• How to Fix The Digital NewFronts
    In the continued quest for a bigger share of television ad budgets, digital media companies put a lot of time and effort into this year's Digital Content NewFronts. With all the industry momentum seen in significant year-over-year growth in digital video buying, the NewFronts stand for much more than just another industry event. Digital media platforms now look forward to making long lasting impressions in the weeks to come. So, one would hope that the events could demonstrate the market's maturity and continue to shape how digital video will help brands meet their objectives. While a step in the right …
  • What's Machinima Got To Do With It?
    Video games are hot right now. You might have heard of Machinima.com, the YouTube video gamer channel which, as first reported by AllThingsD, recently closed a $35 million funding round led by Google. As Paul Rossi of The Economist Group said to me as he studied my business card: "What is machinima exactly?" And he looked at me in full knowledge that I wasn't a 15-year-old boy.
  • Not That Special: The Hollywood Version
    A few weeks ago, Wellesley High teacher David McCullough gave a much-discussed commencement speech that went viral. McCullough didn't say anything earth-shattering, but did remind the newly minted, Mass.-based Class of 2012 that in our culture, kids begin to believe in their coddling-manufactured greatness, that they can't lose at anything, and are meant to be stars. All of them. So, in that vein, here's a little missive for the incoming class of video content providers:
  • Fake It Until You Make It?
    Last week, Reddit cofounder Steve Huffman confessed that early on, Reddit created a number of fake accounts to make the site look larger, control the tone of comments, and manage which articles became popular. When it comes to video, I remind people that you can't really hide; what you see is what you get. But, even in the video industry, it's very easy to fool stakeholders: users, employees, shareholders and marketers. While this behavior usually comes back to haunt you, there are enough success stories to let you think you can get away with it. There's a gray line here: …
  • God Is A DJ
    Does low-cost video production exist, and can you build a business using your YouTube channel? Yes, according to a musician and ex-DJ named Justin Nealis (or Party Supplies). Last weekend I sat down with Justin.
  • To Bundle or Not To Bundle - That Is the Question for T/V (Television/Video)
    For those enterprises still receiving substantial cash from the traditional television business model there is no need to question the issue of bundling - the packaging of large numbers of TV networks into a cable or satellite subscription. Traditional television producers (national broadcast and cable networks, local stations/channels) and distributors (Comcast, Cablevision, Time Warner Cable, Direct TV, etc.) really have no desire to go to what they assume would be a less lucrative model -- one where consumers don't pay for content they don't watch, and advertisers don't pay for ads that aren't seen.
  • What Brands Are Missing In Facebook Video
    As brands and publishers put greater emphasis on their social media presence, we're seeing myriad approaches to distributing content, whether it's links to articles, images -- or, more and more often, video. However, what many don't understand is that consumers have different expectations for experiencing content on social media platforms. Every active player in the video content value chain -- from publishers to advertisers -- needs to understand the differences in measurement, consumption and advertising acceptance before building a social video strategy.
  • Of Course HBO Wants Your Money, But Not In That Kind Of Way
    When Discovery Communications bought Revision3, it both validated the promise of online video and killed any talk of it "killing cable." Nonetheless, audiences are increasingly turning to the web for video content, legitimately or pirated.
  • Baby Steps Toward A Content Strategy
    The most successful brands in content marketing are the ones who use their expertise to help consumers in their daily lives -- feeding their interests and solving their problems. In today's always-on world, that means sharing the right content at the right moment. But that's easier said than done. Building a good content strategy can be time-consuming, expensive, and intense - and people can wind up getting caught in what I call "analysis paralysis." That said, there are some simple steps that your brand can take. Here are some tactical pointers that allow for a quicker, less expensive process to …
  • Seven More Digital Marketing Tips For Video Game Executives
    About a year ago, I wrote 10 Video and Social Media Marketing Tips for Video Game Executives. Video games present unique marketing challenges and opportunities, so with E3 wrapping up last week, here are seven more digital marketing tips I'd like to add.
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