus, ELEVATE, OgilvyEntertainment, Tubefilter
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Digitalsmiths Raises $12.5 Million Series C Round
Video metadata solutions provider Digitalsmiths has closed a $12.5 million Series C round, led by strategic investor Technicolor, with participation by
existing investors .406 Ventures, Aurora Funds, Chrysalis Ventures, Capitol Broadcasting and Cisco. With the financing Digitalsmiths has raised a little over $30 million.
Ben Weinberger, Digitalsmiths CEO and Co-Founder told me that the round was oversubscribed and that additional funds are also available. The new round will support increased marketing and sales efforts for Digitalsmiths' search and discovery solutions targeted to premium video providers. The round will also support planned international expansion.
Categories: Deals & Financings, Technology
Topics: Digitalsmiths, Technicolor
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Jon Miller, News Corp. Chief Digital Officer to Speak at ELEVATE Conference
I'm delighted to announce that Jon Miller, News Corp. Chief Digital Officer and Chairman/CEO of its Digital Media Group, will speak at ELEVATE: Online Video Advertising Summit, on Tuesday, June 7th in NYC. Jon will participate in a fireside chat with David Kenny, President of Akamai Technologies (and former Chairman and CEO of Digitas), following David Kenny's opening mini-keynote. The title for the mini-keynote and fireside session is "Toward Digital Dollars: The State of the Market for Premium Online Video."
Jon is one of the most experienced digital media executives in the world and it is an honor to have him participate in ELEVATE. In particular, the topic that he will address could not be timelier. Producers of premium video content are singularly focused on how to optimally monetize their content on the burgeoning online and mobile video platforms. As a board member of Hulu - and with his numerous other experiences - Jon has unique insights on the topic. In addition, News Corp. has been one of the most aggressive investors and participants in online and mobile video and so the lessons and best practices Jon will share will be invaluable.
Categories: Events
Topics: ELEVATE, News Corp.
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Netflix Now In Virtual Tie With Comcast as Largest U.S. Video Subscription Service
Netflix just reported its Q1 '11 results, gaining 3.3 million subscribers in the U.S. to end the quarter with 22.8 million U.S. subscribers, in a virtual tie with Comcast as the largest U.S. video subscription service as measured by total subscribers. The 22.8 million total met the top end of its guidance range.
As I previously noted, Netflix ended 2010 with just over 20 million subscribers, but that amount included just over 500K international
subscribers (in Canada) which Netflix has now broken out for the first time. In the quarter Netflix also added 290K international subscribers to end the quarter at 800K subscribers. In total, Netflix now has 23.6 million subscribers. On another encouraging note, trial subscribers in Q1 '11 fell to 1.392 million, vs. 1.566 million at the end of 2010, accounting for 6.1% of ending subscribers, down from 8%.
Categories: Aggregators
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Netflix is Likely to Become the Largest U.S. Video Subscription Service When It Reports Q1 '11 Today
Netflix is likely to become the largest U.S. video subscription service - as measured by total subscribers - when it reports its Q1 '11 results at 4:05pm ET today. The milestone would be the latest evidence of Netflix's rapid accent as a major force in online distribution of Hollywood films and TV programs, as well as a central player in the unfolding battle for the digital living room.
Netflix ended 2010 with just over 20 million subscribers, and provided Q1 domestic ending subscriber guidance of between 21.9 million and 22.8 million subscribers. If Netflix slightly beats the high end of its guidance range it will eclipse Comcast, currently the largest video service provider, which ended 2010 with 22.802 million video subscribers.
Categories: Aggregators, Cable TV Operators
Topics: Amazon, Comcast, Netflix
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Premium VOD is a Train Wreck Though It Just Doesn't Matter
Yesterday marked the official launch of "Premium VOD" by DirecTV, a plan under which movies will be released just 60 days after their theatrical opening (half the usual time) for 48-hour rental by subscribers for $30. The first movie being offered this way, which DirecTV dubs "Home Premiere," was Sony Pictures' "Just Go With It" starring Adam Sandler. Three other studios, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures and Fox have already signaled their intent to release movies on Premium VOD with DirecTV and other pay-TV operators who have expressed interest.
Theater owners and the Hollywood creative community are livid about Premium VOD, which they perceive as paving the road to cannibalizing theatrical attendance which would in turn harm a movie's overall economics, creating a dangerous downward spiral. In addition, there's concern that if consumers switch to watching movies on the small screen then the creative license implicit in a big screen emphasis will get squeezed. While their concerns are completely justified, the good news for them is that Premium VOD will be lucky to achieve even minimal success. Instead it will more than likely end up being a short-lived experiment that will have virtually no impact on larger Hollywood dynamics. Here's why:
Categories: FIlms, Studios, Video On Demand
Topics: DirecTV, FOX, Sony Pictures, Universal, Warner Bros.
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #96 - Apr. 22, 2011
I'm pleased to present the 96th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for April 22, 2011.
In this week's podcast, Daisy Whitney and I discuss 2 new video ads that I recently wrote about, the Desperados Tequila Flavored Beer ad on YouTube, and the Evian "Baby Inside" ad. I thought they were both highly creative and offered great opportunities for viewers to become involved. On the other hand, Daisy did not like either one, the Desperados ad because it required too many actions, and the Evian ad because she's averse to the images of adult heads on babies' bodies. As Daisy explains, often she just wants to enjoy ads as entertainment, rather than be required to act.
Daisy draws an interesting distinction between "interactivity" and "engagement," two concepts that are often used interchangeably. But as Daisy points out, many ads incite deep engagement while not requiring any interactivity. I can relate to the point as I found myself very engaged with "The Force" Super Bowl ad from Volkswagen, though it didn't include any interactivity. The larger point is that even though opportunities now abound for brands to immerse users in online experiences, more than ever they need to strike the right balance between pure entertainment vs. requiring to users to act.
Click here to listen to the podcast (12 minutes, 20 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!
Categories: Advertising, Podcasts
Topics: Desperados Tequila Flavored Beer, Evian, Podcast, YouTube
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Senior Comcast, ESPN, Turner Executives to Discuss TV Everywhere's Game-Changing Role at ELEVATE
I'm delighted to announce that TV Everywhere's game-changing role in the TV and advertising ecosystems will be the topic of a marquee panel of cable
industry executives at ELEVATE: Online Video Advertising Summit on Tuesday, June 7th in New York City. The panel, which I'll moderate, is titled "TV Everywhere: Game-Changer for Premium Online Video and Advertising" and includes:- Jeremy Legg - SVP, Business Development and Multi-Platform Distribution, Turner Broadcasting System
- David Preschlack - EVP, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, Disney & ESPN Networks Group
- Matt Strauss - SVP and General Manager, Comcast Interactive Media
As I've written since it first burst onto the scene almost 2 years ago, TV Everywhere is the most significant initiative in the TV industry today because it aims to untether all of the most popular programs from cable TV networks that have traditionally been locked to the set-top box in the TV room, making them available on myriad connected and mobile devices. In this respect, TV Everywhere is a strategic imperative for the pay-TV industry; as new entrants like Netflix, Hulu Plus and others have strongly embraced delivery to connected and mobile devices, they have raised the competitive bar for all others.
Categories: Cable Networks, Cable TV Operators, Devices, Events
Topics: Comcast, ELEVATE, ESPN, Turner
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