As more aggregators (think Google) get into content production, "Are content creators screwed?" Ashkan Karbasfrooshan -- head of video producer WatchMojo.com and a panel moderator at OMMA Video -- wants to know. Not at all, insists Laura Lee, director and head of entertainment east partnerships at YouTube. "I don't think there's been a better time to be a content creator ... Digital has been (an) equalizing factor." Seeming to agree, Adam Winer, editorial director at Fuse Networks, said: "One of the opportunities that [has bee] created by this is a whole new breed of programming." Aggregator or programmer, "In a …

Setting the record straight once and for all, Adam Shlachter, SVP of Media at Digitas, says if he's learned anything about video advertising it's that: "Shorter is better." Yes, "We have to start thinking in shorter increments -- it might be the best opportunity we have." That said, "From a creative standpoint, you have to test and learn," Shlachter suggests. For his part, Tony Jarvis, Creative Director at Olympic Media Consultancy, says the length of advertising is far less important than the quality of a publisher's content.

Perhaps in an effort wake up OMMA Video attendees, Josh Chasin, Chief Research Officer at comScore, is using a coffee shop analogy to explain GRPs. In short, Chasin suggests GRPs -- which quantify impressions as a percentage of the population reached rather than in absolute numbers reached -- are the scoops of coffee that a customer requests, but not the type of bean they want, its geographic origin, or its flavor composition. "It's a necessary metric," according to Chasin. To his point, however, it's not the whole story.

TD Bank CMO Vinoo Vijay says that just about every marketer wants to do customer service well, but many efforts fall short. It's all about the execution, he said. For TD, video has helped make consumers aware of the company's relentless focus on customer service. The bank, whose branches are open seven days a week, uses video, in broadcast ads, online and in-store (ie. bank branches) to "extend the narrative of a more human experience." Do a search for TD Bank and you're likely to come across a bank manager in your neighborhood talking about its relationship to the community. …

How is TD Bank's new campaign doing? (The one it launched last New Year's Eve named "Bank Human Again," which includes advertising, public relations, a micro-site, social media and hyper local videos on Google+.) "It's doing well, really well," Vinoo Vijay, CMO of TD Bank, told OMMA Video attendees on Tuesday. Well, there you have it. Regarding the campaign's Google component, Vijay said: "I hate the fact that you see some angry users' comments or nothing [when you search for TD Bank]. Now, when users search for us, they see our narrative." Asked when the bank's video investments are wasted …

Leading off as keynote speaker at OMMA Video 2013, Vinoo Vijay, CMO, TD Bank, admits off the bat he doesn’t know a lot about video. But he does believe video can be used to tell a brand's story even in an industry as staid as banking. Specifically, he’s talking about the use of video within TD Bank’s major new  “Bank Human Again,” campaign that includes advertising, PR, a micro-site, social media and hyperlocal videos on Google+.

"The thing with banking," Vinoo Vijay, executive vice president-CMO of TD Bank, and opening keynoter at OMMA Video, said, starting things off on a dour note. "Since 2007, banks have gotten a bad rap." "Most of it deserved," he acknowledged, adding, however, that, "Even when a bank does something fantastic, consumers don't care." The solution, he said, was to focus on the human elements that can be told via narratives. And the best way to do that, he said, is with video storytelling. Hence, TD's "bank human" campaign, which pokes fun at the machine age utilizing a Siri-like voice instructing …

"Did any of you see the video of Yahoo's announcement of its acquisition of Tumblr," OMMA Video co-emcee P.J. Bednarski asked the OMMA crowd this morning during his opening remarks. No hands were raised. But that was appropriate, Bednarski noted, because, "From what I read, you couldn't see it." Due to poor quality and technical problems, Bednarksi noted. His point: "Their own video stream of their own event couldn't be seen, because it wasn't so hot."

While new broad base social media players try to make a dent, it is more likely niche apps will make gains in the coming years. For example, so-called "chat" apps, like Kick, seem to be growing, says Michael Ogince, director, platform & product strategy of Big Fuel Communications at the OMMA Social event. Liz Dennebaum, social media director of EPIX, says there is little doubt millennials have increasing favor in using apps like Kick. But new broad-scale social media platforms will be tough to grow. "There is not enough room for new players to make a dent," says …

When it comes to Pinterest, most of the agency panelists view the image-centric social network as still being more of an experimental platform. While Pinterest has rolled out some lightweight analytics tools, Mark Evans, managing director of social, at Mindshare, suggested the company has to do more work in that vein for agencies to pitch Pinterest to clients. Pretty pictures aren’t enough to get buy in from marketers. Liz Dennebaum, social media director, EPIX, said brands don’t necessarily need to have a direct presence on Pinterest to take advantage of its popularity. They can turn to influencers on …