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A few days back, I wrote about the rise of YouTube as a serious media entity; often ridiculed for hamster videos and teenage rants, the channel is now moving into the big leagues; playing a significant role in the US 2008 Election debates and its recent announcement to partner with the World Economic Forum for its Davos event in January 08.

In the post, I speculated, somewhat in jest, that the brand would soon be launching a channel for the Queen of England.

Clearly, we all now inhabiting a world where fiction is fast becoming fact, today, the BBC announced the launch of YouTube's Royal Channel.

Posted by Ed Cotton

Posted by Ed Cotton YouTube has often been ridiculed as a media outlet, with analysts pointing to hamster videos and ranting teens

However, YouTube has a different target in its sights, it's clearly trying to build credibility as a media and is inserting its brand into all kind of interesting places from the 2008 US Election to its latest move to partner the World Economic Forum in Davos.



This is all about brand action; offering up the brand to the World Economic Forum to let consumers into a previously closed affair and in the process getting YouTube a seat at the top table of world leaders

It's all surprisingly simple and easy- no ad campaign, no PR, just a page on the internet.

Although YouTube may lack the seriousness of established media outlets it's community, scale and connection to the people makes it a media which offers access like no other and for a old-fashioned institution like the World Economic Forum, it gets a contemporary shot in the arm.

Who will YouTube partner with next?

The Queen of England?
The White House?

Suggestions in the comments section please.



Posted by Ed Cotton A post appeared on Techcrunch recently the created something of a frenzy around the ethics of viral videos and their marketing.

For any of you who believe ethics are involved, forget it. It appears people are doing whatever they can to game the system to their advantage, employing tactics that would have client and agency lawyers ready to jump from the 20th floor.

Here's are some of the highlights from the post.

The Film

1. Make it short: 15-30 seconds

2. Design for remixing: create a video that is simple enough to be remixed over and over again by others.

3. Don’t make an outright ad: if a video feels like an ad, viewers won’t share it unless it’s really amazing. Ex: Sony Bravia

4. Make it shocking: give a viewer no choice but to investigate further. Ex: “UFO Haiti”
Use fake headlines: make the viewer say, “Holy shit, did that actually happen?!

5. Appeal to sex: if all else fails, hire the most attractive women available to be in the video.

Seeding

1. Blogs: We reach out to individuals who run relevant blogs and actually pay them to post our embedded videos. Sounds a little bit like cheating/PayPerPost, but it’s effective and it’s not against any rules.

2. Forums: We start new threads and embed our videos. Sometimes, this means kickstarting the conversations by setting up multiple accounts on each forum and posting back and forth between a few different users. Yes, it’s tedious and time-consuming, but if we get enough people working on it, it can have a tremendous effect.

For all I know, agencies might be doing this, but if they aren't, someone else will be. The world has gotten tougher, alot tougher. Not only is this challenging on moral grounds, if you are prepared to put that aside, there's an incredible amount of  work needed to make viral success happen.

Thanks to Podcasting News.




Posted by Ed Cotton For months, analysts have been speculating about how the mighty Google is going to make money from YouTube and all kinds of suggestions and schemes about new ad units and formats have been raised. In the fashion of a true innovator, Google has made a lateral move by offering video content as part of its Adsense network.

Now publishers can create video ad units using YouTube content.

It's a fascinating strategic move and it will be interesting to see how it takes off.

Here's a video explanation from the Google team.




Posted by Ed Cotton As online video explodes and fragments, new entrants are emerging to lead new niches. One interesting example is Firebrand, who've decided to focus on advertising as their lead form of content. I emailed Shari Leventhal, the company's Chief Marketing Officer to learn more, ahead of the site's launch on October 22nd.

1. Why is now the time for Firebrand?
 
Firebrand enters the media landscape at a time when the commercial interruption is coming to an end. Firebrand believes that by taking commercials out of its second-class position as an interruption and creating a destination where consumers can choose to watch and are guaranteed to find the best in creative advertising, that users will seek it out. The research supports this demand indicating that over 33% of our target market is already downloading TV ads from the Internet and that 68% would watch Firebrand on TV, opt in on the web or do both.
 
2. Don't most people hate ads, why would they want a channel dedicated to them?
 
To the contrary, our research shows that 81% of our target demo feel that some ads are more entertaining than TV programs, while 74% said they would like to watch some commercials even though they have seen them before. Additionally, Firebrand offers the full depth of brand experience where users can Watch, Win, Shop and Share.
 
3. Who do you see as the audience?
 
Our primary audience is the highly desirable “Gen Y/Millennials,” a wired and media-savvy generation, loosely defined as ages 12-34.  
 
4. How will the ads be selected?
 
Firebrand has developed a panel of in-house programmers who curate and program the “coolest” TV commercials the way MTV used to program music videos, creating the first multi-platform network to go “live” simultaneously on TV, web & mobile…You can’t pay us to air a bad commercial.
 
5. Will people be able to buy the products advertised?
 
Whenever a user is interested in a product featured on Firebrand, they will have a one click option and can go directly into that brand’s online environment where they can make their purchase.
 
6. Will other advertisers be allowed to advertise on your site?
 
Firebrand will program and curate video advertising as content so users can opt in and choose to watch and interact.  There will not be any interruptive ads like banners or pop ups anywhere on the site.
 
7. What happens if their ads suck?
 
You won’t see it on Firebrand. Firebrand has a commitment to its users to program only the best in creative advertising. This means an advertiser can’t pay Firebrand to air a bad spot.
 
8. Give us some examples of your favorite ads of the moment that you would like to have up on your site?
 
 JC Penny – It’s Magic
 Sony Bravia, “Balls”
 Bud Light, “Swear Jar”
 Nike, “Free Style Basketball”
 Coke, “Happiness Factory”
 Skittles, “Touch”
 Ikea, “Lamp”
 
9. Is your idea to show the ads alone or will there be any opportunities to showcase behind the scenes material?
 
Firebrand features “Commercial Jockeys” or CJs that contextualize commercials as art and entertainment and guide viewers through the spots, contests and promotions.  Moving forward, credits to directors, and “best director” cuts will be just some of what Firebrand offers. 


Posted by Ed Cotton