Articles of the Day
Heavy Lands Another Biggie - Heavy.com is adding to its executive roster again, luring Eric Hadley from Microsoft to the online video service. Hadley, who has been at the Seattle powerhouse for 10 years, will lead all sales and marketing efforts as CMO at Heavy.
MTV to Launch Targeted Web Sites - MTV’s new targeted Web sites will allow users to get closer to their favorite music, entertainment, comedy and pop culture content. This new slate will bring MTVN’s global Web site portfolio to more than 300 sites by year’s end.
ScanScout, TurnHere Tout Investments, Deals - ScanScout’s proprietary Brand Protector technology and ad model made the firm a “compelling” partner for Time Warner. Meanwhile, online video production firm TurnHere has expanded distribution of its BookVideos.tv channel, syndicating original content to over a dozen new properties. The two announcements underscore the sustained advertiser and publisher interest in ways to effectively monetize online video.
Tremor Media, ExpoTV Fold User-Generated Content Into Ads - Embedding homemade product reviews into ads enables advertisers to incorporate user-generated video into their marketing mix in a way that is safe for their brands by ensuring a positive brand message and experience. Advertisers are able to leverage ExpoTV’s Videopinions reviews across Tremor Media’s network, consisting of more than 800 Web sites and reaching more than 92 million unique visitors per month.
Online Video Viewers Looking For News Clips - A new study by Advertising.com, Inc., reports that that the majority of consumers are viewing video online, at 62 percent of survey respondents. These viewers are not just young adults viewing user-generated videos, says the report, but, in fact, 69 percent are ages 35 and older with a preference for viewing news clips online. Lynda Clarizio, president of Advertising.com, says “The Internet is still seen first and foremost as an information resource. With news clips remaining the most popular type of streamed content… (but) we may see a shift in usage toward recreation; these latest figures… hint at that trend.”
Online Video Strategy Hinges on Content - A lack of content is keeping some marketers from developing an online video strategy, according to a PermissionTV poll of advertising, branding and marketing executives. Three in 10 respondents said they either wanted to develop a strategy but lacked content or had compelling content but were unsure how to leverage it. One thing that respondents did not lack, however, was enthusiasm. “Web-based video is becoming an essential element in the marketing mix,” said Jonathan Sackett, chief digital officer of Arnold Worldwide, in a statement. “It provides a unique channel to engage customers, offering unlimited viral potential and interactivity.”
Clouds on Silicon Valley Horizon - The “R” word (recession) was bandied about last week by financial people after it was revealed Friday that 40,000 jobs were lost in August (analysts were expecting a gain of around 100,000), as companies started to lay off employees in the wake of an economy-wide credit crunch. So what does this mean for the Web industry, GigaOm asks? Is the Silicon Valley startup bubble about to burst?
Facebook Closing Off Open Apps - The opening of Facebook, received as a blessing by many software developers, has created a few pitfalls for the social network, too, says The New York Times’ Saul Hansell. Last week, TechCrunch reported that one software developer created a program that allows users to change their people’s “status” messages without logging into Facebook. Well, Facebook didn’t like that, and pressured the guy to remove the program.
Murky Future for Marketing and Online Gaming - The experts of the online gaming world convened last week at the Austin Game Developers Conference to talk about the state of the burgeoning industry. Most believe that online gaming will continue to grow, but not without setbacks. Marketing in games and branded advergames are two areas of particular promise, but not all marketers will be successful. Experimentation is risky but potentially rewarding, too.
Microsoft AdCenter Upgrade - Microsoft updated its AdCenter offering over the weekend, improving the user interface as per Webmaster requests and feedback. The top change makes it easy for users to view keyword statistics and manage their bids on the same page — a major timesaver. The piece also provides a link to Microsoft’s pdf that details the upgrades in full.
