I read with interest this week about Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.co.uk/) and chip-maker Titan are re-defining the TV experience by developing widget-based interaction within the TV experience... at first glance I like the idea of this, it saves us here at etv (http://www.etv.tv/) from creating multi-platform interaction, which currently requires the user to engage with one or more platforms (something which many people are now doing) and gives us the opportunity to really add value to broadcast-type content with the calls to action being backed up by the opportunity for direct response.
Then I considered that red-button essentially does this, so what are they offering over and above? I am speculating that this will be an in-picture online/tv/other screen play essentially consigning red-button activity to the history books... but then again, I am sure there is someone sitting at Yahoo who is paid much more than I am to tell me this is just the tip of the possibility-iceberg!
I am currently trying to track down Marco Boerries (Yahoo's executive vice president of Connect Life) to see whether I can get some low-down.
See the full article here: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080821/ttc-lifestyle-us-it-internet-television-e0bba4a.html
Have a good bank holiday weekend!
Friday, 22 August 2008
Friday, 15 August 2008
why AKQA can't leave me alone...
Having spent a long time in the traditional (how weird is that) digital industry, making websites, creating online games, developing portals and winning quite a few awards, I have been used to the Elephant in the room that was AKQA (www.akqa.com). I respect them for their creativity and I like the fact that, despite their size, I hear very few complaints from clients about their 'corporation-like-attitude'. There is also no denying that it has been one of the genuine success stories of the web-development market.
However... now I have moved over to the broadcast side they seem to be following me around. I read an article yesterday defining pretty much my thinking on the broadcast market over the next 3 years, well written, insightful and pithy; really good work, but who appears at the bottom of the page as their opening reference to this new age in broadcast commissioning and 360 degree multi-platform approach - none other than AKQA. what!?! do me a favour... their new broadcast team is 12 people, if it came down to it we would have those guys out-numbered 10-1 in a dark street in soho (and it may come to this). In addition they have developed small pieces of viral and 1 film from what I can see, a shoe-in for the 360 degree commissioning model this does not make.
Now, I appreciate them giving a voice to the emerging market, but to be honest they don't meet the citeria in my eyes, they are a digital agency and not set-up to produce the kind of on-going online broadcast material that should appeal to brands over the coming months and years (it has to be said, something I didn't appreciate myself until 4 weeks ago). A company like etv (www.etv.tv) is much better placed for 3 reasons, we have contacts throughout the industry, something you just can't buy, we know how to deliver within the fast-paced broadcast environment to provide proper ROI and we have great in-house design and build talent to ensure this content is pushed out in the right way.
Someone wiser than me once said "you can't teach experience", never has this been more true.
However... now I have moved over to the broadcast side they seem to be following me around. I read an article yesterday defining pretty much my thinking on the broadcast market over the next 3 years, well written, insightful and pithy; really good work, but who appears at the bottom of the page as their opening reference to this new age in broadcast commissioning and 360 degree multi-platform approach - none other than AKQA. what!?! do me a favour... their new broadcast team is 12 people, if it came down to it we would have those guys out-numbered 10-1 in a dark street in soho (and it may come to this). In addition they have developed small pieces of viral and 1 film from what I can see, a shoe-in for the 360 degree commissioning model this does not make.
Now, I appreciate them giving a voice to the emerging market, but to be honest they don't meet the citeria in my eyes, they are a digital agency and not set-up to produce the kind of on-going online broadcast material that should appeal to brands over the coming months and years (it has to be said, something I didn't appreciate myself until 4 weeks ago). A company like etv (www.etv.tv) is much better placed for 3 reasons, we have contacts throughout the industry, something you just can't buy, we know how to deliver within the fast-paced broadcast environment to provide proper ROI and we have great in-house design and build talent to ensure this content is pushed out in the right way.
Someone wiser than me once said "you can't teach experience", never has this been more true.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
82.5% of statistics are made up on the spot...
o.k. 'obviously' we should take the following with a pinch of salt, but the figures below are pretty compelling from a brand perspective:
- Branded content sites are 24% more effective than overall MarketNorms at impacting purchase intent among those with household incomes of $75,000 or greater.
- Video advertising on branded sites provides an 82% brand awareness boost over MarketNorms’ overall online video advertising averages, and a 67% boost for improving brand favourability.
- Sponsorships on branded content sites are 42% more effective than the overall MarketNorms average and 36% more effective than on portals.
This does indicate that brands need to take the end content seriously, and I am certain (having gambled my career somewhat on these market research bods being able to do their job!) that the gap between this type of research and active ubiquitous brand involvement is just round the corner.
Next blog: 'price point - why brands are ignorning research becuase they think it is expensive but it's not really'
Friday, 8 August 2008
Video is the most popular online activity!
It was nice to read today (the in the NMA 31.07.08 www.nma.co.uk) that video is the most popular online activity... around 28% of Europeans now regularly watch video online which is more than double the % in 2006. That should make my job a little easier over the coming months and years.
This says to me 2 things: 1) the technology is now here to deliver on the requirement of the market and b) as with the social networking (web 2.0) bubble, the general public are now willing to engage in this way with this content online.
happily this is not at the expense of TV, which still has more broadcast viewers than the internet, and means these two mediums are serving different, but equally important markets.
bring on 2010!
This says to me 2 things: 1) the technology is now here to deliver on the requirement of the market and b) as with the social networking (web 2.0) bubble, the general public are now willing to engage in this way with this content online.
happily this is not at the expense of TV, which still has more broadcast viewers than the internet, and means these two mediums are serving different, but equally important markets.
bring on 2010!
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