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Samsung’s successful embrace of viral video

April 30, 2009 By 1 Comment

Once again Samsung have engaged the clever folks at The Viral Factory to develop a viral video to promote one of their latest products. Last time they went to Wales to video LED wrapped sheep (7.5 million views and counting) to promote Samsung’s line of ultrathin LED TV’s. This time they have created a viral video (and perhaps a new genre of viral video) that challenges the viewer to solve a visual trick shown in the video. This new video has already generated 650,ooo views and does a very nice job at demonstrating the quality of the  HD video camera that comes with the new Samsung I8910 camera-phone. The video encourages viewers to watch the high-def version of the video to help in solving the riddle. The real purpose of that suggestion of course, is to show-off the quality of the HD video that is captured on the camera-phone.

Judging from the initial viewership and comments the video is already a success. A video response has already been posted using YouTube’s annotation capabilities to  reveal the solution to the trick and provide detailed evidence to corroborate the solution.

Would people have watched this video without ‘the challenge’ – no way. If Samsung had created a traditional ad that simply and overtly promoted the high quality HD camera - it would not have spread virally. Nokia, Sony and many other consumer companies are beginning to realize that the reach and impact of a well executed viral video can be far more cost effective than a traditional broadcast ad.

That said, the challenge still remains in creating a video that is compelling enough for people to want to share it – to make it spread virally. Most attempts at viral video are not that compelling. (Calling it viral doesn’t make it so.)

… and broadacast advertisers still has the advantage that even if their ad is absolute crap, some people will still watch it.

Filed Under: Video Marketing, YouTube Video Tagged With:

Nielsen reports online video and social media reshaping web

April 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

 

 

Nielsen has released a new report  that looks at online engagement by Internet users. John Burbank (above), CEO of Nielsen, provides highlights of the study. Online video and social media lead the way while the rate of growth for  ’traditional’ online activities such as e-mail and search has continued to decrease.

According to the report online video and social media have now surpassed e-mail in terms of online activity.  Why is this happening? Johan Jervoe, CMO for Marketing at Macdonald’s summarized this new behaviour well: ” It’s not about technology and wanting to be online constantly. It’s about wanting to belong and be connected constantly.”

Filed Under: General, Online Video Industry, Video Statistics Tagged With:

Adobe’s announcement of ‘Flash on your TV’ changes everything.

April 22, 2009 By 1 Comment

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Adobe has just announced major partnerships with chip-makers and media companies to include Flash technology on new chips and for Flash to be integrated into content channels such as Netflix and Disney. Flash has long been the technology standard for rich media delivery on the web (98% of computers) although companies like Microsoft and Apple have tried hard to limit the adoption of Flash in an effort to promote their own technologies. Owning the technology platform for rich media delivery to television screens could be a very big deal. Here’s why:

1. There is no standard for rich media delivery on television today. There have been many attempts at building ‘interactive tv’ but they have all been closed system projects that have never caught on. Whoever delivers and owns the standard will be able to control and influence the experience.

2. Google has to be on television screens if it is to maintain it’s market dominance. If Adobe owns a key piece of the technology they also have an opportunity to own / influence the advertising model – especially as it pertains to combining various types of web content and entertainment. Adobe could conceivably become the ‘Google’ of the home screen if they can a) effectively integrate content search into their service offering and,  b) buy or develop an ad network that they can seamlessly integrate into their flash delivery platform. (YouTube won’t help Google if it’s the place where all the crappy content exists.)

3,  Advertising will change forever. The promise of multi-casting and unicast content (bandwidth and technology hurdles notwithstanding), truly targeted/customized information and entertainment content, interactive TV and other new technologies will change how businesses interact with their audiences. Thirty second commercials broadcast to unseen masses will have no relevance.

4. Converged screens will have effect on lifestyles. The TV screen and computer screens, to some degree, will begin to merge. You’ll begin to do more ‘lean forward’ stuff in your family den just as many people are now doing more ‘lean back’ stuff on their family computers.

5. Hulu and other entertainment channels will be able to compete directly with network tv. This is the big game-changer bringing the promise of ‘what I want when I want it’ much closer.

6. Even more integration with all home devices. A truly interactive TV built on a platform that already has a huge ecosystem (flash developers and, more recently Adobe AIR) will provide new opportunities to integrate all home devices – not just entertainment through any interface (your TV, computer or smart phone depending when you need it.)

7. Apple, Google, Microsoft, Cisco and everyone else who is trying to ‘own’ the home experience had better start scrambling. Apple will surely bring out their ’ iHome’  (a 52″ plasma iPhone) in the next year but they will be playing catch-up (not that playing catch-up has really been a problem for them in the past…)

8. Gaming platforms will be challenged when simple unbranded computing devices (processors, hard drives etc) start to get attached to televisions. Gaming hardware platforms will become irrelevant if development standards coalesce around flash delivered through a generic processor (supplied cheaply/free by your Internet provider.)

9. Disintermediation of every entertainment intermediary is a possibility. Want a movie – download it directly from the studio. Want a game – download it directly from the game producer. Things are moving in this direction already, but ubiquitous flash will hasten this transition.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,

What do you do when parody strikes your company?

April 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I posted yesterday about the unfortunate circumstance that Domino’s Pizza found itself in having been the subject of a horrendously inappropriate ‘prank’ video that will likely cost them millions of dollars in lost revenue and PR fees. While Domino’s acted quickly and dealt with the issue head on it is less clear how a business should respond if they are the victim of something more subtle – the parody video. 

Microsoft found itself the victim of a very well produced parody video that took a shot at the marketing video they had created  to promote their new Surface technology. Microsoft’s video was very well produced, the subject matter was fascinating and it positioned Microsoft as leading a new generation of communication and interactive technology. The video received over 2 million views on YouTube. A success by any measure… that is until the good folks at Sarcastic Gamer created their own version of the video that closes with the delicously sarcastic line ”The future is here, and it’s a big-ass table… take that Apple!” Ouch.

To add insult to injury the parody video has received more views than Microsoft’s original video. Double ouch.

When I originally viewed the Microsoft video my first thought was ‘cool.’ Months later when I saw the parody video I have to admit I did revisit the rationale for my first impressions. The parody video did an excellent job at turning many of the purported benefits into something much less, even to the point of causing some of those benefits to now appear trivial or even counter-intuitive.

I’ll assume that Google or Apple or Dell or… whoever, didn’t pay Sarcastic Gamer to produce the video to ridicule their competition. (Would it surprise you if they had?) You can’t anticipate where or why these things will happen, but you do have to be aware of the possibility and think through how your company should respond.

So what do you do when parody strikes your company? Stick to your guns and continue to make your case clearly and positively without letting your detractors set the communications agenda? Or do face the issue head on and deal with it as a serious and competitive threat that could have an immediate and significant effect on your brand?

There was no grey zone in Domino’s response to the prank video. They had to act. That said, the line between prank and parody can be rather fuzzy. This is new territory for most companies. The ability of a single individual (or group) to affect a company’s brand has never been greater. That should be a huge wake-up call.

Filed Under: The Effect of Video on Your Brand, Video Marketing Tagged With: , ,

Dominos uses YouTube to respond to PR Crisis.

April 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Video is a powerful media. A couple of idiots employed by Domino’s Pizza will probably cost the fast food company millions in lost revenue as a result of the ‘prank’ video they placed on YouTube showing themselves performing a number of disgusting acts to the food they were preparing prior to it being send out. It is unclear whether the food they were defiling actually made it out the door – they claim it did not. (They have since been fired and a federal warrant has been issued for their arrest.)

Unfortunately the damage is done and Domino’s now has to deal with a public relations nightmare. Domino’s has fired back with a YouTube video of their own with a very tired looking President (Patrick Doyle) outlining the steps the fast food chain will take to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.

Responding with a video on YouTube makes sense and I assume they will employ other media as well in an effort to restore public confidence. The video is measured and in two minutes Patrick Doyle covers most of what needed to be said. The video looks like it was put together quickly which, under the circumstances is understandable. Doyle doesn’t make eye contact with the camera – which is unfortunate as he seems to be reading cue cards up and to the left of the camera. Renting a teleprompter, or better yet, delivering an unscripted speech to the camera would have served the company better.

This is a teribble thing for a company to go through and an example of why firms hire PR agencies to help them with disaster planning. Unfortunately the ubiquity of video devices and ease of transmission will guarantee that this could happen again - to any company. Video will play an important role in responding to these crises.

Filed Under: The Effect of Video on Your Brand, YouTube Video Tagged With: , , ,

“This ain’t Flint” – When new media campaigns go horribly wrong.

April 16, 2009 By 9 Comments
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This ain’t Calcutta or Abuja or Port-au-Prince either. So what.
This Ain’t Flint is a campaign developed by Alphabet Creative for Newcap Radio ostensibly to remind the good folks of Ottawa, Canada to stop whining because things are really not that bad – compared to the economic hardship that Flint, Michigan has had to face. The Newcap radio group has put a lot of money and effort into a campaign that includes video, a website, transit ads, and other promotional activities. 
We live in one of the best cities in one of the best countries in the world. We are privileged beyond any reasonable measure.  I wish this campaign would go away. I’ve tried to ignore it and the discussion around it for the last couple of weeks. Problem is, it’s hard to ignore. I keep driving by “This Ain’t Flint” transit ads every day. So if I can’t will it away… the next best thing to do is to rate it. Here is how I would score this campaign:
Embarrassment.  10/10 They knocked it out of the park with embarrassment. I have friends and relatives in Michigan and I am ashamed to be associated (geographically) with this campaign. Read a couple US blogs to get a sense for how this campaign is been perceived south of the border. Ouch.
Harmfullness  8/10 . A bit more planning could have given the campaign a higher harm score. This campaign will probably affect tourism, trade or anything else with the good folks in Flint / Michigan / US … frankly anyone who needs a reason to dislike our Nation’s Capital. “Hey honey come here, Ottawa looks real nice compared to Flint… let’s go there this summer.” (Of course this isn’t the intent of the video and campaign… just the outcome.)
Confusion 5/10. Hard to rate this one. The message is absolutely clear (Ottawa isn’t as hard done by as Flint )- so I’d give this part a fail.  But the purpose of the video is a mystery so I’d give the campaign folks full marks for confusion here. What’s the point? I don’t get it. The demonic baby, the strange video, the lack of an obvious audience, or purpose. They didn’t make it to get people to buy more radio ads so what was the purpose?
Creepiness. 10 / 10. The freaky doll was a masterstroke! Nothing picks up the spirits each day like the bus shelter image of a horror movie doll. Bravo!
Lack of Originality. 8  /10. Everyone knows that viral video is all about copying something that has already been done. Kudo’s to the ‘Roger and Me’ treatment in the first half of the video and the shockingly disjoint Ottawa Tourism video in the second half. Although ‘Freaky Doll’ has been done many times before (still a huge ‘Chucky’ fan),  it hasn’t been done in conjunction with an ‘economic optimism’ video before so I had to knock a few marks off  here.
Ballsiness. 9/10. You have to have Kahunas to launch this campaign knowing that uncreative, tree-hugging, left-wing sensitive types will find something to dislike about it. A change of heart – putting the video up on YouTube and then quickly removing it – cost the campaign a perfect score. (Why purposely avoid using the best free social media channel on the  planet?) All comments are good comments right!
 
Filed Under: Content Marketing, General, Marketing with Video, The Effect of Video on Your Brand Tagged With: , ,

Unilever CMO evangalizes social media

April 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

It’s been a slow build since the authors of the Cluetrain Manifesto told us in 1999 that ‘markets are conversations” and that ‘thanks to the web, markets are becoming better informed, smarter and more demanding of qualities missing from most business organizations.” A tech bubble, a tech bust, a resurgent web 2.0 and a global economic crisis later, we are starting to see companies internalize the vision and promise of social media that the Cluetrain conductors outlined a decade ago. An example:

A recent article in Adage featuring Simon Clift, CMO of Unilever and minder of one of the largest marketing budgets on the planet, highlights the keyote speech Clift delivered at Adage’s annual digital conference. The article is well worth the read.

In his speech Clift covers everything from consumer activism to the oxymoronic ‘corporate consience’ and declares that many companies who don’t adapt ‘simply won’t survive this accelerated natural selection.”

Adage concludes the article with a list of new rules for marketing which include ‘Listening is more important than talking’ and ‘PR and Marketing are now the same thing.”

Sure, we’ve heard it all before but marketers are no different than consumers. We tend to wait until the groundswell has shifted us from our comfortable position before we act. Once the big companies adopt new behaviours it’s no longer a trend. It’s the new reality.

Filed Under: Content Marketing Tagged With: ,

China imposes tough new rules on Internet Video Content

April 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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Danwei – an English language website dedicated to Chinese media and advertising published an article which summarizes strict new rules announced by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film and TV.  A notice issued by the State Agency on March 30 calls out specific content that is deemed “illegal”.  At a high level any material that incorporates ‘splitism’, cults or disruptions of social order is specifically prohibited.  While most commercial concerns won’t have issue with these politcal restrictions they do need to be aware of the specific types of content that is strictly forbidden. (Click through to the article for a detailed list.)

Some examples:

  • Sexually suggestive or provocative content that leads to sexual thoughts (This will certainly challenge most Eurpoean media agencies…)
  • Promotion of a negative or decadent outlook, world view, or value systems; (A challenge for North American media agencies )
  • Content that violates the ‘spirit of the law’ and regulations. (This one might make it tough for any non-Chinese media agency)

The take-away: If you are looking to promote your goods and services in China you should hire a media agency that has a well-established and well-connected Chinese partner.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: ,