iMMERSION @InShot

Advertising Embodies Connected TV's Future

2011-11-27T11:35:00.021+11:00

Leaders of the advertising, media and entertainment sector have converged in New York, London and Melbourne for the inauguration of the Connected TV Marketing Association (CTVMA), the global industry trade body of the advertising, media and entertainment sector.

In 2012, television advertising will join the 21st century, as Internet connected televisions, from brands such as Samsung, Sony and LG, are predicted to make up to 90% of the global TV market by 2014, with sales, reaching 123 million.

Connected TVs offer brands the chance to connect their offline spend with the rapidly growing online content market, with TV applications or targeted ad campaigns served by ad networks across electronic program guides. With 85% of marketers interested in advertising on internet-connected TVs, the CTVMA had been set up to inform and educate the advertising, media and entertainment sector on the commercial opportunities of Connected TV platforms.

James Grant Hay, Founder and President Asia-Pacific of the Connected TV Marketing Association said:

"The CTVMA is being launched today to address these issues currently being faced, by not only advertisers, broadcasters and rights holders alike but, by the TV set makers themselves. As TV platforms are likely to compete with broadcasters to buy programme content from rights holders and serve advertising against it."

Doug Scott, Honorary U.S. Chair of the CTVMA, President of Ogilvy Entertainment said:

"Ogilvy is committed to the development of advertising and original brand funded programming on Connected TV platforms to enable a direct dialog between consumers and brands."

Zachary Weiner, Co-Founder and President North America of the Connected TV Marketing Association said:

"Connected TV platforms supersede broadcasters in owning programme content and selling advertising against it. Marketers are also frustrated by the lack of audience information on who they are targeting and ad networks face issues of interoperability, scale and standards across platforms".

As part of its future plans, the CTVMA has immediately embarked on an open industry consultation process, inviting leaders from the advertising, media and entertainment sector to participate in formulating an industry terms of reference.

The association currently comprises of 47 Country, Regional and Chapter appointed Presidents, Vice-Presidents with representatives around the world.

An Australian board will be announced at the CTVMA’s first industry event in Sydney on March 7, 2012. For more information on the CTVMA, visit the website's media kit. Official photos from the Melbourne media launch, here

Follow the CTVMA on Twitter @CTVMA

Smart TV Ambush: Why Television Will Own Television [coming soon].

2011-08-25T22:14:00.007+10:00

Get ready 2012. Why Television Will Own Television: In the Biggest M&A Shakedown you have ever seen.

Smartphone sales are skyrocketing, tablet sales are about to explode and Smart TVs are preparing for lift-off.

Learn why the broadcast networks are loosing control and how Sony, Samsung, LG, Philips, Toshiba, Panasonic and Loewe are devouring entertainment content and why content portals are the next big thing.

There's a storm brewing outside. Not the menacing kind, like a hurricane off the Carolina Coast. No, this storm is an industry one, that will pit consumer electronic manufacturers of Smart TVs against the will of traditional broadcast television networks.

Stay tuned for this special post.

It's Not TV, It's Social TV [VIDEO] #SXSW

2011-03-13T21:45:00.006+11:00

With so much excitement from last week's announcement that Warner Bros. will begin releasing movies as apps on Facebook, the industry buzz from this weekend's SXSWi panel on Social TV looks altogether enthusiastic, as interactive television experts gathered in Austin, Texas to discuss the future of Social TV. For the full story coverage, visit Mashable.

Warner Bros. Releasing Movie Apps

2011-02-17T19:35:00.024+11:00

Welcome back. 2011 is going to be a huge year for “entertainment apps”. To kick off this trend on Wednesday, Warner Bros. released movie “app editions” of director Christopher Nolan’s popular action-dramas, “Inception and “The Dark Knight,” making it the first time a major studio has made its films available to download within a freestanding application, rather than through a download service like Apple’s iTunes Store.

The app edition of 2008’s “The Dark Knight” currently costs $9.99 in the U.S.—the same price the iTunes Store charges to download the movie. The newer “Inception,” which came out last summer, costs $11.99, $2 more than its current iTunes Store price. The “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” app editions are available in over 30 international territories, including China, Brazil and the Netherlands — countries that currently do not have access to films for purchase via the iTunes Store.

The plan to launch separate movie apps has been in the works for the last six months, and was largely informed by the studio’s desire to push their films into a larger number of countries and to add features for mobile device users. The announcement represents a significant turning point in the digital on-demand movie distribution business.

I'll be talking about in-app purchasing revenues and advertising in "movie apps" and "entertainment apps" for studios at this year's Multiplatform TV Show in Sydney, Australia from 27-29 April, 2011. Meantime, buckle up and watch the demo reel below:

The Social Shopping TV Revolution

2010-10-26T19:21:00.034+11:00

It's going to be the hottest trend in 2011, so what do you get when you cross Connected TV with Internet shopping? A: Interactive Social TV shopping.

With French Connection preparing to launch its suite of multi-screen interactive TV apps for Google TV, this week has also seen the launch of Debenhams very own interactive TV channel in the UK, with community features built-in to allow shoppers to purchase products with a single click.

The channel has been designed to give online shoppers an experience distinct from that offered by other fashion retailer websites. Programming will include interviews with top designers, including Ben de Lisi, Henry Holland and Matthew Williamson

It will also feature Debenhams staff giving advice and choosing their favourite products from store departments, including lingerie, menswear and accessories. There are also plans to introduce personal shoppers and celebrity stylists to give online workshops.

Like TV shows, Internet shoppers simply recommend their favourite products that are discounted to their friends.

When you combine this phenomenon with the latest retail check-in craze (Saks Fifth Avenue) together with the growth in the virtual currency market (Facebook Credits), you have a fairly compelling case, that a revolution in online retail commerce is about to explode.

Groupon, an online collective buying service, is the current leader of the new social shopping wave. Groupon subscribers (consumers) get daily deal emails. Offers come from local businesses and generally are heavily discounted.

With clients eager to enter this market, we have been closely monitoring group buying retailer Dotmaison, Daily Grommet, BazaarVoice, The OC Concept store and Volkswagen.

The Future of Business is Telepresence

2010-10-09T11:15:00.019+11:00

The business of telepresence on Connected TVs will I predict, usher in the most extraordinary wave of Internet startups, the likes of which we have not seen since the dot com era.

Cisco's new global study on end user perceptions of telepresence and video conferencing has just been released. The research, announced today, polled an internationally representative sample of workers from 12 key markets and found dramatic differences between how users and nonusers of the technology perceive the various benefits.

The study provides valuable insight into how video collaboration is transforming the way people work and communicate. While not everyone has access to telepresence and video conferencing yet, it is clear that there is demand. This demand coupled with the significantly improved and diversified technology, and declining costs make a strong case for the projected market growth. It is only a matter of time before workers who don’t have access to the technology, or only have the occasional opportunity to use it, can experience the many benefits of the visually enabled workplace everyday.

Combine this technology with the cloud, apps and the Google TV platform and you have for yourself, a most compelling case for the future virtualization of business. The key takeaways of the study are as follows:

There are significant gaps between user and nonuser perceptions of the benefits of telepresence and video conferencing. For example, 90% of frequent users say the technologies save them at least two hours of valuable work time a week; yet only 1/3 of nonusers believed they could save any time using the technology.

Both users and nonusers recognize the value of video collaboration technologies, but workers who frequently use telepresence and video conferencing overwhelmingly value a wider swath of benefits that are more evident from usage – proving seeing is believing. Find out how respondents ranked the top benefits here.

The perception and use of telepresence and video conferencing varies widely among nations, with workers in China consistently ranking highest in terms of usage and perceived benefits.

The complete study on the benefits of business telepresence collaboration can be viewed here

Apps for Google TV [VIDEO]

2010-10-05T17:51:00.004+11:00

In-depth analysis: Nielsen’s new Media-Sync Platform

2010-09-17T19:24:00.022+10:00

ABC's My Generation Sync iPad app is going to fundamentally change the way consumers interact with TV programs and advertisements.

If you read my earlier post Are Social TV check-ins the ratings future? the most powerful social opportunities for television programming will be related to specific compelling elements of individual TV shows. Whether it’s sharing comments and interacting with other viewers, or unlocking related content and additional engagement opportunities within and between social networks.

That's just what Nielsen’s new Media-Sync Platform does, allowing mobile applications to automatically detect and synchronize TV programming, the app will enhance the experience of watching “My Generation” by providing synchronized interactive content and social media functionality on the iPad with your TV screen. Now available in the Apple iTunes App Store, the app allows fans of the new ABC series to unlock content and features, as well as connect in real-time with other viewers of the program through social networks.

As a result, we expect more ad dollars to begin to shift into in-app advertising, purchasing and payments inside TV platforms.

This is great innovation coming from Nielsen's, whose heritage is built on being the authority in media measurement and audience behaviour.

Nokia brings 'touch' to your TV

2010-09-17T18:09:00.036+10:00

The Nokia Plug and Touch, is truly a fantastic futuristic app that can turn your old TV into a touchscreen wonder.

Debuting at Nokia World 2010 last week, Plug and Touch uses the camera in a Nokia N8 smart phone as a motion sensor. It takes photos at 10 frames per second, with a built-in handset processor for tracking. If you stay in one place for a certain time – with your finger hovering for longer than 0.5 seconds, for instance, the phone works out that you’re trying to press an embedded feature on-screen. It’s also possible to scroll, and carry out all the usual functions of an apps based handset on your television.

We expect touchscreen apps and embedded touchscreen features on connected TV's to play a big role in driving connected TV ad revenues for T-commerce in all television programs, home banking, home shopping, eLearning and other retail service applications.

Turning On The TV App Economy

2010-09-01T15:16:00.021+10:00

With tens of thousands of apps ready to be unleashed via Android/GoogleTV, iTunes/AppleTV and now Samsung's TV app store, the fight is surely on. One thing's for sure, the winners in the TV app economy are going to be those who can hit critical mass first.

Right now, who gets to control the operating system of television's future is anyone's guess, the field is wide open and the battle has only just begun.

Samsung's effort to tap the creative talents of technology and entertainment companies underscores how the app store craze, sparked by Apple in the mobile-phone market, is shifting into a new phase in the living room.

Google TV is angling to become an even bigger player, based on its Android software for smart phones that will let viewers search for Web video and run Internet apps inside TV shows. Sony is Google's chief screen partner to incorporate the technology.

For now, until we hear more from its widely publicized media event tomorrow, Apple TV is favored to revamp its set-top device with TV apps.

For more information, please see our April report on Internet-to-TV Strategies for Brands.

Are Social TV Check-ins the Ratings Future?

2010-08-22T22:05:00.059+10:00

The recent check-in craze has got me thinking, if all entertainment is connected [books, TV shows, movies, music and games] - are social check-ins the ratings future?

Every day, millions of consumers converse in online communities, discussion boards, blogs and social networks. They turn to the Internet to share opinions, advice and recommendations to their friends.

With broadcasters increasingly using social media to engage with audiences and create online buzz around their shows in the hope of boosting viewing figures and advertising revenue, check-ins look like playing a greater role in the success or failure of a TV pilot and or Web series. Networks not only see value in check-in data but also opportunity in check-in behavior. User profiles also make advertising and product placement in shows more addressable.

Currently the Nielsen TV/Internet Data Fusion service integrates the Nielsen National People Meter Panel with the Nielsen Online panel through the use of common data elements to provide a consumer-centric view of media usage. The service does its best to provide a median formula of audience share across three-screen viewing, but my guess is we'll start to see more use of TV check-ins not only by Nielsens, but the networks as well.

Facebook Live: Social Video on Facebook

2010-08-16T18:04:00.025+10:00

The new Facebook Live channel which has begun airing a series of live video interviews of special guests [such as actress America Ferrera] incorporates Facebook’s real time live feed technology, similar to CNN Live’s use of Facebook Connect, streams status updates of Facebook users in a sidebar to the right of the live video event, most notably used during President Barrack Obama’s inauguration.

Another cool Social TV feature to be incorporated into the app is the “Ask a question” feature, which will allow viewers to actually submit their questions in real-time to the moderator, or update their status and chat with each other.

Facebook Live will exist as an app that can be easily added to any Facebook page, where it has the capability of streaming live on multiple pages, simultaneously. This feature shall actually empower and allow Page Operators (that is the businesses, brands and other commercially-minded users) to draw more aficionados towards them by taking the advantage of this platform provided by Facebook.

Another major attraction of this app, as identified by Facebook, is “When “special guests” stop by Facebook, like Hollywood celebs or musicians, for example, those running celebrity, TV, movie or music-focused Facebook Pages could use the app on their own Page to the benefit of their fans.” The Facebook Live widget page, which has been hosted by livestream.com, has got some great looks which suggest that different kinds of embeds shall be available, including the Player widget, the Video Library widget and the Chat widget.

In addition to Facebook itself, users are also entitled to share videos on Twitter, Google Buzz, MySpace, Delicious, Digg and via email with special sharing buttons. A shortened URL (http://livestre.am/xyz) will also be provided. Facebook has also confirmed that the videos which have been streamed on Facebook Live, will be archived and distributed as future reference materials.

The live video channel will also be used for official Facebook announcements, press events, live chats with Facebook engineers and live streaming of its developer conference, f8.

First Look: "Buy Now" In-App Product Placement

2010-08-12T17:38:00.043+10:00

That's right, that's Jamie Oliver and he wants you to buy the brand of product he's using to knock up his d'lish dish.

The brands that appear in the show, also happen to be the sponsors. You can also buy Jamie's latest DVD. In fact, every single product you see in this frame can be rollover activated with buy now buttons, shopping cart and checkout, built into the original application that helped launch the TV episode from your iPad. A mirror application also sits on your connected TV and that sound you just heard was the bill of receipt sent to your iPhone. This is t-commerce and it's going to revolutionize the broadcast television business model and usher in an explosion in connected TV revenues for broadcasters, producers and advertisers.

Social TV Check-Ins, Rewards and "Buy Now" Buttons

2010-08-10T21:55:00.018+10:00

Television networks are now using social media and their websites to create rewards programs for viewers. NBC, ABC Family and USA Network have launched such programs since May.

All three networks have similar goals – to steer traffic to their websites and to encourage fans to post content about their favorite shows on social media portals.

In May, NBC launched its “Fan It” program, which rewards viewers who earn points by discussing shows on Facebook and Twitter or by commenting on articles on NBC.com. Consumers can win a walk-on role in the upcoming network series The Event, Emmy Awards red-carpet bleacher tickets and autographed items from shows.

ABC Family created a loyalty program in June for the series Pretty Little Liars. It enables consumers to redeem points, which can be earned through its website or by posting to social media sites, for virtual goods or access to exclusive videos, photos and other content.

USA's “Character Rewards” program allows Psych fans to win show-branded merchandise and gift cards in exchange for viewing online content or reposting items to Facebook and Twitter. The network is planning to extend the program to all of its series over the next year. USA also raised awareness of the initiative by e-mailing consumers in its database, as well as the databases of its sister NBC Universal networks, and by using Facebook and Twitter.

Networks are clamoring to take part in the television show checkin trend too.

AdaptiveBlue CEO Alex Iskold confidently reports that GetGlue is “working with over a dozen top entertainment brands including HBO, Showtime, PBS, Random House, Penguin, Universal, Warner Bros, and more.” Networks not only see value in checkin data but opportunity in checkin behavior.

For instance, when it came to the season finale of The Bachelorette, Philo was able to pinpoint exactly when engagement levels spiked on the service and ascertain that audiences appreciated Ally’s decision to break with the formulaic nature of finale show.

Of course, networks are also interested because they see an opportunity to truly engage viewers and create a cycle that keeps audiences tuning in each week. The ultimate end game is to boost ratings, and apps like Miso, GetGlue and Philo have the potential to help them do just that.

As this shift continues to gather pace, one can expect that Google TV, Best Buy, Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube, Paypal, Project Canvas, Delivery Agent, EDS, Canoe Ventures and others will all participate in the race to help make instant transactions "in-program" possible.

Social TV Start-Ups Pitch for PepsiCo10

2010-07-31T13:32:00.006+10:00

Social TV start-ups were well represented as finalists in PepsiCo's program to identify and incubate up to 10 promising start-ups in technology, media and communications in New York last week.

Miso, a self-described “Foursquare for TV,” lets users check in to television shows and earn rewards and badges the more they do it. The company sees itself aligning with television programs and brands like PepsiCo - something Foursquare is already doing to an extent with a number of its media partnerships.

Spot411 is also looking to add social elements to TV viewing on the second screen, except it identifies what’s playing by listening to the audio of the programming, effectively checking in users on its own. Certain keywords in the programming could then trigger brand integrations.

Taking a slightly different approach to social television is i.tv, which is looking to aggregate conversations happening around shows. What makes its technology unique is the ability to pinpoint exact points within a show and align them with the relevant tweets and status updates, letting users experience the same conversations no matter what time they watch. The company sees potential tie-ins with messages from sponsors; for instance, one of Gatorade’s sponsored athletes could be part of the conversation during sporting events.

Visit PepsiCo10

Clicker Turns On Social TV

2010-07-24T22:02:00.005+10:00

One of the most significant features of Clicker Social is the ability to “check-in” to TV shows that users are watching on the Web. In addition to check-ins, users can comment on and rate shows and movies as well as create multiple playlists of shows, videos and movies. All of these actions are aggregated within an activity feed on the user’s Clicker profile. And as a bonus, Clicker users can now earn awards from content partners [Revision3, HBO, and PBS] for sharing or interacting with their content. The more users share and interact with content on Clicker, the more status they will gain within the Clicker community. Clicker says that these ‘experts’ will be rewarded with the ability to guide the content and discussions on Clicker.

The launch of the startup’s iPhone and Android apps offer the same functionality, allowing users to search for programs to watch on their device, add shows to their playlist, manage their profile, check out their activity feed, check-in to shows and earn awards for things they’re watching offline, discuss shows with other Clicker users, and more.

Why 'Old Spice' is the new Social TV

2010-07-15T09:06:00.007+10:00

Assembling a team of creatives, tech geeks, marketers and writers gathered in an undisclosed location in Portland, Oregon yesterday produced 87 short comedic YouTube videos about Old Spice, the award winning Wieden + Kennedy ad created for P&G's Old Spice brand starring actor and former NFL athlete Isaiah Mustafa. They have leveraged YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and blogs to create the kind of buzz strategists can only dream about.

The online Old Spice team has a community manager, a social media strategist, a couple of technical people, a producer and they've built an application that scans the Internet looking for mentions that allows the team to look and respond to social influencers in real time. If you tweet @OldSpice a question, he’ll make a video. In the last 24 hours, we count 117 new Old Spice videos. Every one in response to a Tweet. Like this one to Twitter co-founder Biz Stone @biz

Social TV Strategy will drive Connected TV Revenues [VIDEO]

2010-07-06T22:21:00.004+10:00

Consumers Rate Preferred Features of a Connected TV

2010-07-06T21:22:00.014+10:00

In a recent Digital Home Online Survey, respondents were asked to rate on a scale of 1-5 the most preferred features of a Connected TV

An introduction to TV Widgets

2010-07-06T20:38:00.004+10:00

Digital Hollywood Evolves

2009-11-03T22:11:00.000+11:00

Sir James Dyson launches the Air Multiplier

2009-10-20T09:35:00.006+11:00

OzGirl Exclusive iTVfest Interview

2009-10-13T10:23:00.003+11:00

Love at First Site 2009 MIXX Gold Award Winner for Branded Content

2009-10-05T09:58:00.000+11:00

Britain approves TV Product Placement

2009-09-13T11:44:00.008+10:00

Product placement is to be allowed on British TV shows, in a move expected to be announced next week. Independent broadcasters will be allowed to take payments for displaying commercial products in-program. Please see my policy advisory on iTVT and Digital Ministry last week. The change is intended to bring in extra funds for commercial broadcasters. I believe it could raise up to £100m a year. More is the significance of how this development relates to the future model of IPTV and advertiser-funded programming globally.

Top 10 Most Watched Web TV Shows

2009-09-11T13:01:00.008+10:00

Ultimately, a market for web series exists only if they bring value to the viewer. The average person visiting web television portals is a young, adult, well-educated male with no children, earning $30-60K a year, who wants to find free movies and TV online while he is at home, but may watch funny videos at work. Visible Measures has just released the top 10 most watched WebTV shows.

Paramount Web series to debut on MySpace

2009-08-10T21:07:00.004+10:00

Mountain Dew and Pepsi products will be integrated into the story line of Paramount Digital Entertainment's Circle of 8 the series, which will also feature ads when it runs on MySpace in October and eventually be sold on DVD as a feature-length film. Circle of 8 will debut as a Web series and game simultaneously on MySpace.

Honda the Power of Dreams Video

2009-07-06T10:28:00.005+10:00

Automakers have continued to push forward with their digital campaigns, making significant investments in web video. Honda is the latest to develop original video series wrapped in a branded content portal with their Dream The Impossible documentary web series.

Paid distribution on the Ad Network

2009-06-29T10:59:00.004+10:00

The ad network is there for you to buy your audience impressions. Brands increasingly expect distribution guarantees from WebTV producers. Paid distribution and distribution guarantees — where shows cut deals to get placement as if they were ad campaigns — are phenomena we’re seeing more and more these days. To be distributed like an ad, a video doesn’t necessarily have to be branded content, though any integrated sponsorship would travel along with the video itself. This guarantees a minimum number of viewers and appeases the demands of sponsors, easing the process of finding investment.

Mindshare Entertainment produces new Web Show

2009-06-22T10:46:00.002+10:00

Breyers ice cream is encouraging Americans to re-discover classic films with the help of "30 Rock" star Jane Krakowski in new webisodes created and produced by Mindshare Entertainment for its Smooth and Dreamy brand. The webisodes feature Krakowski in modern takes on two of Hollywood's most iconic romance films -- "Gone with the Wind" and "King Kong" -- in which technology enables Krakowski to come face-to-face with Rhett Butler and King Kong.

Interactive Web series more successful

2009-06-15T10:29:00.003+10:00

What do top Internet video series The Guild, Diggnation, The Gap Year and Sofia’s Diary all have in common? They use social media to engage their audiences, making the viewing experience more interactive and luring in viewers and advertisers, according to a new case study, “WeVision: The Four Steps to Online Media Success,” from digital media research company Futurescape. Futurescape looked at 50 original series produced for the Internet in different regions of the world and chose to follow six that had attracted major sponsors and had run for more than one season to understand what they did right.

CSR Is The New 'Branded Content'

2009-06-08T18:21:00.005+10:00

Diana Verde Nieto, CEO of Clownfish in London had a great blog entry last month in MediaPost on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Branded Content which I forgot to add, but it stayed with me. In it she writes, "CSR provides a goldmine of stories that can form the basis of branded content. The benefits of using CSR as part of branded content are endless; foremost it helps to build a brands reputation and is a point of differentiation. It also encourages consumer interest and helps to build consumer trust and loyalty. If consumers see that brands are addressing the issues that are important to them, it follows that they are likely to continue to buy their products".

Online Video rivals Traditional Broadcasting

2009-06-01T10:21:00.002+10:00

Over 70% of US web users watch video clips on the internet, making online video the leading social media platform, ahead of blogging and social networking, according to the Global Web Index. The US data from the Global Web Index has been released ahead of the full report, which covers 16 countries. It is compiled by Lightspeed Research for social media research consultancy Trendstream. According to the data, in the US online video now rivals traditional broadcasting and is the fastest growing media platform in history.

Unilever's Alchemist for Lux

2009-05-25T12:18:00.003+10:00

Unilever has rolled out a seven-minute Hollywood-style mini film starring Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones to market its Lux shampoo in China and Japan. The film, called 'Alchemist', features a motorcycle chase at a high security laboratory where a youth-enhancing beauty product is being produced. The product turns out to be Unilever's Lux Super Rich Shine shampoo and its benefits are demonstrated by Zeta-Jones's shimmering hair when she attends a red carpet ball. 'Alchemist' was created by agency JWT from an original screenplay by Jeffrey Caine, who also wrote the screenplay for James Bond film 'GoldenEye' and thriller 'The Constant Gardener'.

Frucor Launches In-Game Ad campaign

2009-05-18T10:54:00.004+10:00

Frucor, the company behind the popular energy drink V, is about to launch an advertising campaign for a new drink utilising in-game advertising space in popular Xbox 360 and PC titles. Advertisements for INK will run on 24 Xbox 360 and PC games for six weeks during May and June. The Ink campaign is a first for a New Zealand brand. Using in-game billboards and other such spaces, a company’s advertisement is seamlessly displayed via the player’s internet or Xbox Live connection.

Australia's IPTV Race

2009-05-11T11:19:00.004+10:00

Just as Foxtel is poised to accelerate its plans for an IPTV service following the launch of its heavily revamped website, created by digital services company Hyro, Telstra is gearing up to launch its own ambitious national IPTV service before Christmas. Telstra will be taking on Foxtel, TiVo, and any nascent IPTV plays from the broadcast sector in launching a service that will provide a combination of digital FTA, a full Personal Video Recorder, a range of BigPond content services via IP, customised web sites like YouTube and Flickr and open access to high speed web services. The carrier is said to be looking at a range of options in monetising the core products that BigPond offers via the web, whether ad supported, pay per view or subscription based. These products include BigPond Movies, TV, Music, Games, News, Sports and Photos.

YouTube issues brand integration advisory

2009-05-04T10:56:00.002+10:00

YouTube in recent weeks has issued written notifications to several of its more popular content producers who have inked branded integration deals directly with advertisers, gently reminding them that according to its Terms of Service, users are not to post commercial videos on YouTube without permission. At stake is the Google-owned video giant needs to monetize as much of its content as possible. YouTube will soon announce a new formalized process for branded integration videos.

Microsoft pitches new Web series

2009-04-27T19:54:00.005+10:00

Microsoft presented a handful of new online series concepts to a gathering of media buyers on hand for the company’s second annual digital showcase event at Le Parker Meridien Hotel in New York last week, as the company’s sales executives looked to send a clear message that Web video is core to the software giant’s ongoing media strategy. Microsoft plans to let whatever advertiser that comes on board guide the direction, storylines and format of the shows, based on that brand’s target audience.

Branded Entertainment's Big Role in China

2009-04-20T18:39:00.001+10:00

Scorched scoops digital Emmy

2009-04-16T16:13:00.004+10:00

Australian online interactive drama Scorched picked up an International Digital Emmy Award for the best multi-platform production at MIPTV in Cannes last month. Set in 2012 in a world ravaged by an environmental crisis that leaves 2 million Australians without water. When Scorched aired on the Nine network it won the ratings in the 25-54yr demographic group. The online component, scorched.tv boasted 300,000 video views in less than 8 weeks.

The Web Series Producer's Guide

2009-04-08T20:50:00.001+10:00

The Web Series Producer's Guide

Reckitt Benckiser pumps $20M into online video

2009-04-01T10:38:00.001+11:00

Major advertising agency Reckitt-Benckiser announced it is shifting $20 million of its TV budget to online video this year, confirming the trend recently shown by an IAB report that found 126 percent year-over-year growth in online video ad revenues. Reckitt-Benckiser, which has a $475 million measured-media budget for TV, moved the $20 million to online video advertising after negotiating aggressive CPM deals with around a dozen online video ad networks.

Web Series show Advertisers ROI

2009-03-23T09:40:00.001+11:00

YouTube comes to TV

2009-03-02T16:21:00.008+11:00

There's a blizzard here in New York, but something tells me YouTube for TV is already warming the hearts of fans worldwide. If you're a gamer like me, YouTube for TV can be accessed via your Wii and PS3 console and watched on any LCD TV screen. Right now, YouTube for TV is broadcasting beta in 22 regions and 13 languages worldwide.

Massive stays Alive

2009-02-13T14:26:00.004+11:00

It's not uncommon for a title series today to support more than $1 million in dynamic advertising. Imagine a disaster scenario where damaged video billboards or street signs explode, crack or fizzle out and make noises. Technology, through Massive, will give video game enthusiasts this experience. Massive has tapped Microsoft to create behavioral targeting technology, reaching gamers between sessions, online chats with friends, even when they enter MSN or Hotmail.

MySpace Gets Hitched

2009-01-23T12:01:00.002+11:00

MySpace has tapped Endemol, the producers of "Deal or No Deal," to create a 13-episode reality Web series, "Get Married on MySpace." Slated to debut on MySpace TV this spring, the show will bestow a free wedding upon one lucky couple in exchange for letting MySpace users--and several brand sponsors--plan and experience the big day with them. MySpace is in discussions with a number of advertisers about brand integration opportunities for the show, which will debut on MySpace in May.

Sprint joins Microsoft Web Series

2008-12-09T12:53:00.004+11:00

Sprint will sponsor 12 episodes of the hotly anticipated Web series The Guild, to be released simultaneously on Microsoft’s triple platform: Xbox 360 Live, MSN, and Zune media player.

Interview: James Grant Hay, MD at InShot

2008-11-17T11:54:00.001+11:00

Video Games outsell DVDs and CDs

2008-11-10T14:47:00.003+11:00

Video games are expected to outsell music and other video products this year for the first time, research by retail experts said on Wednesday. Verdict Research UK, predicts that the video games market would grow by 1.37 billion pounds or 42 percent in 2008, outstripping music and video sales which were expected to stagnate.

Machinima Secures Funding

2008-11-10T14:37:00.003+11:00

Machinima.com has secured a $3.85 million investment from MK Capital and other private investors. The funds will support future development and business expansion plans for its advertising network that provides film making, animation and video game technologies for companies like EA, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft, Paramount, Sega, Universal Studios and Warner Bros.

David Lynch's Digital WebTV Show

2008-11-05T14:52:00.003+11:00

David Lynch is developing a Web series based on his most recent book Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity (published in December 2006 by Tarcher) for On Networks. Lynch recently unveiled a new visual installation for Cartier,"Diamonds, Gold and Dreams," in Miami.

Interactive bucks the economic trend

2008-10-27T14:49:00.005+11:00

In a recent survey carried out in the US, 175 CMOs were asked about their marketing spend intentions in the coming months. 59% of those surveyed stated they intended to decrease their traditional media spends, with 29% remaining the same and only 23% increasing their budgets. Whilst 63% of those surveyed stated they intended to increase their interactive/digital marketing budgets, with 23% remaining the same and only 14% decreasing their spend.

Obama taps In-Game Advertising

2008-10-21T13:28:00.006+11:00

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has booked ads inside the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise in an attempt to reach the young gaming community. The campaign, which features billboards with Obama's image, includes a message that players should register their vote, and to vote early, in conjunction with game publisher Electronic Arts.

TwoFour 54 Studio Hub

2008-10-20T22:38:00.009+11:00

TwoFour 54 a new tax-free media zone launched in the United Arab Emirates last week is set become one of the world's leading media centres, midway between Hollywood and Bollywood, comprising regional and international companies operating in various media sectors, such as film, broadcasting, publishing, digital technologies and music.

Turner's 'TVinContext' Ad Play

2008-10-13T13:41:00.004+11:00

Turner Broadcasting's TVinContext ad system just got underway. The technology delivers ads related to what just happened on screen, which puts a spin on traditional product placement and automates a task that ad agencies perform often to achieve the reverse result -- to not associate a product with something distasteful that just happened in the program.

YouTube's 'Click-to-Buy' Ad Play

2008-10-09T13:57:00.006+11:00

In a further shift towards in-program advertising, YouTube has begun testing new ads that direct users to purchase items featured within individual videos. The "Click-to-Buy Ads" will appear just below YouTube's video player.

Google's Adsense for Games Play

2008-10-09T13:45:00.003+11:00

On Tuesday night, Google announced the beta launch of its new AdSense for Games program, the search giant's first foray into the video games market. The program's beta launch will focus on the placement of a variety of forms of ads in Flash-based casual games and some larger titles.

Branded Content Scores One Show Gold

2008-10-09T13:41:00.002+11:00

One Show gold winners included MTV Networks, Australia, through agency Lowe & Rivet, which won for a scripted series following the odyssey of Snoop Dogg's attempt to buy a house down under.

Spielberg heads for Bollywood

2008-10-09T13:34:00.002+11:00

Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks and Twentieth Century Fox are the latest Hollywood studios to jump onto the Bollywood bandwagon. They follow Sony (Saawariya), Warner Bros (Saas Bahu aur Sensex) and Disney (Roadside Romeo) who have already made forays into Bollywood.

ITV launches 'In-Program' Advertising

2008-10-06T13:21:00.006+11:00

British broadcaster ITV has begun testing its Keystream software that will allow it to place adverts in the blank spaces during programs. The automatically placed overlay advertising finds space in programs, such as blank walls and shots of the sky, and displays company logos on-screen.

Product Placement the next internet

2008-09-29T13:04:00.007+10:00

Product placement will become an opportunity for viewers to click on items of interest in the field of view to learn more about them, including but not limited to commercial information. Hyperlinks will associate the racing scene in Star Wars I with the chariot race in Ben Hur, according to the father of the Internet and Chief Internet Evangelist for Google Vint Cerf in his recent Google blog, the next internet last week.

One Show Entertainment 2008 kicks off

2008-09-23T13:22:00.003+10:00

Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencils will be awarded for the best branded entertainment created during 2008 at next month's One Show Entertainment awards ceremony in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be held October 7, 2008 at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, California. The launch signals the first time any part of the One Show has been held outside New York.

Angel investor tells TechCrunch 50 audience product placement will be huge

2008-09-19T02:39:00.019+10:00

"Product placement will be a big revenue driver," and will join search and display advertising as the next billion-dollar ad market on the Web, according to well-known angel investor and Silicon Valley insider Ron Conway. Speaking at last week's TechCrunch 50 conference in San Francisco Conway told packed audiences, "there's a new multi-billion dollar market developing before our eyes, and it's product placement".

One of the most prolific and successful angels in Silicon Valley, Conway was an early investor in Google, AskJeeves and PayPal.

Labs testing hypervideo to tap product placement

2008-09-19T02:39:00.010+10:00

InShot Labs has commenced testing a number of hypervideo software applications before embarking on a (A$300K) first round seed capital raising with investors.

Gamers click to In-Game Ads

2008-09-15T13:33:00.004+10:00

Nielsen Games polled 534 active video game players last month. Of those surveyed, 11% said they purchased a brand that was advertised in a game. Some 19% said they talked about it after seeing an ad and 10% said they recommended the product. Eleven percent said they sought more information. (While no direct comparison rates were offered against other forms of media, 1% of consumers exposed to direct response advertising eventually buy the advertised product.)

LG15 Sequel Premieres September 20

2008-09-08T12:47:00.005+10:00

The Resistance, like its predecessor, will rely on brand integrations as well as advertising. The re-branded "LG15" production company EQAL, helmed by Greg Goodfried and Miles Beckett, unveiled their third series, after Lonelygirl15 and British derivative KateModern, which found a home on social network Bebo. The Resistance will have its "home" and surrounding community discussions at LG15.com, but it will be syndicated on MySpaceTV, Veoh, Hulu, YouTube, and Imeem.

Italy OKs Paid Product Placement

2008-09-01T10:35:00.004+10:00

The Italian government will put current European rules on television content into effect today, officially making commercial product placements on the small screen legal. The practice has been allowed in most other European Union member states for years, but Italy officially resisted the move until now. Though the site of brand names in Italian television programs is not unheard of, it was previously illegal to place brands in productions for a fee.

Microsoft Sounds Good to Brands

2008-08-25T13:34:00.006+10:00

Microsoft Research Asia is currently conducting research on IPTV-ready television sets, where viewers will be able to key in search words with their remote controls, and the TV will search related videos using speech recognition technology. With so many verbal brand integrations in television programming, the technology is expected to be a killer analytics tool.

Generation Y Prefer Brands in Content

2008-08-18T13:08:00.005+10:00

Some 9 percent of young U.S. adults surveyed said they are most interested in advertising being delivered via non-traditional media such as product placement in video games, movies and TV shows a recent MRI study “Ads on Emerging Media Vehicles” has found. Consumers who prefer advertising messages delivered through their mobile devices and through product placement tend to be younger, pro-innovation, pro-celebrity and pro-fashion,” said Anne Marie Kelly, VP of marketing and strategic planning at MRI.

Google's In-Game Advertising Play

2008-08-11T14:33:00.002+10:00

Speculation over Google's in-game ad play with testing of its Adsense for Games technology is a buzz. James Grant Hay provided Digital Ministry with his recent analysis earlier in the day.

TiVo's Remote Product Purchase

2008-08-04T11:52:00.004+10:00

TiVo's Product Purchase feature in partnership with Amazon will enable users to click on watermark links in-programs to purchase products like CDs, DVDs and books promoted on talk shows like Oprah all from the touch of the remote control. TiVo's separate deal with YouTube last month also signals the importance of being a channel partner on YouTube for branded content. Telescopic advertising, combined with clickable hypervideo ushers in the future of in-video advertising.

UK Gov to Consult on Product Placement

2008-07-28T21:25:00.004+10:00

As part of the consultation on how the UK should implement the European Union's Audio Visual Media Services (AVMS) Directive, the Government is considering whether to allow product placement in certain circumstances. The DCMS consultation closes 31 October. The EU Audiovisual Media Services (AVMS) directive came into force on 19 December 2007. The UK has until 19 December 2009 to implement it.

Aussie Brands Leap into The Gap Year

2008-07-21T22:22:00.006+10:00

Bebo and Endemol have signed Procter & Gamble Australia and New Zealand and Jetstar as Australian partners for the online reality show, The Gap Year. They join a list of 11 sponsors including Sony PSP and Tourism Australia. Deals will see P&G ANZ and Jetstar products and brands featured throughout the program. Other integrations include – Sony PSP and STA Travel. The Gap Year follows six Bebo users from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand the UK and US on a gap year travelling holiday, visiting locations across the globe.

iPhone Debuts Store for Branded Apps

2008-07-14T21:22:00.007+10:00

Like Facebook, the iPhone App Store looks set to become an instant developer hit and massive distribution platform capable of delivering a hugely varied set of products instantly to anybody anywhere. Apps which illuminate your iPhone screen so brightly to resemble a flashlight are being sold in the same market as an application for doctors and patients to examine MRI scans. In fact, Facebook's free app already ranks in the top 10. If you're a developer like us, the SDK is really simple to use and is available for download here from the iPhone DevCenter.

Sprint's Instinct for Product Placement

2008-07-07T23:01:00.004+10:00

Hats off to mobile carrier Sprint this month, in order to build buzz about its new Samsung Instinct phone, the mobile carrier is asking filmmakers to plug the phone in a video they post on YouTube — the first 1,000 get $20 and the winner gets a $10,000 grand prize. Two thumbs up.

James Grant Hay, Founder, MD InShot

2008-06-30T21:19:00.002+10:00

IMG in talks with Mark Burnett Productions

2008-06-23T23:13:00.005+10:00

IMG Entertainment is understood to be in talks to buy Mark Burnett Productions (MBP) in a further effort to ramp up its TV productions operations stateside. The hugely successful Burnett is said to be asking $400 million for the shingle, overtaking the US$200m Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine recently paid out for Reveille.

Branded Content hits Cannes Lions 2008

2008-06-16T21:48:00.004+10:00

MindShare's Breaking The Mould: New Models For Branded Entertainment just kicked off in Cannes. MindShare Entertainment President David Lang will reveal a tell all in-depth case study on agency clients Unilever and Sprint, which last year created the branded entertainment smash, ‘In the Motherhood’, a ground-breaking, multi-platform, online comedy series. David will be joined by Unilever’s VP of Global Media, Laura Klauberg and Sprint’s VP of Media and Digital Marketing, Anita Newton. If you miss this seminar, make sure you attend 60 Frames sponsored event on Tuesday Hollywood + The Internet: Creating More Engaging Branded Entertainment.

STB Data System Proving Ad Efficient

2008-06-10T21:40:00.009+10:00

Make no mistake, set-top-box (STB) data will prove to be a godsend for the future of media buying decisions in television that will ultimately make it easier for brands to buy, use and measure advanced advertising product, such as addressable and interactive ads. Google has access to STB data from EchoStar, and DirecTV is working with TNS. STBs provide the necessary "click-through" data stream for broadcast and cable TV that online media has enjoyed entirely on its own up until now. The resulting analytics are expected to be a potential goldmine for content distributors.

ITV's Product Placement Strategy

2008-06-02T21:54:00.005+10:00

Since his ITV board appointment in September last year as MD of Brand and Commercial, Rupert Howell has been quick to seize on the EU's recent dergulation of product placement under the Broadcast Directive by lobbying local UK broadcast regular Ofcom (namely the Department of Culture, Media & Sport) to loosen its restrictions governing product placement in Britain. Such a move by Howell and ITV will greatly position the broadcaster to tap new branded content and advertiser-funded programming revenues at a time in which U.S. broadcasters such as Fox TV are shortening the ad breaks increasingly through the use of monetising ad-inventory in programming.

Visible Measures Analytics of Online Video

2008-05-26T23:16:00.004+10:00

If you're looking for the gold standard in online video metrics, look no further than Visible Measures. Visible Measures works with online video sites and services as well as with advertisers to track interaction with videos virally across the Internet.

Branded Apps InShot at Facebook Garage II

2008-05-26T22:30:00.006+10:00

The interest in branded virtual goods applications on Facebook has been steadily rising since Stanford University hosted the first Virtual Goods Summit in Palo Alto, California last year. At last week's Melbourne Facebook Garage II, James Grant Hay of InShot talked to developers about the increasing importance of applications that also sell branded products in the real world, such as Slide's branded SuperPokes for Estee Lauder. James also talked about the need to measure the efficacy of these applications through the use of companies such as Sometrics.

Content Monetisation Gets Busy

2008-05-20T01:30:00.002+10:00

Evaluating ad-inventory in-content just got busier. It's now estimated that up to 20 different brand integrations over 40 minutes of program content — or around one placement every two minutes would need to occur every night for every scripted TV show in order to replicate the current financial TV model in the U.S, where there are 10 minutes of national TV commercial messages per hour of prime-time programming — plus two more minutes for local advertising time, as well as additional minutes per hour of network promotion time.

EQAL hooks up with CBS

2008-05-17T21:42:00.004+10:00

EQAL, has hooked up with CBS to push network content onto the web and mobile phones via interactive featurettes. The deal is a nonexclusive partnership that gives CBS a first look at any new concepts EQAL creates that could be utilized on a combination of TV, Internet and mobile. In addition, EQAL can either partner or consult with producers of CBS programs to help them build out online extensions to their series.

Endemol hires Marco Di Gioacchino

2008-05-17T21:26:00.003+10:00

Marco Di Gioacchino, will spearhead Endemol Group's newly created branded entertainment division. Di Gioacchino, based in London, will work with Endemol’s operating companies around the world finding sponsors for the entertainment giant’s shows.

Ikea The Sims 2 Campaign

2008-05-17T21:04:00.004+10:00

Ikea has inked a deal with "The Sims 2" to provide an online content package, The Sims 2 Ikea Home Stuff, will allow players to buy all their favorite Swedish-made furniture, virtually. H&M, which signed on with the game last year to provide The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff, is pushing its partnership from virtual world to real world, as is now the case for many reversals. EA ships The Sims 2 Ikea Home Stuff June 23.

Sony Ericsson W62S in MGS4

2008-05-17T20:43:00.005+10:00

We've got some nice screen grabs of Sony Ericsson's W62S in Metal Gear Solid 4, the upcoming stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima for the PS3. The game will be released worldwide on Thursday, June 12, 2008.

ICM Names Branded Entertainment Chief

2008-05-17T20:27:00.003+10:00

Former Mercedes-Benz USA marketing exec, Carol Goll will head International Creative Management's global branded entertainment division. The move reaffirms ICMs continued commitment to matching stars with brands. Goll will be based at ICM's Los Angeles headquarters.

TBA Global Delves Deep

2008-05-12T21:32:00.003+10:00

TBA Global has formalized its branded entertainment activities through the creation of TBA Digital Entertainment Engagement Programming, or simply: TBA DEEP. Brian Murphy, evp, helms the unit.

Product Placement in Online Video 2.0

2008-05-07T14:54:00.005+10:00

Digital Hollywood: As online video content producers of WebTV shows like LG15 seek an even greater audience share online, monetising their content through product mentions and placements integrated into their shows is a big talking point here in Los Angeles this week as part of Digital Hollywood. Since advertising around online video is still in its infancy and most ads don't travel well in viral videos, making ads part of the content is rapidly becoming part of the solution.

Dr Eric Schmidt on Advertising

2008-05-06T03:10:00.004+10:00

Google Chairman and CEO Dr Eric Schmidt speaking at the American Association of Advertising Agencies 2008 Leadership Conference April 29, 2008 Laguna Niguel, CA.

Sometimes, it's important to just sit back and listen..

Golddigga Rocks Sofia's Diary

2008-04-28T23:45:00.006+10:00

Hot urban label Golddigga is the first official fashion sponsor of Sofia’s Diary (Sure Girl by Unilever was brokered earlier by MindShare Performance and Interaction) on Bebo. Golddigga will help in “shaping the imaginative storylines” and aims to open up a dialogue with the Bebo audience by offering the opportunity to “befriend” the brand via its profile page and enter competitions to win clothing.

Mercedes GLK Gets Sex And The City

2008-04-28T23:28:00.004+10:00

Head of Mercedes-Benz Entertainment Liason Office in Los Angeles, Ferdinand Froning has sonar senses when it comes to proofing Hollywood scripts for product placement opportunities on behalf of the marque. So it was when Stuttgart gave Froning and the producers of next month's must see Sex And The City feature, the all clear to position the new SUV GLK in the film and to reproduce all its product banners for a special New York Fashion Show tie-in scene. The film opens 23 May girls.

Lights, Camera, Action at Edelman Studios

2008-04-28T22:38:00.006+10:00

The cat's now well and truly out of the bag with PR giant Edelman readying the launch of Edelman Studios, a virtual studio that will link emerging talent and professional talent with brands such as Burger King Corp., Butterball, Expedia and Kraft's Philadelphia Cream Cheese to name a few. Whether it's client money underwriting the costs of production or in the case of WPP's GroupM actually staking the content themselves via multimillion dollar investment funds to co-develop programs with the TV networks, the appetite for content creation and ownership has only just begun.

Animax Unplugs Branded Content

2008-04-28T22:26:00.004+10:00

Animax Unplugged, a joint venture studio for developing branded digital content for the desktop and mobile Web plans to produce interactive campaigns and original content that includes casual games, Facebook and iPhone applications and widgets.

Puma Opens L.A. Offices

2008-04-28T22:16:00.002+10:00

Fashion athletic company Puma said that it will open a new office dedicated to entertainment marketing next month in Los Angeles. The West Coast office will be geared at increasing the company's partnerships and product interaction with music and film celebrities.

Omnicom Taps Product Placement Online

2008-04-21T22:50:00.007+10:00

Omnicom Media Group Digital has entered into a strategic partnership with NBC Universal's Digital Studio division with ambitious plans for scripted brand integration opportunities for its clients in digital programming. At least one production, “Gemini Division,” is scheduled for the summer with the first brands to be involved in the series are Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, United Parcel Service and the Acura TSX sold by American Honda Motor.

The move positions Omnicom and it's new digital CEO Matt Spiegel over its rival WPP, who only last year created some branded television content of its own, co-producing the drama series October Road with Touchstone Television. That move took Group M, the media planning and buying division of WPP, into a role that traditionally is held by a production company, using its own finances to invest in the production.

Last week, Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, spoke of his group's plans to work more closely with Hollywood stars and media companies to help finance films and television series in a bid to promote its clients’ products.

All things being EQAL

2008-04-18T00:13:00.004+10:00

Lonelgirl15’s creators, Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried have formed EQAL, an interactive media company that will continue producing the Lonelygirl15 and KateModern series among others to come. The new company has raised $5 million in Series A from Spark Capital and individuals such as Conrad Riggs, Ron Conway, Marc Andreesen, and Georges Harik.

Sorrell on Owning Branded Content

2008-04-17T22:32:00.005+10:00

WPP chief Sir Martin Sorrell said in Italy this week that agency groups must work harder to crack the key opportunity of owning and producing branded content by tapping the intellectual property talent houses of William Morris and alike. Sorrell is right, the taps do need to be turned on. But for fear of technology innovation overtaking his group's worldwide creativity revenues, WPP must also begin to make significant media technology investments of its own. That includes owning 24/7 Real Media and adding Yahoo! to its radar watch.

MySpace takes a Shine to Web-to-TV

2008-04-14T23:30:00.005+10:00

International Web-to-TV might actually be a viable aftermarket for Web shows. Michael Eisner just sold "Prom Queen" into several international markets, including France and Japan and not long after her MIPTV keynote address on "creativity without borders" in Cannes last week, CEO of Shine Group Elisabeth Murdoch has been tapped by MySpace TV to license "Quarterlife" and Roommates" abroad or create localised versions of the shows.