Four major countries will see a collective 20% rise in online video revenues this year -- much of this coming from advertising-supported platforms. U.K.-based Futuresource Consulting says revenues from the USA, UK, France and Germany will hit a total of $3 billion this year. Another study says revenues in the U.S. alone were on track to secure around $1.5 billion. In Europe, in particular, catch-up TV services have been the key driver of free online TV and movie growth. Free online TV views are forecast to grow by 36% in 2011 across the four key countries combined.Advertising-funded video is a major contributor, says the study, growing 50% this year. In four years, the entire online video revenues in these four countries could more than double to $6.8 billion by 2015. In total, four countries will amass 770 billion video views in 2011, up from 640 billion in 2010. Over 90% of online videos viewed have been short-form videos. Advertising from short-form content is expected to account for around 60% to 70% of total online video advertising revenues.Although fee-based online sites are growing, the study says they still remain negligible in many markets when compared with free video platforms. Those pay online services are also up against traditional TV platforms: pay TV, free movies and television content. Futuresource says the paid-for segment in Europe will make gains by the launch of a handful of key regional streaming subscription services, similar to Netflix in the U.S. Some of those players will most likely include YouTube, Apple and Netflix, rather than new entrants.
The magazine industry has placed much of its hopes for growth on selling digital editions of its titles via tablets, e-readers and other connected devices. This fall, publishers such as Conde Nast and Hearst have announced adding hundreds of thousands of digital subscribers to date across various devices, including the iPad, and Kindle and Nook e-readers. But to get a better idea of how readers are responding, MPA -- The Association of Magazine Media -- earlier this month surveyed more than 1,000 people who read digital magazines via apps designed for tablets and e-readers. The study found that owning one of those devices boosted magazine reading, with 90% saying they are consuming as much -- if not more -- content than before. Beyond that, nearly two-thirds (63%) want more magazine content in digital form, more than half (55%) like to read back issues digitally, and 86% want to share issues or articles. According to the study, conducted by research firm Affinity on behalf of the MPA, nearly three-quarters (73%) engage with magazine ads at least some of the time. That high interaction rate could be partially driven by the novelty factor of tablet editions, as well as the larger size of ads compared to mobile phone screens. Six in 10 say they want to be able to purchase products and services directly from ads, while 70% want to be able to do so from editorial features. Eight in 10 would like to be able to include a gift card pre-loaded with a digital magazine subscription when giving a mobile device as a gift this season. The study also had welcome news for the growing array of digital newsstands, including Yahoo’s Livestand, AOL Editions, Apple’s Newsstand and the Kindle Fire’s newly announced newsstand, boasting 400 magazines and newspapers. It found that most of those surveyed (76%) want more electronic newsstands, as well as the ability to easily find specific titles to download (79%). Users are also looking for consistency -- nine in 10 want the same functions and navigation schemes across all titles. When it comes to video, less is more. Seven in 10 want videos in digital editions to run a minute or less. Publishers are counting on the release of new tablets like the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet to boost digital magazine circulation. But according to the survey, only 12% of device owners surveyed said they had already pre-ordered the Amazon tablet as of Nov. 8. Some analysts have estimated that up to 5 million Kindle Fire devices could be sold before year’s end.
Black Friday is upon us once again, this year spreading like black plague into Thanksgiving Day itself as retailers try with unprecedented gusto to move as much merchandise as possible in this ever-corrosive economy. One can’t turn on a television or go online without being reminded of Black Friday sales at every click. I’m more of a Cyber Monday shopper than a Black Friday guy, and nothing about any of these ads encourages me to crawl out of bed in darkest night to wrestle with frenzied shoppers at any store or, as people will do this year, head out on Thanksgiving evening and support the madness. Viral campaigns are further furling the frenzy as never before. As far as I can see, the most effective of these – in terms of generating attention and encouraging video sharing – is the ad Macy’s premiered online last week that has big fun with Bieber Fever. It opens with Justin Bieber hopping in a town car and saying to the driver: “Yo, I’m going to Macy’s Black Friday sale.” The driver, a grown man, throws his hands in the air and squeals like a delighted schoolgirl. “Yeah, I know, it’s pretty cool,” Bieber continues, misreading the response. “It starts at midnight.” As Bieber enters Macy’s he encounters two male workers busily unloading boxes. “Is this the right way?” he asks. They, too, squeal like little girls. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Bieber says. As he walks away the two men squeal even louder. And on it goes, with Bieber exciting every man he runs into as he sets out on his midnight shopping spree. It’s all in the name of consumerism and charity. “Get Justin Bieber’s Someday gift set and we’ll donate two dollars to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Only at Macy’s,” says a woman voiceover as the spot winds down, ending with another reminder that “the Black Friday sale starts at midnight.” (Someday by Justin Bieber is the lad’s line of perfume, lotion and hair mist for girls.) This brief video works on so many levels it’s a marvel of marketing. It’s easily as funny as an above-average “Saturday Night Live” sketch and more memorable than most (though “SNL” would likely take the very amusing idea of men losing their s*it over Justin Bieber to riotously naughty extremes). It imparts its timely message about Macy’s Black Friday sale in an engaging and efficient manner. It adds the timeless appeal of helping those less fortunate during the holiday season at the end. And with Bieber at its center it’s certain to be digitally distributed by millions of eager kids and teens, who comprise a formidable army of citizen marketers when properly aroused. Target this year is also open at midnight on Thursday, and to help get the word out the company is once again creating videos starring the Christmas Champ. As portrayed by comedienne Maria Bamford, she’s an aggressively cheerful (some might say manic) Target holiday shopper who lives for the company’s two-day Black Friday sale and excitedly sprints through stores in search of deals. In the process she shares (via television commercials, online videos and tweets) shopping tips and details about specials amid her lunatic preparations and exploits. It’s her third year as Target’s Black Friday holiday heroine. I’ll confess that I don’t understand the appeal of the Christmas Champ. She isn’t particularly funny or memorable, but evidently she is effective enough for Target to stick with her. (Curiously, I never noticed the many television commercials featuring this character until after I watched her videos online. It must be my freak filter at work.) Come Thursday night and Friday morning her tweets might prove helpful, but in general she’s so annoying and her attempts at humor so forced and unsuccessful that I can’t imagine anyone being entertained or engaged by her – or motivated to spend money at Target. To make another reference to “Saturday Night Live,” the Champ makes me yearn for more sketches featuring Kristen Wiig’s bargain-loving Target cashier. That’s amusing annoyance done right. Imagine the campaign Target could have built around her.