• by P.J. Bednarski , Staff Writer @pjbtweet, October 10, 2014

As bad as the sign-up for Obamacare was, something really stunning about it was how little people knew it was coming at all. I guess there just wasn’t so much reporting done about the Affordable Care Act.

Really serious hiding-under-a-rock just kills me. So when I read an account of the CableFax Innovation Summit that happened a few weeks ago, I had the same surprised reaction. At this meeting of senior-level staff and decision makers -- at least that’s what an account of the meeting by Parks Associates called them -- many of them were very confused about the budding stars of online video.

Reports Glenn Hower, a research analyst for Parks writing in its Parks Points newsletter: “Chief Digital Officer for EPIX Emil Rensing mentioned accompanying a colleague to VidCon, an annual convention featuring online video personalities created and organized by YouTube personality Hank Green. The colleague mentioned one of his children wanted Jenna Marbles' autograph, to which he added: "What the heck is a Jenna Marble?" While there were a few chuckles scattered around the room, confusion among the attendees was palpable. Many in the room were unfamiliar with Jenna Marbles and unaware of her contributions to the world of video.” 

Hower then points out that the top 10 Marbles videos have each attracted between 18 million and 58 million views.  Hard to ignore.

Not meaning to slime the attendees, I should note they’re not alone. Nor is it easy to remember a lot of flash-in-the-pan celebs. But PewDiePie, Marble, Green, Bethany Mota, the Smosh guys and three or four (or five or six) handfuls of YouTube online video stars have been around for a while, with millions and millions of viewers. 

They have extraordinary attachments to their fans. Marketers and the big networks seem incredibly slow to catch on.

Here’s an example of just the opposite. I just read that AwesomenessTV is launching a pop-up store, Scene@AwesomenessTV -- a physical brick-and-mortar joint--at 428 N. Fairfax, near trendy Melrose Avenue, in Los Angeles, that will feature special merchandise curated by Awesomeness personalities.

The stars are expected to hang out there too, and shoot videos that, in the way things work, will probably show up online. And there will be an online store too. Awesomeness calls it a “new concept in short-form retailing” that at the very least should last one holiday season.

Here’s the thing. You’ve probably read a billion times about the long, loving crowds of fans who flock to VidCon, and you’ve probably had a chance to meet online personalities at trade events. But those meet-and-greets are kind of novelty events. Why doesn’t one of those drab media conferences devote a day -- maybe more -- to really getting into the heads of YouTube stars? And bring your kids. I have a feeling they have more to teach than I have to learn at this point. 

Also, it would be a great place for a selfie with a star.

pj@mediapost.com