HBO Talking about pay-per-view online.

HBO are in talks for broadcasting over a web service like Apple TV and Google as an 'a la carte' version - in other words, pay-per-view. 

HBO Go is already on Apple TV but only for subscribers only - so this pay-per-view version makes total sense and something we blogged about before. In fact in April 2014, where we suggested (!) that the only way to go for cable TV was "to introduce pay-per-view to supplement subs".

You can search the blog top left of this page or copy here;

http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2014/04/pay-tv-is-going-to-be-in-decline.html

This will push HBO to compete with Netflix given they have 'True Detective', 'Game of Thrones' and many other quality series.

A huge amount of online viewers watch 'on demand' rather than on subscription and this will capture those. This is also now a fundamental issue for 'Sky' this side of the water and they need to take notice.

But online broadcasting, online TV, is taking a further twist. Better content online will continue to drive viewers away from traditional TV Stations. Their days are numbered.

(And thanks to Adforce's Kevin Foley for pointing it out. Always on the ball.)

Updated March 9th - HBO Announce Apple as their streaming partner so the service will be available on all Apple devices.

Is Facebook taking YouTube's Video fast forward?

YouTube is 10 years old and without it, businesses like Streamabout, simply wouldn't exist. So hats off to YouTube...but....

What seems to be changing its dominance, is market behaviour and audience reaction. Bought by Google for 1.6 Billion usd in 2006, it's still not profitable despite revenues of 4 billion usd in 2014 - that's about break-even (which is ridiculous even in itself).

Faced with competition such as Vimeo, Vice, Vine, Snapchat and so on, makes life a bit harder for YouTube but their biggest threat is Facebook. The point is that when I see a video on a friends page on Facebook, it's probably something that I might like too - because they're friends and because they'll be 'like minded'. On YouTube, I have to search and search albeit through subscribed channels. So the viewing relevance is very different.

Facebook looks like a video sharing site, YouTube looks like a video hosting platform especially as you can upload video to Facebook directly rather than sharing a YouTube link giving Facebook ownership of the Ads.

The recent YouTube kids version marks a great initiative which brings back audience relevance as does, some of the channels - notably in Sport. But it's not as effective as Facebook even with over a billion monthly views. Facebook has 50% more views and produced nearly 3 billion usd in profit last year.

The growth of autoplay on Facebook (where videos automatically play when you see them) and currently on trial with Twitter - but not on Youtube - is a big failing. 

One wonders is YouTube becoming complacent? 

But one thing is for sure - it's all about Video, Video and more Video.

What we're listening to this week. Patti Smith 'Horses'.

Just that we heard that Patti Smith is coming to Dublin this Summer to play 'Horses' live, we decided to stick it on.

Considered a punk album (but it's not) and released 1975 with the iconic Robert Mapplethorpe cover - shot in Greenwich Village (we note the jacket has a horse shaped pin) - and featuring a cover version of Ireland's own Van Morrison's 'Gloria'.

It was Patti Smith's debut and 40 years later, just blew everyone in the office away. 

Because quite simply, it's one of the greatest albums ever made. There can't be any arguments. It just is.

"There is a little place, a place called space...."

2 million advertisers on Facebook up 33%. 4 million active on Google. The advertiser switch to digital is on.

Another Facebook milestone this week as announced by Business Insider, achieving 2 million active advertisers, a +33% increase on July last year.

Facebook is therefore gaining ground on Google but leaving Twitter in its wake at 60,000 advertisers. Google has 4 million.

These advertiser relationship growths, point to a healthy future and the opportunity to grow the revenue (spend) per advertiser in the longer term. If you have that many clients, you're going to grow.

If Facebook keep developing their Search capabilities, they could really extend into Google territory and we know that Facebook continues to grow its users year-on-year.

But importantly too, is shows the advertiser move away from traditional. If digital wasn't of real, core interest, they wouldn't be building these relationships. It's coming, it just has taken longer than we thought.

Ad Blocker software is on a surge. Blocking Ads online creating problems for publishers. 300 million times and rising.

The surge (or scourge depending on who you are) in the growth of Ad blocking software is likely to accelerate on digital and that's a worry.

Simply, they remove Ads from content online so you watch without the Ads - although it's unclear if publishers still count them as "impressions" when the Ads are never seen. Easy to download, Ad blockers just sit in your browser as an extension and they're available for every browser. They even take out YouTube Ads.

Adblock, one of the better known software, already stands at 300 million downloads. It's reckoned that over 200,000 downloads of Ad blockers occur every day. A recent survey of 100 million impressions on top tier websites, saw 9% of them being blocked already, with usage growing at 70% per year.

That's a lot.

Some publishers are rumoured (but it's true) to pay Ad blockers not to include their site, such is the scale of the issue.

The appeal to viewers is not just stopping what they consider, "annoying Ads" but by blocking them, you browse faster. That's a real advantage so it's hard to see the surge decreasing.

Of course we're bound to say it, but generating your own Video content or Video Ads, is one way around it. They haven't found a Video blocker, nor will they!

Streamabout can help!

What we're listening to.....

Last week another 1973 Album from The Doobies caught our attention in Streamabout. The Captain and Me was played and played in here anyway. 

Their 3rd Album but we found a link to last week's Steely Dan Album 'Can't buy a thrill' in that Jeff 'The Skunk' Baxter plays on both.

Seriously good artwork on the vinyl album too by the way!

Regional Press are launching regional radio. Online. Clever idea.

Interesting idea from regional newspapers in the US. They're now doing online radio. From small local, regional press titles to larger ones such as The Boston Herald.

What they're doing is taking the printed stories and reading them on-air via Internet broadcasts. In Ireland, you need a licence to broadcast (ridiculously) granted by The State (so more State control of Media) whereas one wonders about online radio? Can it be controlled in the same way?

But US regional press have the content and have the journalists, with online broadcasting being inexpensive. 

What they do then is "bundle" their advertising between print and radio with on-air advertising. So it either protects existing ad revenues or grows them (upsell by throwing in some radio spots) and gives regional press new digital assets to sell to advertisers at low cost.

It's a clever way of using the content they've already collected. Indeed, just a small step up from podcasting. Radio too, has always been about local content and of course, online radio is growing. But having a print title also allows you the "mouthpiece" to generate listeners through cross-promotion.

One clear factor as cars become more connected (like the new Suzuki Vitara is), access to digital radio via smartphones is easy now. Mac Play allows you to do that for free by downloading an App.

And in-car is a clear prime radio market. 

Online broadcasting is cheap - you need a microphone and a laptop essentially to start - and regional content is not expected to have all the broadcasting bells and whistles.

Nice idea.

Time Warner Revenue falls, reflects audience switch away from traditional TV.

Interesting data from Cable Company Time Warner (CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, TBS) in the US for Q4 2014 just out, giving it a not too optimistic view for 2015.

They're really suffering from the decline in traditional TV viewing as viewers switch to other devices and how that's starting to affect advertising spends. 

Netflix, Amazon, Hulu are starting to make inroads both into audiences and therefore, into Ad dollars.

Time Warner Revenues were down in the last quarter meaning an uplift of only +3% for the year. But it's revenue is 27.4 Billion usd so that's still very strong. Operating profit was down nearly -6% on the year. 

21st Century Fox has also reduced advertising expectations because of the slow advertising TV market and Nielsen reported live TV viewing down nearly 13% and Ad spends are down reflecting that.

Time Warner are now focused on bundling more their digital assets with traditional TV buys and have recognised the shift. 

It's the first full and clear indication that TV audiences decline and as they do, so will advertising income. Nothing surer. 

Advertising money chases audiences as sure as night follows day. And when audiences shift, so too will advertising spends - just surprising that it has taken so long.

Brian Williams, Jon Stewart, The judge will see you now.

All the talk of Jon Stewart leaving The Daily Show after 17 years on Comedy Central with a focus on his salary of 25/30 million usd a year....nice piece on Business Insider about that salary too.

Jimmy Kimmel on ABC gets about 10 million. Shepard Smith on Fox gets about the same as does Jimmy Fallon. Conan O'Brien gets about 12 million on TBS and poor Brian Williams was getting about 13 million for NBC Nightly News.

Howard Stern gets 15 million and Bill O'Reilly who has the most watched cable show, 'The O'Reilly Factor' on Fox gets about 18 million.

Ellen De Generes and David Letterman get about 20 million but top of them all....with a pretty staggering 47 million Dollars....and the highest paid TV celeb....with the most watched syndicated show (10 million viewers)....bringing in circa 250 million in advertising is....Judge Judy.

Streamabout filmed her in Dublin 2013 and actually what you see, is what you get. Clever lady.

Can't buy a thrill.

The coffee is on, it's Friday in the 1970's. 

What we're listening to this week in case you're looking for a weekend cheer up. Or inspiration. 

Steely Dan debut from 1972. The title stolen from Bob Dylan.

Dronies. And the growth of user generated video. Wow!

The growth in online video is explosive but the growth in user generated content using video, is moving fast.

Using drone footage (auto helicopters with cams) has allowed filmmakers to do special things like this from Alex Chacon and it's pre-rolled by Guinness. So he can earn a few bob from his work.

Because they're a mixture of Selfies and Drone footage, they're called 'Dronies' and with access to free YouTube (only 10 years old!) gives an outlet for this type of work. Beautiful it is too.

But the growth in Go Pro cameras and combined on Drones, gives high definition, ultra sharp pictures in miniature size so they're fairly transportable. Streamabout uses them all the time and notably Go Pros are great for attaching to cars to get good, low driving shots. Great in the pool too for swimming shots - just great anywhere.

This is building a YouTube audience because one thing is for sure, this type of footage would never surface on traditional TV broadcasters. And when you look at it, you'll see it's long form (over 3 minutes) so that's more engaging than any 30 second TV commercial.

If you're a fan of 'House of Cards' you'll notice that the opening sequence is built around time lapse shots of buildings. The person that was commissioned to produce those was found on YouTube.

Lovin' it.

2015 Superbowl Ad Winner. Have a look!

Here you go, the winner of all the 2015 Superbowl Ads as registered on Social Media. Not just that, this link alone has over 25 million views on YouTube...so online it'll have been huge.

Did it deserve it?

Ah yeah.

Tell a story and tell it well.

Not macho enough you think? But it's the side of blokes that makes us attractive to women and a haunting version of 'And I would walk 500 miles' shows that there's nothing you wouldn't do for your girl. Because you're a tough man.

And this will appeal to women because it's sentimental and the actor is a hunk.

That was the thinking.

Yeah it works.

Twitter Video Ads coming with a clever Preview Idea. And If you need a video ad....

By all reports, Twitter are considering video previews for their new Video Ads.

What it means is that when a video ad pops up in your feed, you'll get an automatic play (auto play) of 6 seconds like a trailer. Then, if that interests you, you click it, to play the video in full.

And advertisers will only be charged when the Ad is clicked so they'll benefit from the 6 second trailer, for free.

Facebook video ads are fully autoplay, whereas YouTube's are click-to-play and so Twitter is really doing the best of both. It's a really good, clever idea too.

It also means that advertisers will only be paying for those who really, really want to see the video because they'll have been interested by the preview trailer. 

It's a great way for Twitter to get into that growing, exploding digital video ad space. And if you need online video ads....it's what Streamabout do!

Superbowl shatters viewing record. The most watched TV Event in US history.

9 times in the last 10 years it's happened and it just happened again. The Superbowl last Sunday, shattered the viewing record.

Nielsen ratings show it to be the most watched TV Broadcast in US history with 114.4 million viewers live average. It peaked at over 120 million.

So the slow NBC Ad spot sales because of the 4.5 million price tag on a 30 second spot (up 500,000 dollars on the previous year) seems more justified as they did deliver the audience.

As it reached the end 4th quarter, 74% of US Televisions were tuned in. That was when the now infamous passing call inside the one yard line by Seattle, was intercepted, giving the Patriots the win.

What's not clear is whether Nielsen mean 'Televisions' or all broadcast devices (Ipads, Laptops, Mobiles etc) but that can only increase the viewing. 

Great game, good result and perhaps not won by Tom Brady but lost by Russell Wilson....

Because NFL is very USA led, viewership for The World Cup Final (350m+), Champions League, Olympic Games, all generate higher audiences simply because they've global appeal.

Apple. Result?

Biggest quarterly profit ever by a Public company...18 billion dollars....75 million iphones sold in the quarter....142 Billion Dollars in cash.....gross profit margin of 40%...10 times increase in revenue over the last decade....worth 635 billion dollars....34,000 iphone 6's sold every hour....number one smartphone in China...a company started in 1984.

April will be the Apple reinvention of the watch.

All they need sort out is their Tax reputational damage which was the story today rather than the numbers.

Superbowl 2015 hype falls.

Incredibly little buzz about the annual Superbowl advertising. Normally, under two weeks out (it's on Feb 1), you'd see far more activity.

Fewer advertisers are revealing their ads in advance and in fact, there seems to be fewer advertisers give the 4.5 million usd spot rate. It's not sold out yet and car advertising is down by 50% but that price is 500k greater than any previous record.

Those that have shown their ads in advance, are getting low views online with Victoria's Secret topping that list at a mere 800,000 views. That's not great.

Online searches for Superbowl ads are down too. 

Broadcast by NBC, it's likely that the live audience won't diminish and at 111 million viewers last year, that's healthy. It was the most watched TV broadcast in US history.

So the buzz that's lacking, has to be about the price and the fact that spots are still available, indicates that. So it's too expensive as what is, a gamble. The creative needs to be good and that costs too.

But on a single 30 second spot basis, advertisers are questioning the value. And it seems that the public are getting bored with the advertising hype. 

Netflix stock is soaring....and better still, they're showing The Interview.

Netflix stock is soaring tonight.

Up +13% in after hours trading on great last quarter numbers showing strong subscriber growth above expectations. Not bad, after a hard fall in October.

But better again, they've announced that they will screen 'The interview' on Jan 24. That's the movie that the North Koreans love and the movie that caused the consternation at Sony. And that's the movie that no one else was brave enough to air.

So good on Netflix.
And aren't we glad to have digital who'll show the things that no one would.

I hope the stock keeps going up - their credibility sure has.

Google Glasses come to an end.

Google are to suspend the manufacture of its Google Glasses headsets.

The first really "wearable" technology have been hammered both by poor sales (they're expensive at 1,500 euro+ a pair) and technology, notably in the privacy space. People wearing them have been referred to as 'Glassholes'.

However, a more consumer styled device is planned.

What Glasses do deliver is hands-free purchasing and indeed Tesco were hoping to develop an App allowing shoppers to simply browse products and order via the glasses. The lack of popularity though, is key and will stop these types of applications simply because the glasses aren't in enough hands.

So Google Glasses are a worthy product and make perfect sense. However, they need to overcome the price point to become more easily available (the cheaper they are, the more people will have them) and fundamentally, the "look" of them. They just look too weird for people to wear so the design needs work.

There's no doubt, they'll be back and as watches have shown, wearable tech is here to stay.

It's a wonderful life. Most of the time.

And that's me, done for another year.

Thanks very much for reading and I do hope you have a Happy and Peaceful Christmas. Look after yourselves.

A new competitor to YouTube launches.

Vessel is coming to take on YouTube and Vimeo.

Although ad-supported, they will also charge 2.99 us dollars a month to be able to watch your "favourite" YouTube stars first. In other words, they'll have video before anyone else (by at least 3 days).

What makes it a serious contender is that it is being founded by Jason Kilar, the former Hulu CEO. 

Video creators will get a cut of the ad and subscription revenue by holding off on posting their content until it has been shown on Vessel. They currently get 55% from Google's YouTube although it's generally poor and they will be encouraged by Vessel's promised revenue.

Although one wonders will subscribers be prepared to pay for content they'll probably see free some days later?

Not sure. But having said that it's a new model that very much highlights online video as now being 'programming' and having value.

So in every sense, it's to be encouraged.

And anyway, do like the logo.....

Best of the Web 2014

Really nice cut of some of the best of the Web 2014.

But how much go-pro cameras have helped with online video! wow, everywhere.
Super editing by Luc Bergeron. Super

180 million + views. Now that's what you call a viral video

Whilst this link shows 162m views, I've seen the video reposted on YouTube so many times with one repost receiving over 20 million alone.

It just shows too, the style of video people want, to be entertained and that applies equally, to brands. Tell them a story and brighten the day.

It also shows what can be achieved. There's no media budget that can achieve 200 million views. None.

Except online digital video.

Personal Flying. The future is not far off.

I've dealt with this before - personal flying - and how some countries such as New Zealand are allowing testing. Latest testing from Dubai you'll see for yourself in the video.

It's nothing to do with online per se (except it's a lovely video) but to do with the future and innovation.

As we develop electric cars, tesla cars, google driverless cars.....I believe quickly they'll become old technologies.

The future of getting to work and to school, is personal jet packs. I'm convinced our children will do it as standard. Especially with the developments already taken place, this is only 10 years away.

The idea of getting from A to Z on congested roads, eating up carbon fuel and taking hours doesn't make sense. What takes an hour by car now, will take 10 minutes by air. Car manufacturers should get on board now.

So which do you think, will consumers demand?
I have no doubts.

"Yet more evidence that Advertisers are pulling money out of TV" - says Business Insider.

Business Insider UK, reports that there is now "quantifiable evidence" of advertisers switching away from TV.

It's based on the US Standard Media Index which pulls about 80% of US Ad Agency spend including the 5/6 Global Networks. In October, it showed a further drop of 9%.

Mightn't sound like a lot, but it is considerable especially in a high sales month like October. 

TV viewing declined too, by -4%.

And given that it was October, it's normally the pre-booking period for Christmas which traditionally kept TV prices high. So advertisers are now switching to more flexible media such as online digital video. Digital Advertising grew +11%. Newspapers grew +5%. 

So it looks like digital video is now starting to take advertising dollars away from TV. A shift that has been well predicted and in fact, was slow in coming.

Omnicom recommended to clients earlier this year, to switch 10-25% of budgets away from TV onto online video.

The audience has shifted.
Now it looks like Advertisers and Agencies are shifting too.

Facebook's biggest shares in October 2014

Newswhip have published the top Facebook shares for October (which they developed via Spike).

The Huff Post leads the way with 67 Million interactions in the month. PlayBuzz and BuzzFeed come in ahead of the likes of Fox News and NBC - never mind The New York Times.

So it again points to the rise in online sites developing "news" over traditional sites. And frankly, the sites doing well are more "entertainment" driven rather than hard news reflecting too, the desires of a Facebook audience.

But still, the numbers are pretty stunning....

John Lewis does it again. And again and again.

And whilst we're talking about Christmas Retail TV Ads...there's always John Lewis.

Wow.

Christmas Retail Ads. Don't you just get tired on them....and then one comes along and you go, Yes! Wow.

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet for H&M.
Both ends of the demographic spectrum.

The bar just got raised.....

The most shocking reliable data I've seen on the switch away from TV to online. Terrifying reading for TV Stations.

I got this BusinessInsider/Comscore story about BuzzFeed today from a friend, by email. When I opened it, I fell off my chair.

Which is why he sent it.

The most stunning thing I've read yet, that just symbolises the online revolution that has and is, taking place. It's proof positive now, of the takeover and the switchover from TV to online.

Just look at the monthly reach of BuzzFeed in this graph for 18-34's.

Shocking stuff for TV Stations....

BuzzFeed now reaches 50% of US millennials (18-34's) a month according to Comscore/BusinessInsider and this is terrifying reading for TV. 

BuzzFeeds monthly reach outstrips CBS, Fox and NBC.

In fact it's winning in all ages and spelling the end of TV in terms of audience decline, audience attention but notably in terms of advertising money. And be assured, exactly this same model is being replicated in every country including Ireland. The same thing is happening everywhere. 

Put simply, advertising money chases audience and as BuzzFeed climbs it will take those big brand lucrative TV dollars with it. Whilst the TV stations will go into financial decline through that same lost advertising. They simply cannot hold their audiences no longer.

Look too above, at the BuzzFeed video views and Subscriber growth!!! Pretty impressive!!!

50% of the views are from mobile. And those video views are peaking for BuzzFeed in the evening. That's right, smack dab in the middle of prime time TV. The expensive advertising bit.

And that signals a strong probability that the younger 18-34's are having a look at BuzzFeed....during the evening ad breaks! Not what an advertiser wants to hear.

And as The BusinessInsider story says, advertisers want to reach consumers with messages that have sight, sound and motion. Those advantages don't just apply to TV anymore.

I've never seen reliable data like this, that clearly shows the media pulling power of digital and all of this happening in the lucrative TV space - once regarded as the bastion of all things advertising. 

And then we've only spoken here about the impact BuzzFeed has had - nevermind the others!

This ladies and gentlemen, is the end..... Or the start...... It depends on where you're sitting. 

But one thing it sure is, the world has just changed. Totally.

Different, interesting use of video on suzuki.ie that you won't have seen before.

Great use of video on Suzuki Ireland website.

Sorry too, that you'll have to cut and paste this link but I think you'll be interested to do it. Here it is;

www.suzuki.ie

What it does is allows a Presenter to pop up automatically every time you visit and explain what's on the site.

Equally, that presenter could be on every page of the website perhaps explaining each page's content.

It is of course, specially recorded video on a greensceen by streamabout and then applied. In fact it's a great use of video online!

Mobile overtakes TV in The USA for the first time.

There's always a reason why people pay to produce Reports. Normally, to further their business and rarely do you see companies producing reports that show they got it wrong!

However, whilst they should be taken with a pinch of salt, they are helpful in identifying trends and probably re-enforce what we thought anyway. And thank you to John Fleming, him a 'Tripp Crystal' App developer, for pointing it out to me.

So this one by 'Flurry' shows that mobile has bumped US TV Screens for the first time. Nearly 3 hours a day usage versus 2.48 hours and remaining static.

So the growth in mobile marches on and particularly because of functionality. You can do more on your mobile (email, apps, calendar, etc) than you can do on your TV and it has the key advantage of being in your pocket all the time.

Equally to, the development of the mobile into basically a 'pocket pc', means it can do more and more. Like watching TV or online video. It also shows, as Flurry would like you to see, that Apps have greater and greater potential.

Seems to me anyway, to make perfect sense.
Mobile is and will continue to march on.

Advertisers be aware.

Nokia. It's gone. A victim to innovation.

Most of us probably grew up with Nokia.

The Finnish cutting-edge mobile phone manufacturer that was first to market. And that eventually dominated the market globally.

I remember staying at an upscale Helsinki Hotel with a person from Nokia and they paid the bill with their business card. In other words, the Hotel would simply invoice Nokia, no questions asked.

It was a tech giant.
Like Microsoft or Apple.

It was the brand of reliability.

And it's no more.
Bought by Microsoft who announced last week, they'd be dropping the 'Nokia' brand on devices.

And what happened?
Well we all have Samsung or Iphone devices now.

So the reason for that was that Samsung and Apple built better phones and Nokia customers switched - so there was no real brand loyalty to Nokia. It was just a phone (compared to say Apple, who's customers are product devotees).

But the real reason was innovation.
Or lack of it.

You can even be the 80% market dominant player and in a few short years be gone. They simply didn't innovate as quickly as they could and sat a bit on their laurels.

Stand still and you're dead.
Remember Nokia.

Is this the best online video ever? Honda.

I have seen a lot of video. Too much for one life but I can't think I've ever seen anything better than this.

Because it's interactive, you have to copy and paste and go to this page. Sorry but do it. Honestly, it's well worth it.

https://www.youtube.com/user/HondaVideo

It's for The Civic R and the main video in the top player. Press R as it runs.

Trust me, you won't believe this.

Online Video went to another level just now and why can I see the hands of Wieden Kennedy behind this? Just never thought it possible online. 

Stunningly stunning.

5 ways to use video better online.

'Video is eating the media world'. So says NewsWhip.

According to Pew Research quoted in their story, 63% of Americans watch online video and 36% of those, watch news video clearly driven by smartphone usage.

They suggest (and I agree) five ways to use video.

Firstly, Facebook. If you have a lot of fans, Facebook can be your TV Channel. I note in Ireland for example, Radio Station FM104 have over 200,000 likes and so a video placed there, reaches a big audience immediately and a potentially huge audience if some of those share again. 

Remember too, that those "likes" are potent because they already "like" what you're doing.

Secondly, use short clips to draw attention to long clips.

Not a bad idea either, as video viewers always look at video length first so if you make a shorter version, they'll be more disposed to view that first. So it's almost a "preview".

Thirdly, explain things using video. In other words, simple video can demonstrate how things work (like a graphic) which illuminates a story. Interesting but a bit of a fringe idea.

Fourthly, Twitter 'video cards' allow videos to be played in a timeline and draw attention to the video. And using Twitter as a strong video teaser is a good idea.

Lastly, they also point to Vine and Instagram. Although limited in length, they work on those platforms quickly so the user can be enthused even with very short clips.

I think overall, they're looking to ways in which video can be promoted. A really important issue that's often overlooked. Creation of content is only one side of the equation, distribution is the important other.

Get a video company that can help you with both.
Streamabout. So there.

Native Advertising is sponsored content. Is this the way for online publishers?

Native Advertising or in other words, sponsored content, is proving a strong revenue earner for Media.

It is an ethical issue because it is "disguising" Ads, as non-commercial content and I for one, are seeing more and more "news" which is clearly paid for. So it will affect the reader "trust" of the brand.

The New York Times has called it the "driver" for its growth in online revenue last week, clearly indicating that there's a lot of it about.

Forbes have "Brand Voice" Ad options.

Sponsored Posts/Native commentary is over 30+ of LinkedIn's overall Ad revenue. Like their "sponsored updates". 

Tumblr are introducing similar "sponsored video posts".

The UK's Guardian is doing the same as are, most Irish online publishers.

It's euphemistically called "content marketing" but in reality it is PR dressed up as news. And that's an issue for the PR Industry because they may find that Clients will simply have to pay to have their brand stories appear. In fact it cuts across the very core as to what PR is about. Regrettably.

Traditional Broadcast Advertising to be fair, has at its core, a warning.

Called an 'Ad break', listeners and viewers clearly understand that at that part of the broadcast, someone is trying to sell them something (legitimately).

And Traditional Press Advertising is 'bordered' off from content so they're obviously Ads, not content.

So there must be, should be, some concerns raised about "native content" or sponsored content or whatever it's called designed to hide the fact, that it's advertising without a warning. And the very fact that they're trying to hide it by renaming it, in itself shows the concerns are already there.

But money is money I guess.

There must be questions raised too, by media owners themselves, that by "prostituting" their product in this way, could damage their trust amongst their consumers who may depart to other reliable publications.

Fundamentally, we all agree and want, online media to generate more revenue. Absolutely.

However, we should question, is this the way.

Without fear or favour - seems to me to be more favour than without.

Online Digital Video. You've made it, now what do you do with it?

There's a point about online video.
Once you've made it, what do you do with it?

According to Ad Age, General Electric put a video out online featuring Jeff Goldblum and within 24 hours, had 700,000 views (2 million today). Not bad, given that not a penny was spent on media promotion of it.

Notable too, is that it is over 2 minutes long (so none of your traditional 30 second messages) and the light bulb, sold out.

This is the exception though and not the rule. You can sit down and pray that things like that happen or you can help make it happen.

Creation of content is one part of the equation, distribution, another almost as vital.

Perhaps put in on YouTube's 'Trueview' Ads or Facebook's new auto-play video ads but perhaps too, place it on traditional online media such as news sites.

Paid for syndication or media buying, gets the video out there but it has to be good in the first instance, to get engagement and notably, sharing. 

However, the combination of both, creation and distribution, can be a lethally effective piece of marketing. You shouldn't have one without the other or at least, a clear understanding as to where the video is appearing.

Consider too, that in targeting different audiences, you may even cut/edit the video story differently to suit better, the audience watching it on different sites. One size doesn't always, fit all.

One thing for sure though. If you don't have an online video....you've no chance.

And Streamabout.com helps you do BOTH.

Nice one Guinness.

Have to say I like this.

Guinness, the "All Blacks" (geddit?) and just as we come up to the November Internationals.

Nevermind that it features Wardy (2 drop goals and a converted try) and there's hardly a nicer man to grace Irish Rugby.

Of course when you think Munster and think of this match, you think Mossy Keane. Nicknamed by team mates as 'The Exorcist'. Why? Because he never went home until all the spirits were gone.

Munster G. A. McLoughlin, P. C. Whelan, L. White, M. I. Keane, B. Foley, C. Cantillon, C. Tucker, D. E. Spring, D. Canniffe, A. J. P. Ward, J. Bowen, G. Barrett, S. Dennison, M. Finn, L. A. Moloney

New Zealand B. R. Johnstone, J. E. Black, G. A. Knight, F. J. Oliver, A. M. Haden, W. G. Graham, G. N. K. Mourie, A. A. McGregor, M. W. Donaldson, E. J. Dunn, B. G. Williams, J. L. Jaffray, B. J. Robertson, S. S. Wilson, B. J. McKechnie 

Television Advertising overtaken by Digital. It's in a death spiral.

Digital to overtake TV Ad spend in ALL US spending in 2016.

And that's not me saying it, it's respected researchers 'Forrester' as appearing in the Ad Industry "bible", Ad Age.

Wow.

They estimate it will hit 103 Billion Dollars in 2019 - 36% of all Ad spend whereas 86 Billion will be spent on TV Advertising. 

And why? Because digital works - with fundamental proof that's lacking in traditional Advertising.

Interesting too, 'Search' (SEO) budgets are starting to be capped. In other words, brands have spent whatever they're going to, on Search. Because once you've optimised Search, no further money is needed.

Mobile too will drive the spending switch as will Social Ads and of course, online digital video. Editing your TV Commercial just isn't as effective as native video.

So the long awaited budget switch is on.
Traditional Advertising is fast becoming unbalanced towards digital.
And TV Advertising,is well....... 

Publicis acquire Digital Sapient for 3.7 Billion. Today.

Publicis, one of the giants of the traditional Advertising Agency model and the Agency which failed to merge with Omnicom some months ago, has acquired a Digital Agency/Business, Sapient.

For 3.7 Billion usd in fact.

It's all cash at circa 25 dollars a share and creates 'Publicis Sapient' and through "integration" (job losses) between the two, claim to bring savings of 60 million a year. They also acquired 'Razorfish' recently.

Sapient started in 1990 and largely was seen as a tech company but this deal brings it more into mainstream marketing. It advised companies on IT but was seen as an early-adopter of the Web and a fairly "cool" google-esque style and structure.

What it shows again, is the role of the changing traditional Ad Agency where traditional media is now something of a futile pursuit. The money is in digital and the audience is in digital.

Publicis, whom I one-time represented, were very much in the traditional space and at least, they are moving more into digital using cash to do it. However, culture will always be an issue.

You can't just be seen to be in digital, you have to want to be.

But at least, they're recognising that and doing something about it. 
Good all round really.

Online Video explodes again shows new data. Television going into freefall.

Europe's online revenue from Ads and Subscriptions through online video is skyrocketing.

It rose +51% in 2013 to 3.2 billion usd and expected to grow +41% in 2014.

In Western Europe Video on demand (VOD) grew +103% alone in 2014. One of the main drivers is ease of access to high end broadband. So the easier it is to connect online, the more online video grows and too, the ease of new devices being available on the high street.

And obviously, Traditional TV is the loser here.

Emarketer have the full report but this is only going way. TV is collapsing, online video is growing. 

That tipping point, where TV becomes irrelevant for viewers and advertisers, is not far off based on these figures.

Indeed in Ireland alone, 200,000 homes have Netflix which is ad free presenting a problem to both TV broadcasters in audience loss and to Advertisers because it's ad free.

It's also clear that Ireland's national broadcaster, RTE, would simply close without the circa 180 million they receive from Government. They cannot exist commercially and their commercial future looks dim as they face greater, better online competitors - who aren't state funded.

Pity that.....

Catherine Donnelly. In peace at 66.

Lutonphobia - the fear of Luton and how to overcome it...launched Ryanair. Powers whiskey short story ads. Table Water for Two....launched Ballygowan. Barry's Tea and the Christmas Train set. And so much more.

The Irish copywriter for generations of followers. And none came close. Rest in Peace.