Online Video Ads Signal Digital Style

According to a new online video survey conducted by independent research company TNS, the medium itself can be as valuable as the message it conveys. Results of the AOL/Google Online Video Survey conducted from July 9 to July 15, 2007 were based on online survey responses from 2,394 online video viewers between 18 and 54 years old. Forty-one percent of respondents said that after they see a brand featured in an online video ad, they were more likely to think of that brand as having a strong digital presence on the Internet. Proving, that the deployment of online video advertising can play a unique and critical role in representing a brand as being digitally-focused and digitally-accessible with audiences online. In fact, the survey found that one in three respondents said that they thought brands featured in online videos were perceived as "innovative" (32%), "creative" (32%), and "fun" (30%). Which just goes to show, leveraging the online video medium, also lifts overall brand perception.

But take note, the survey pointed out YouTubers still command the lion's share for audiences, with most users having requested a video-sharing website in the past month (77%), followed by news sites (55%) and broadcast TV sites (49%) as their favourite online-video destinations. Lest we forget that PwC research only recently found that 50 percent of consumers surveyed said that they would skip online video with pre-roll ads, hence Google InVideo.

Google's InVideo ads on YouTube, are we feel, just a prologue to something more akin to actual in-content advertising using video hyperlink technology, such as VideoClix. So it was no surprise to learn that 43% of those surveyed by TNS said that it was important to be able to click through to a brand's website.

Babelgum Online Film Festival

Filmmakers, mark September 15 on your calendars!
The Babelgum Online Film Festival, named after the internet TV network, will showcase films that are shorter than 45 minutes long, either shot in English or with English-language subtitles.

Online users will select the 10 shortlisted entries, with the nine-strong jury, headed by Spike Lee, selecting the final six from categories such as documentaries, advertising, animation, social and environment themed subjects or short film, for movies under 20 minutes long. The final category, titled the "Looking for Genius" award, will aim to praise a "new or emerging talent who displays clear and outstanding achievement". Each winner will bag €20,000 (£13,500) and, hopefully, the chance to break into the movie business.

Entry dates: 15 September, 2007 – 15 February, 2008. Winners will be announced at a Gala ceremony likely to be scheduled during the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008. So start rolling and good luck!

For those of you who don't know, Babelgum is a new contender for the global broadband video market. Just like the Joost project from the creators of the Skype voip service, Babelgum is based on a secure peer-to-peer video network. It is backed by Silvio Scaglia, who made a personal fortune from Fastweb, the Italian broadband video, voice and data service provider.

An interesting aspect of the Babelgum platform is the notion of personalised smart channels, which will automatically suggest specific programming based on recommendations and collective feedback from viewers.

Development is being led by chief technology officer Mallku Caballero, previously co-founder and chief scientist at White Pine Software, which produced CUSeeMe, one of the first popular video applications on the internet.

A billing and tracking system will record which programming and advertising has been viewed and by whom, enabling advanced billing options in the future.

Hoopla hulu!

NBC Universal and News Corp. took a step closer to launching Hulu on Wednesday and expect to begin a trial run in October.

The new site being sponsored by NBC and News Corp. (nyse: NWS) is intended to provide an alternative to watching TV programming online, in a way that's supported by advertising and endorsed by copyright holders.

The site is expected to initially feature programming from Fox shows like 24 and Family Guy as well as NBC shows like 30 Rock and Las Vegas.

Ofcom: 80% of DVR Users Skip UK TVCs

Close to 78% of people in the U.K. who own digital video recording devices, or DVRs, claim to fast forward advertisements, according to new research last week from U.K. communications regulator Ofcom.

The findings suggest widespread fears that the growing use of the devices could hit advertising revenues are well-founded. Ofcom said 15% of U.K. television households now have such devices, which include Sky + and other similar products.

Big numbers, which might come as warning shock for marketers and networks locally, with Foxtel IQ, IceTV and now TiVo destined for our shores in the new year. Though, word has it Seven is already finalising million-dollar TiVo advertising deals with at least 20 big brands (yeah right), and you can bet a key concern for each of those is that ads won't be effective if TiVo users can skip through them at the press of a button. At present, DVRs are found in about 320,000 of Australia's 7.8 million homes. That number includes the 200,000+ subscribers to pay TV operator Foxtel and its IQ service.

After IceTV's triumphant Federal Court victory against Nine earlier this month, InShot plans to move ahead with Ice to explore future telescopic ad models in both its device and web-based services.