MrWeb2 says:  

Sports Illustrated already controls a great deal of sports data but they wanted / needed a Web2.0 property in order to compete with pure player sport Web2.0 sites

The Community Hyper Vertical is designed to fill exactly this same requirement linking the data and transactional capability of the original site with the Web2.0 capabilities of the CHV

04 Feb 2007 - 09:23 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Combining user generated content with paid content, or classified models, or tv show sites, or any other existing web model has many big benefits:

1) User participation - thus more engaging - more topical and more interesting

2) User Trust - more trust means more loyalty and more participation

3) Longer session times and page duration

4) Deeper context and better value advertising real estate

5) Better support for advertiser objectives

6) Reduced cost of operation

7) Actions and outcomes versus clicks

04 Feb 2007 - 09:39 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Technorati Launches Wiki Tool
by Shankar Gupta, Friday, Feb 2, 2007 6:00 AM ET
BLOG SEARCH ENGINE TECHNORATI THIS week launched "Where's the Fire," a wiki-like tool that allows users to explain the backstory of Internet discussions and phenomena, and vote for the best explanations.


Technorati spokesman Aaron Krane said the tool, abbreviated as "WTF," aims to give context to users who are coming fresh to a long-running discussion online. "We've been for a long time grappling with how we can help our users understand the conversation, and ultimately, we decided why can't we just let them inform themselves?" he said.

The service allows users to submit short articles explaining Web phenomena. One article currently on the site explains why Paris Hilton has taken the spotlight this month. Users can then vote up or down explanations by others.

Technorati quietly conducted a "soft launch" Tuesday, followed by two planned service outages. The downtime led some bloggers to speculate that the launch had downed the servers, but Krane denied that.

Krane also dismissed early reports characterizing the new service as a clone of Digg, the popular collaborative news site. "A lot of those comments we observed before anyone had actually used WTF," he said.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

04 Feb 2007 - 09:42 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Toyota Harnesses Mobile Video For FJ Cruiser
by Gavin O'Malley, Monday, Feb 5, 2007 6:00 AM ET
TO PUSH ITS NEW OFF-ROAD FJ Cruiser, Toyota has enlisted the help of Saatchi & Saatchi LA and mobile services firm The Hyperfactory for a cross-channel marketing blitz.


The campaign blends text, banner, mobile TV and video advertising, while making use of Hyperfactory's recently launched Mobile Media Network--an integrated 3G branded mobile platform.

Users will be driven to branded video--documenting the FJ Cruiser racing team competing in the Baja 1000--with banner ad takeovers of the Sprint Wireless Web Sports home page and ESPN Mobile immediately following Super Bowl Sunday, as well as an exclusive two-month takeover of Go2's sports mobile channel, Go2WinterSports.

The campaign will also use MobiTV's new offering--which launched last month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas--allowing viewers to click on branded "Two Roads to Baja" clips. The mobile media program will use MobiTV to display branded content as advertising, including videos, screen savers, driver-blogs, stories and images from the race.

Short-form video clips and clickable mobile TV ad-units will run throughout MobiTV, while another exclusive takeover on Versaly's video-on-demand channel, Fast Lane, will attempt to drive users to the Toyota FJ Cruiser mobile microsite. (The Fast Lane channel is available for free on Channel 61 to all Sprint

06 Feb 2007 - 09:41 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Federated Media, comScore Partner For Blog Metrics
by Shankar Gupta, Monday, Feb 5, 2007 6:00 AM ET
AIMING TO PROVIDE MORE METRICS for blogs and community sites, comScore Networks and blog network Federated Media have forged a research partnership.


For the deal, comScore will build a database, using a customized weighting and projection system, designed for measuring the blogosphere and other social media.

Federated Media represents a number of social media sites, including Digg.com, Boing Boing, Jeff Jarvis' BuzzMachine, GigaOm, Google Blogoscoped and Metafilter. The nature of those sites, which rely on user participation, makes measurement more challenging than at other more top-down sites, said Magid Abraham, comScore's CEP and president. "The complex nature of blogs and community-driven sites like Digg presents unique measurement challenges," he said.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

As you can see from the above post, advertisers want to quantify what is happening in the Web2.0 domain - by utilizing the CHV publishers will be able to in a finite way give this feedback to their clients as part of an integrated campaign

06 Feb 2007 - 09:44 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

07 Feb 2007 - 09:31 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Pontiac Launches Community Site On Yahoo
by Laurie Petersen, Thursday, Feb 8, 2007 6:00 AM ET
IN THE LATEST EVOLUTION OF its ongoing social commerce strategy, Pontiac opened a community hub on Yahoo this week designed to tap into the "street-level" energy of fans from all its active and retired brands by uniting and introducing the hundreds of offline and online groups already in existence.


Called Pontiac Underground (www.pontiacunderground.com), "Where Passion for Pontiac Is Driven By You," the site is also a promotion of the portal's social-media capabilities.

Mark-Hans Richer, Pontiac's marketing director, said no overt marketing will be put against Underground. Instead, the idea is for it to be found and spread organically.

Underground allows users to share photos and videos of cars using Flickr and Yahoo Video. A Yahoo Answers zone enables knowledge sharing. Meanwhile, an aggregated list of Pontiac clubs in the physical world and on Yahoo Groups allows users to connect offline and online. An opinion poll, Pontiac-hosted blog "Inside Track" and the "Pontiac Informer," an aggregation tool for blogs and news, round out the offering.

According to Richer, it is the first time that lovers of GTO, G6, Solstice, Firebird, Chief and Vibe--representing a huge demographic span--have been given a chance to meet and share with each other.

"All our community-based marketing efforts are about trying to add value to the community," Richer said. "With this, we are helping them create more value for their communities through sharing."

Within the first hours, he said, clubs and users were already posting photos and videos of their modified cars and competing to get their posts voted to the top. In addition, citations to Pontiac Underground had already started appearing on blogs. (To participate in any sharing component, visitors must be a Yahoo member and log in or register.)

According to a recent Yahoo Autos study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates, 94% of car buyers who use the Web believe consumer-generated content is an important part of the decision-making process.

"Pontiac is a very loyal brand--loyal to Pontiac owners and enthusiasts," said Mark Beeching, global executive creative director for Digitas, which developed the site with Pontiac and Yahoo. "So the natural thing ... to do was to aggregate and curate enthusiasts' own content about the brand and the cars--to join the club and share their passions."

Pontiac has already launched campaigns on MySpace and in Second Life, and these online groups will be introduced to Underground as well, Richer said.

Depending on how it evolves, he said, at some point an official e-commerce component could be added for parts or vehicles.

Richer declined to disclose the financial arrangements, but said that General Motors' total involvement with Yahoo was one factor giving Pontiac the leverage to execute a richer experience more engaging than just a straight ad banner buy. "As GM gets deeper in the digital space, you'll see more of this," he said.

Jennifer Dulski, vice president and general manager, Yahoo Autos, said the site is configured in a way that will make it rank quite high through natural search, as well as through the sheer volume of activity that is expected to occur on it and the amount of cross-linking through blog posts.

Pontiac put the site through a "torture test" and fine-tuned it with some key user communities before launch, Richer said.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

09 Feb 2007 - 08:39 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

The Pontiac Community Site - PontiacUnderground powered by Yahoo

09 Feb 2007 - 08:46 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Lycos Adds Video Playlists To Woo Web 2.0 Audience
by Mark Walsh, Thursday, Feb 8, 2007 6:00 AM ET
IN THE LATEST TWIST TO online video-sharing, entertainment portal Lycos today unveiled a new feature, Mix, that lets users create playlists of video clips from the likes of YouTube, Google Video and MySpace video. Lycos Mix also enables users to invite others to watch videos and chat about them online.


The new service builds on the "watch and chat" technology Lycos debuted in November when it launched Lycos Cinema, where users can gather in virtual screening rooms to watch and discuss movies. With Lycos Mix, "the goal was to create a product that allows groups of people to pull content from a variety of sources around the Web," said Lycos COO Brian Kalinowski.

To create video playlists, users retrieve clips from YouTube, Google or MySpace and place them into designated categories on the Lycos Mix site including music, news, comedy and sports. A downloadable bookmarking feature allows users to add videos from other sites without having to cut or paste Web addresses. A playlist can be either public--allowing others to add clips--or private. Once created, users can invite other Lycos members to view playlist videos.

Kalinowski likened Mix more to an "art gallery experience" than Lycos Cinema because it enables people to share and discuss a collection of different works. While other video sites such as YouTube allow users to create personal video collections from their own content, he said Lycos was the first to allow the creation of video playlists from outside sources.

Lycos plans to offer banner ad units and sponsorships around the Mix community features. Eventually, the company plans to offer licensed video content for Mix that would carry in-stream ads.

The new video service is the latest in a series of steps Lycos has taken over the last year to transform the former search engine into a Web 2.0 entertainment hub. In addition to Lycos Cinema, it has added a movie trailer site and video search capability through a deal with Blinkx, among other moves. But so far the makeover hasn't translated into a bigger audience for Lycos, as unique monthly U.S. visitors to the site dropped to 22.6 million in December 2006 from 24.7 million a year ago.


[Source: MediaPost.com]

09 Feb 2007 - 09:03 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Jeep Harnesses UGC For Patriot Launch
by Gavin O'Malley, Friday, Feb 9, 2007 6:00 AM ET
WORKING WITH MARVEL COMICS, JEEP is asking comic buffs to go online and help construct the plot of a story spotlighting its Patriot compact SUV.


Marvel artist Bing Cansino has laid the story's foundation with five pages, which people can now find on Jeep's microsite, PatriotAdventure.com. To complete the 28-page comic, Cansino will draw from ideas submitted by fans who are being encouraged to weave the car's features into the story line.

The project, which reflects a popular trend in consumer-assisted ads, is the forerunner to a multi-channel national ad blitz for the Patriot, which is slated to break next month. Omnicom Group's Organic developed the microsite with the help of sister agency BBDO, which will handle broadcast and print initiatives come March.

"This is just a pre-launch campaign to garner initial interest," said Organic's Adam Wilson, creative director on the Jeep account. Since the rise of YouTube and the blogosphere, consumer-created ads have become quite trendy on Madison Avenue. During this year's Super Bowl, General Motors' Chevrolet and PepsiCo's Doritos brand, among others, ran spots that were either created by or inspired by consumers.

Analysts seem generally encouraging about this new trend in consumer-made ads, although they say it's not for every brand.

[Source: Excerpt from MediaPost.com]

10 Feb 2007 - 10:04 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Murdoch: MySpace, Mobile To Spur News Corp. Growth
by Mark Walsh, Friday, Feb 9, 2007 6:00 AM ET
NEWS CORP. CHAIRMAN AND CEO Rupert Murdoch said that sales from Fox Interactive Media, which includes social networking site MySpace, could end up generating more than 10% of the company's revenue within the next five years.


Speaking at McGraw Hill's Media Summit conference Thursday, Murdoch told an overflow crowd that MySpace had grown more quickly than News Corp. executives had expected since its acquisition in 2005. "We've had to almost put the brakes on it," he said, explaining that the surging traffic had strained the company's servers.

The social site's booming growth has also quickly driven up ad revenue. MySpace currently brings in $25 million a month, and is growing at a rate of 30% each quarter, according to the News Corp. chairman. While touting MySpace's rapid inroads into online video over the last year, he expressed some uncertainty about video advertising. "If you interrupt that flow of video with commercials, they'll be up and off somewhere else very quickly," he said. "But we're following it very closely."

[Source:Excerpt from MediaPost.com]

10 Feb 2007 - 10:23 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Video Surges While Search Lags - 5 Trends to Watch in the Online Content Industry


SUMMARY
Want to know what's working -- and not working -- for online media companies and content providers?

We polled more than a dozen marketers, circulation managers and online strategy directors to learn which tactics are on top of their to-do lists this year (video) and which challenges they’re finding most significant (rising costs of paid search).

Plus, they tell us how to make money from online communities.

With the first month of 2007 already in the books, media companies and content providers have mapped out their strategies for the year, if not launched the initiatives they hope will sell more subscriptions or paid content online.

After talking to more than a dozen marketers, circulation managers and online strategy directors from a host of companies, we found that there’s continued focus on the nuts and bolts of selling content -- from testing new email offers to deciding which content to place behind the barrier. But we also heard a great deal of talk about the current Internet buzzwords: the long tail, user-generated content, social networking and viral video, to mention a few.

It’s clear these are intriguing notions for content providers, but how can you make them work? And how much can you focus on those areas while dealing with market forces that are prodding many marketers to adopt other new tactics?

[Source: MarketingSherpa.com]

12 Feb 2007 - 11:40 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Trend #1. Declining effectiveness of paid search marketing

We heard a chorus of complaints about the rising cost of paid search marketing, often coupled with a troubling lack of results. “We’re getting better at [search marketing], but we’re not getting more customers,” says Sanjay Singhal, CMO Simply Audiobooks. “Other companies are getting better at it, too, and driving up the price.”

The situation has some online publishers returning to traditional means of marketing subscriptions and paid content:

Simply Audiobooks tested radio and billboard advertising to entice customers to join its subscription audio book rental service. One intriguing result: A limited billboard test in Toronto featuring a cheeky joke about President Bush’s reading ability generated a nearly 300% increase in Web traffic from the region. But Singhal notes that the increase was generated from a very small base and in a market where Bush is extremely unpopular.

The Nation magazine found success with direct response TV and radio ads that sent viewers to their Web site to sign up for subscriptions. But Circulation VP Arthur Stupar says the magazine is lucky: Its political focus means it has several cable news channels and programs to target, making running a TV campaign cost effective.

Online recruitment site TheLadders.com is jazzed about direct mail. It launched a 1 million-piece campaign last month after testing smaller campaigns in 2006. By choosing highly targeted lists, such as those from CIO and CFO magazine, TheLadders.com has seen response rates as high as 7%, says co-founder and Marketing VP Alex Douzet.

While no marketer said they were giving up paid search marketing altogether, the key message for publishers who lean heavily on the technique was to develop a portfolio of complementary marketing channels to pick up the slack when certain keywords become too expensive or less effective.

12 Feb 2007 - 11:41 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Trend #2. Turn online video into revenue

The hype around video is intense, which means marketers and online managers need to take a careful look at how to make money from the medium. Ad supported? Pay-per-view? Subscription-based? One size may not fit all.

Turner Broadcasting recently launched three online video services with different revenue models: CNN.com offers CNN Pipeline, an on-demand news feed, for a monthly rate of $2.95 or for an annual rate of $24.95.

VeryFunnyAds.com, a consumer-focused Web site, provides free downloads of humorous TV commercials from around the world. Turner is selling advertising around the content, which, interestingly, also happens to be advertising.

Finally, Tuner created niche sports service ACCSelect.com, which streams live or recorded games -- such as lacrosse, rowing, field hockey or fencing -- from Atlantic Coast Conference colleges. Betting that such sports have a small but rabid fan base, ACCSelect charges a $3.95 pay-per-view rate or a monthly rate of $5.95. The company is still monitoring results to see which approach gains the most traction.

Other Web sites are using video as feature to drive more traffic which, in turn, could translate into incremental online or print subscription sales. But Arthur Stupar of The Nation warns that the relationship between site's traffic and subscription sales is not direct. Translation: Test.

Video’s appeal isn’t limited to content

12 Feb 2007 - 11:43 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Trend #3. The appeal of advertising sales

Online advertising is booming again. After a record-setting 2005, when online ad revenues totaled $12.5 billion, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau, 2006 was on track to set yet another record. For the first six months, online ad revenues totaled $8 billion, putting the market on an annual run-rate of $16 billion to $18 billion.

Content sites aren’t waiting around to see the year-end report to convince themselves, though. Several publishers view online ad sales as their biggest growth area and are willing to trade gated content for lots of free content as a lure to sell subscriptions to draw a crowd -- and, in turn, advertisers.

One example: Time.com relaunched its Web site in January with ad sales at the center of its strategy. For the past six months, Time.com has beefed up its sales and marketing staff. And the relaunched site frees up previously gated content, but features new advertising options, such as a 336 x 850 ad. The old site’s biggest ad was only 336 x 250.

12 Feb 2007 - 11:43 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Trend #4. Build (and make money) from online communities

Like video, social networking and online communities are buzzwords among content sites. But several people we spoke with wondered where the payoff is. One approach: tie the benefits of community -- a more engaged audience, more frequent visits to your Web site -- to an advertising sales strategy.

Sporting News has made an online community and user-generated content a key feature of its free online content. But instead of a MySpace-style free-for-all, Sporting News created a ranking system for its 1 million registered, active users. Fellow members rate each other’s comments, and those ratings, combined with the user’s activity level, earn them a ranking of one to five stars and the chance to compete for online awards and recognition.

Besides the appeal to members who want to prove their sports knowledge, a system that encourages frequent activity and useful comments helps calm advertisers who are squeamish about placing ads next to user-generated content, says Jason Kint, VP General Manager Online. “Media buyers are finally shifting from a broad-based, mass-reach buy to a more engaged, higher quality audience.”

12 Feb 2007 - 11:43 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Trend #5. Make the most of audience segmentation

While audience segmentation isn’t a new concept, online subscription sites are looking for new ways to deliver their content or marketing pitches to smaller, tightly defined niches.

Books24x7, a subscription-based library of technical manuals and other B-to-B content, is making a push toward further customization of its database into smaller, themed libraries that it can license to third-party sites that want to offer resources to their own customers.

For example, the company may package a portion of its existing health and wellness book titles into a consumer-focused library, which could then be marketed to insurance companies looking to educate their own customers and create a reason for them to hang around the company’s Web site.

TheLadders.com's Douzet is intrigued by the idea of persuasion architecture for his subscription site, as outlined in the 2006 book ‘Waiting for your Cat to Bark?’ by Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg. That could mean not just tailoring different marketing messages for prospective subscribers, but creating different paths on the Web site once they arrive to help convince them to subscribe.

[Source: All 5 Trends from MarketingSherpa.com]

12 Feb 2007 - 11:44 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

MTV spreads the video loveFrom correspondents in New York
February 13, 2007 08:08am
-
YOU won't find clips of comedian Jon Stewart's Daily Show and MTV's Pimp My Ride on YouTube any more, but Viacom Inc. is laying the groundwork for its videos to be available to hundreds of thousands of other sites.

In the next few months, web users will be able to grab videos from nearly all MTV-owned sites and post them on their own blogs or websites, lessening the need to go to YouTube, the top online video service that Google Inc. acquired last year.

Viacom, owner of MTV Networks and the Paramount movie studio, had been planning for this move months before it demanded earlier this month that YouTube remove more than 100,000 unauthorised Viacom video clips from its site, after failing to reach a distribution deal.

"We need to open up our websites and content both for consumers and for other companies," Mika Salmi, MTV Networks president of global digital media, said in an interview last Friday.

The move is part of a strategy to bring Viacom's websites up to "Web 2.0" standards, Salmi said.

"Part of that is allowing people to take our content and embed it and make your own things out of it, whatever they want," he said.

14 Feb 2007 - 09:54 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Honda Dealers License JibJab's 'President's Day'
by Gavin O'Malley, Monday, Feb 12, 2007 6:00 AM ET
CAN JIBJAB SHORTS SELL CARS? Some Honda dealers are betting yes, launching a two-week broadcast/online ad campaign featuring a doctored version of JibJab's "Presidents Rap."


The New York-based agency Della Femina Jeary & Partners put the $1 million campaign together for the New York & Long Island Honda Dealers Association, which anchors marketing activities for 15 Honda dealerships in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens and Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

"JibJab will gain huge attention during President's Day when it is difficult to crack through the morass of car commercials," said James Tenny, Della Femina president and chief operating officer.

Della Femina has arranged for paid-placement of the spots--which feature the original short's visuals with original lyrics--on YouTube, along with a number of sites, including AutoTrader, NY Post, Autobytel, AOL Autos, and NY Daily News, among others. Each online banner includes a "send to a friend" option to promote the spot's viral spread.

This marks the first time that JibJab has licensed its material to be repurposed in a campaign. "We approached them about the rights to one of their popular animated vignettes," explained agency founder and CEO Jerry Della Femina.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

Note - this is at a dealer level

14 Feb 2007 - 10:00 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Image of JibJab's Home Page

14 Feb 2007 - 10:15 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

YouTube Forges Deal With Soccer Team
Monday, Feb 19, 2007 6:00 AM ET
THE UNITED KINGDOM SOCCER STARS, Chelsea Football Club, will get their own YouTube channel, thanks to a new deal between the team and the video sharing site. YouTube will offer Chelsea archives, daily news and other clips under the deal. The agreement comes on the heels of a distribution deal between YouTube and the National Hockey League.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

20 Feb 2007 - 09:34 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Recently Yahoo launched a Digg like suggestions board which allows users to make comment on Yahoo products and rate the suggestions of other users - so that the best suggestions rise to the top - a very good way to get user generated feedback to refine down to the highest rated suggestions

Rating content items is a big trend at the moment - as evidenced by Digg's growth and its many copiers / competitors

see also the CHV products forum for more info venturelogic.mymedia.net.au/

20 Feb 2007 - 11:49 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

BMW Rolls Out Branded Video
Tuesday, Feb 20, 2007 6:00 AM ET

BMW USA DIVISION MONDAY UNVEILED the first two of six planned Web films, starring action hero "Hammer" and his car Coop (for Mini Cooper). The effort supports the 2007 Mini, the company's first major redesign since the car was re-introduced to the U.S. in 2002. The films, directed by "Starsky & Hutch" movie director Todd Phillips and star Bryan Callen, reside at www.hammerandcoop.com.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

21 Feb 2007 - 09:30 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

MEDIA RELEASE



Trading Post® unveils web 2.0 success

www.autocult.com.au, a site launched covertly in June 2006, represents Australia’s first web 2.0 site devoted to the auto category. The site gives car enthusiasts the ability to engage, interact and share their thoughts, images and experiences with like-minded people.

The nine-month underground operation of autocult.com.au, has allowed significant development of content, with the site now providing an engaging proposition to advertisers. A strong, existing consumer base contributes to more than 14,000 photos, 167 discussion topics and 560 blogs.

Stephen Hughes, Manager of AutoCult, said: “The online community is preferring to spend more time on, and is more actively engaged with, web 2.0 websites than traditional websites. This makes autocult.com.au an extremely powerful vehicle for connecting advertisers with auto enthusiasts.”

According to Mr Hughes, the development of autocult.com.au delivers advertisers greater value in terms of engaging with active car enthusiasts.

“The Trading Post® embarked on the project to find alternative ways to offer advertisers new methods to achieve greater return on investment on their advertising budget – we were looking for a new channel for connecting with consumers on their terms.

“There is a real consumer interest in category specific web 2.0 sites, as demonstrated by the ready take up of autocult.com.au,” he said.

autocult.com.au allows consumers to develop their own profile, and boasts all the interactive tools a car enthusiast needs to show off their pride and joy. One feature, ‘tagging’, has been eagerly embraced by consumers. The tool allows quick and easy access to their desired subject in blog, photo, forum and video format from a range of personalised key words. For example, where other sites have general terms, autocult.com.au makes use of consumer-generated words such as ‘hot-rod’ and ‘air-intakes’.

Part 1

21 Feb 2007 - 16:50 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Part 2

Another innovative feature is the development of light boxes for photos, which enables advertisers to float a banner advertisement above each picture.

“People want to interact with websites where they can get advice from people they trust and with whom they share similar interests – rather than a static website full of content that never changes.

“We have taken the time to learn what tools best suit our advertisers’ objectives in the automotive context and how to connect with the car enthusiast community. The results is a site that brings the two together.

“We are now in a position to talk to advertisers and will look to bundle autocult.com.au with current auto advertising options such as carshowroom.com.au and tradingpost.com.au.

“The opportunities are endless, not just for the auto category, but how we can apply these learnings to other areas of the business,” said Mr Hughes.

Trading Post has teamed up with Venture Logic to design and develop autocult.com.au

[Source: Sensis Media Release]

21 Feb 2007 - 16:51 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Joost Deal To Bolster Viacom Ad Inventory
by Gavin O'Malley, Wednesday, Feb 21, 2007 10:25 AM ET
THE NEW DISTRIBUTION DEAL BETWEEN Viacom and Internet TV startup Joost--which will provide Joost with clips from MTV Networks, BET Networks and Paramount Pictures--won't just enable the startup to launch with a full slate of popular content. The deal also is expected to give advertisers a good deal of new online video inventory.


"There's tons of long-form archived content we hadn't been selling ads against," said Jeremy Zweig, a Viacom spokesman, adding that Viacom will make available a wealth of videos from older shows including "Punk'd," "Beavis & Butthead," and "Real World."

Unlike most video-sharing sites such as YouTube, which are dominated by short clips, Joost--slated to launch later this year--plans to specialize in long-form, high-quality content. In all likelihood, full-length Viacom shows running on Joost will be broken up by one, two, or even three breaks for a single sponsor's spot, said Zweig. Viacom will sell the ads, which will accompany its content.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

The key is Viacom are getting a larger audience by having full length runs of popular shows on the internet and also being able to sell ads online against this video inventory - This is really commercializing the Web2.0 capability of the internet

22 Feb 2007 - 10:14 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

IBM To Media Companies: Loosen Grip On Content
by Mark Walsh, Thursday, Feb 22, 2007 6:00 AM ET
TO DEAL WITH THREATS FROM new digital competitors, IBM's media-consulting arm recommends that traditional media companies focus fanatically on consumers and embrace new technologies and business models.


In its new report, "Navigating the Media Divide," IBM says that mainstream media companies need to loosen their grip on proprietary content in order to capture young, tech-savvy consumers who have fueled the enormous growth of YouTube and other sites built on user-generated material.

Although traditional media revenues still dwarf those of new media, the latter category is expected to grow much faster--20% compared to 6% for old media from 2006 to 2010.

The study advises content owners and media distributors to cooperate in allowing the legal reuse of content for mash-ups, overdubs and other ways "that celebrate their favorite branded content in new and creative ways." It cites companies such as video-sharing site Revver and Al Gore's Current TV as companies that are already paying contributors for supplying programming.

In maintaining a focus on the consumer experience, media companies must also create new content tailored to the digital world rather than simply putting old wine in new bottles. That means going beyond traditional licensing to develop online subscriptions such as the popular Sony Online Entertainment.Everquest games and new forms of marketing.

In that vein, the IBM report says media businesses should be thinking about how to take advantage of virtual worlds such as Second Life, which now has over 1 million "residents." Companies including Reuters, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Circuit City have already set up shop there. IBM expects that "companies will soon be blending transactions across both worlds with purchases initiated in the virtual world that are fulfilled in real life."

23 Feb 2007 - 09:53 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

IBM To Media Companies: Loosen Grip On Content (PART 2)

When it comes to interactive advertising, IBM suggests that media companies should lead the way in devising new types of research and metrics for the digital era. The report calls for today's "disparate" ad management system to be replaced with a more transparent and streamlined process. One possible effect is a shift toward behavioral measurements and away from impressions.

As they experiment with new business models, such as offering content through more "open" Internet venues, they must figure out exactly what they want to achieve, whether branding or a new revenue stream. IBM also recommend using rapid pilot programs to test new business models and gather "'real life'" data on consumers.

Other recommendations in the report include converting consumer data into a competitive advantage, creating a Chief Consumer Officer post, shifting investment from traditional business to new models, and creating a flexible business design.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

The CHV is actually part of the next generation of advertising products

23 Feb 2007 - 09:56 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Digital Shops Exploiting General Agency Skill Gaps
by Gavin O'Malley, Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007 6:00 AM ET
THE WEB AND RELATED DIGITAL technologies are exposing major weaknesses in traditional agency skill sets, according to a study released yesterday by Forrester Research.


This trend, the study finds, is working in favor of specialist digital shops, which marketers are increasingly calling upon to fill skill gaps.

"Marketers first turned to digital specialists to build Web sites during the dot-com bubble," explained Peter Kim, Forrester Research analyst and author of the report. "Now, the specialist trend has expanded as marketers seek fresh approaches from digital shops--like Avenue A | Razorfish and Critical Mass--as well as creative independents--like Modernista!, Tugboat, and Mother--eroding the core value proposition of traditional ad firms."

Digital agencies, Kim noted, have even begun winning "traditional" agency work as in the case of Agency.com, which has created print and outdoor ads for IKEA United Kingdom, and AKQA, which now serves as Yell.com's main agency.

Beyond confirming what many have long suspected, the study illustrates a major rift between marketers and agencies with some harsh survey results: On aggregate, agencies scored a dismal Net Promoter rating of 21%, showing just how few marketers in the fourth quarter of last year would have recommended the same agency services they themselves pay for (Part 1)

28 Feb 2007 - 09:50 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Part 2

"Today, agencies must deliver technology--in addition to creative--expertise, and many traditional agencies struggle to adapt," Kim said. Indeed, according to the study, marketers today view ad agencies as the least competent among service providers to deliver marketing technology.

Huge gaps exist between marketer and agency perceptions of the ability to deal with changes in TV, Internet, and consumer-generated media, according to Forrester. To illustrate his point, Kim points to recent agency blunders like Wal-Mart's fake blogs (the product of a PR agency) and GM's Chevy Tahoe user-generated ads.

Forrester fielded a survey with the American Marketing Association and interviewed eight vendor and user companies, including: Avenue A | Razorfish, H&R Block, Hill Holliday, JWT, Kia Motors America, and Xerox.

Notably, despite the fact that agencies wield influence over a majority of the marketing budget, a whopping 76% of marketers do not measure the return on investment of their lead agency relationship.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

28 Feb 2007 - 09:52 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Sponsors And TV Shows Get Lift From Online Viewership
by Laurie Petersen, Wednesday, Feb 28, 2007 6:00 AM ET
CONSUMERS WHO WATCH TV SHOWS on network Web sites tend to have a high opinion of the sponsoring brands and a stronger tie with the program than those who watch on TV alone.


So sponsorship of the broadband versions of shows such as ABC.com's "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy" is paying off for both the networks and advertisers such as Verizon and Tropicana, a new study from Knowledge Networks suggests.

In fact, nearly 49% of TV network Web site viewers say that sponsorship of the streaming or download of an episode would increase their consideration of the sponsoring brand, according to the study, titled "How People Use TV's Web Connections."

Users of streaming or downloaded network video also are significantly more likely than Internet users overall (30% versus 22%) to buy from companies that advertise on their favorite programs, the study found.

"We found that, for the most part, features on network and program Web sites are building equity with program viewers, for both the TV networks and their advertisers," said David Tice, vice president, custom research at Knowledge Networks/SRI and director of The Home Technology Monitor. "There is much room to grow this crossover TV-Web audience."

In addition to the boost for marketers, the report found that TV networks also derive benefits from their sponsorships.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

01 Mar 2007 - 10:04 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

With 'Here's to Beer,' Anheuser-Busch Goes Social
by Shankar Gupta, Friday, Mar 2, 2007 6:00 AM ET
ANHEUSER-BUSCH JOINS THE BUMPER CROP of brands moving into social media with A-B's "Here's to Beer" campaign currently being promoted on the niche social networking startup MingleNow.com.


A-B opted to partner with a new player in the space rather than launch its own offering or go with a giant like MySpace or Facebook.

Just a few of the brands that in the last year have unveiled social networking tools are MTV Network's Nickelodeon, which launched a virtual world and social network dubbed "Nicktropolis" in January, and Disney.com, which also introduced its social networking tool in January. In October, Wal-Mart shut down its ill-fated experiment with social networking, dubbed "The Hub."

The Anheuser-Busch effort differs on a few fronts. The company partnered with a startup so it could be integrated during the development process. The only brand appearing directly on the site is "Here's to Beer," a beer industry promotion that A-B is sponsoring exclusively. The promotion invites visitors to post pictures of "clinks"--friends toasting with beer bottles or mugs. MingleNow.com only recently began offering photo-sharing.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

04 Mar 2007 - 10:55 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Hearst To Launch 12 Video Sites Supporting Key Brands
by Tobi Elkin, Monday, Mar 5, 2007 6:00 AM ET
HEARST IS THE LATEST MEDIA company to jump on the Internet TV bandwagon, announcing the launch of broadband video channels using Maven Networks' Internet TV Platform. Hearst's Internet video channel for TeenMag.com is live with a branded video player. Over the next 90 days, Hearst will launch 12 video sites, each with video players to support magazine titles that include Good Housekeeping, Esquire, and Cosmopolitan, according to Chuck Cordray, vice president and general manager for Hearst Magazines Digital Media.


The video content will include behind-the-scenes footage from cover shoots, red carpet video, product reviews, recipes, hair-and-makeup "how tos," user-generated video, and more. Opportunities exist to run interstitial and pre-roll video ads near the player.

"We chose Maven because we like the flexibility of customizing their player from a look-and-feel perspective," Cordray said. "We may or may not avail ourselves of the syndication portion of the product." Hearst currently submits video directly to Microsoft Corp.'s MSN for syndication.

Maven's system enables media companies and content owners to syndicate their own video content without having to work through intermediaries--mainly large portals like Google, Yahoo, MSN, and AOL where their brands are often marginalized and profit margins on revenue-sharing deals are getting slimmer

[Source: MediaPost.com]

06 Mar 2007 - 09:43 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Scion Pre-Launches 2008 Model On Web
by Karl Greenberg, Tuesday, Mar 6, 2007 6:00 AM ET
TOYOTA'S SCION DIVISION IS RUNNING a pre-launch campaign for its forthcoming 2008 xB, but it doesn't include TV or print. In some ways, it is as much about a multi-layer Web site as it is about the vehicle itself.


That's not unusual for Scion--which tends to rely more on viral and guerrilla, as well as grassroots, efforts more than traditional media. The new Web site is a waggish virtual world offering up an assortment of "places"--six in all, two more coming--that consumers can choose to visit, through which the xB roams and in which they can view ironic videos featuring people and animals with cubic heads.

The Torrance, Calif. company this week reported sales of 17,960 vehicles through February this year, and a 23% drop in sales, including a 29% drop in xB sales year-to-date through February.

Attik, San Francisco, which is Scion's agency, created the campaign--but did not shoot the 17 videos on the Web site. Rather, Attik says, the agency sent out a creative brief to more than 100 videographers, then culled the 17 from the 140 entries it received. The account has been with that shop from the get-go.

The site also hosts a raft of multiplayer games, half designed by the agency and some by game maker Bunchball.

[Source: Excerpt from MediaPost.com]

07 Mar 2007 - 10:17 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

MTV, Nickelodeon Vets Plan Next New Networks: Online Video Sites For Enthusiasts
by Tobi Elkin, Friday, Mar 9, 2007 6:01 AM ET
INTERNET STARTUP NEXT NEW NETWORKS, an online video service, is poised to deliver 101 community-based sites over the next five years focused on niche content targeted to 18- to-34-year-olds. Backed by former MTV and Nickelodeon executives, Next New will offer a series of micro-networks with content geared toward enthusiasts who enjoy do-it-yourself fashion, comics, and autos.


The company's approach ties directly to evolving trends in so-called "Long Tail" content targeted to passionate enthusiasts, and will leverage short-form video content featuring programs anywhere from three to eight minutes in length--daily or weekly.

Next New says it will add one to three networks per month in the coming months, and on Thursday announced the first six networks on its roster including programs like "Fast Lane Daily" and "VOD Cars;" "Threadbanger," about do-it-yourself fashion; "Channel Federator," on cartoons; and "Pulp Secret," focused on comic book culture.

What makes Next New's approach unique is that each micro-network hosts its own shows on a branded Web site. New and archived shows can also be found on iTunes and YouTube, and viewers are invited to contribute, share, and distribute the network content.

Herb Scannell, one of the company's founders and a former executive at Nickelodeon, said the collective expertise of the company's management team--partner Fred Seibert was MTV's first creative director, Emil Rensing was an original member of AOL Greenhouse, and Jed Simmons used to work for Sundance and Turner Broadcasting Group--offers the startup a deep bench.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

10 Mar 2007 - 11:17 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

MTV Adds User-Generated Category To MTV Movie Awards
by Gavin O'Malley, Tuesday, Mar 13, 2007 6:00 AM ET
MTV AND YAHOO, ALONG WITH Mark Burnett Productions, are teaming up to add user-generated, interactive layers to this year's MTV Movie Awards.


On April 23, Yahoo Movies plans to launch a microsite where aspiring filmmakers can submit original movie shorts parodying films from the past year for consideration in a new user-generated category, "Best Movie Spoof." The winner will then be announced during MTV's live June 3 broadcast, which Mark Burnett is producing.

"The ability to create and interact with user-generated content is so important to today's audience that this show simply had to include UGC as a major element in the creative experience," said Mark Burnett.

In addition to the movie spoof award, MTV, Yahoo and Burnett are developing a section on the site where viewers can comment on the user-generated submissions, as well as post photos and videos. Content from the site will then be integrated into the live broadcast on a "World Wide Web Wall."

MTV and Yahoo are betting on the user-generated content to boost traffic to their sites.

Last year, Music Award-related traffic to MTV surpassed 2 million streams--up over 50% from the year before.

On the "MTV Movie Awards on Yahoo" site, each award category will be featured and fans can then vote on MTV.com for their favorites in MTV's categories including "Best Kiss" and "Best Villain." Also, as MTV announces nominees and performers, fans can look to Yahoo Movies for the news.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

14 Mar 2007 - 11:45 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Jeep Sets Off On Patriot Adventure For New SUV
by Karl Greenberg, Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007 6:00 AM ET
JEEP IS LAUNCHING AN INTEGRATED ad campaign for its newest compact SUV, Patriot, aiming to lure younger consumers with an interactive video series, "Choose Your Adventure."


The campaign, using the same characters in traditional ads as it does in the online videos, lets consumers create and participate in the Web video adventure story about a treasure hunt and learn about Patriot in the process.

Spend wasn't divulged, but Jay Kuhnie, director of Jeep communications, says the campaign reflects an increase in Internet spend.

"The media split right now is about 55% in TV, which is down significantly from where we have been," he says. "It's 22 to 25% on Internet, which is 10% higher than what would be normal if you averaged all Jeep spending on the Web."

The Patriot is now the seventh vehicle in Jeep's lineup, and the fourth new vehicle for the Chrysler Group division in the last eight months. "It rounds out our family," says Kuhnie, who adds that Patriot, priced at $14,500, will address the low end of the marketplace.

He says the target audience is male, 22-30, with single income between $25,000 and $45,000. "Because they are young people now entering a new life stage, we think Patriot will attract both a male and also a female audience--individual young people who have just gotten out of school, maybe in their first job--who are very social, active and do things outdoors."

The campaign--via BBDO of Troy, Mich., and Chrysler's interactive agency, Organic, New York, as well as GlobalHue, Southfield, Mich., handling the Hispanic campaign--includes TV, print and Internet and outdoor. All elements drive traffic to the Web campaign at www.patriotadventure.com, launching this week.

[Source:MediaPost.com]

15 Mar 2007 - 09:46 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Patriot Adventure Web Site for the release of the new Jeep Patriot

15 Mar 2007 - 09:50 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Having a context driven video section is a MUST!!


Marketers Crazy Over Online Video For March Madness
by Tobi Elkin, Thursday, Mar 15, 2007 6:00 AM ET
HOOP DREAMS ARE SPROUTING ALL over the Web as marketers lob free-throws into the online video arena in conjunction with the NCAA college basketball tournament, colloquially known as March Madness.


Marketers including Coca-Cola, AT&T, General Motors' Pontiac, Courtyard by Marriott, and Dell are making a splash not only by sponsoring so-called "Bracket Challenges" on major online sports hubs, but diving into online video advertising as well.

The NCAA is also an opportunity for marketers to tie closely into social media tactics via a passionate audience of ardent fans. The Bracket Challenges invite fans to create their own private group sites, issue e-mail invites to friends, customize scoring, trash talk via message boards, and access scores and standings updates on a live basis.

The major online sports hubs are going all out for March Madness. ESPN's Tourney Challenge pairs it with sponsors Pontiac and State Farm, while Yahoo's Tournament Pick'Em '07, sponsored by HP, offers nifty features like a Scenario Generator.

CBS SportsLine is offering Bracket Challenges and a Round by Round Challenge sponsored by Porsche Cayenne. Porsche invites viewers to click on a banner ad to watch a film.

[Part 1 - Source: MediaPost.com]

16 Mar 2007 - 12:25 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

[Part 2 - Source: MediaPost.com]

In addition, Chrysler's Jeep Patriot brand debuted an online film "The Way Beyond Trail" that invites viewers to join three characters who drive a Patriot while searching for a buried treasure. Consumers can influence the plot via their viewing choices.

In addition to high-profile TV buys directing viewers to the Web to access the film, Jeep is running banner ads on ESPN, SportingNews.com, and SI.com, among other sites that will plug the online video.

NCAA March Madness online is a key venue for marketers looking for a highly engaged, motivated audience. The goals for online video are different depending on whether the advertiser is looking to deepen brand affinity and interaction or generate potential leads, transactions, and traffic to their Web site--for example, like Circuit City and Sony, which are among the advertisers appearing on CBS SportsLine.

"If you're Coke, you're not looking for sales--you're looking for engagement with the brand so you go where the fans are. NCAA is a huge business online," said Michael Hayes, senior vice president-managing director, Initiative Interaction.

Hayes, who has no clients in the NCAA, but nonetheless buys a lot of online video, said deploying the right metrics makes all the difference in determining whether a program is successful. He suggested a combination of tactics including counting actual streams (completed streams) to measure engagement with an ad unit, examining click-through rates, and mounting an online branding study. The brand impact study would measure brand consideration and lift, along with purchase intent.

16 Mar 2007 - 12:26 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

[Part 3 - Source: MediaPost.com]

Pontiac, which is going full throttle into March Madness, is using Rovion's InPerson technology to promote its NCAA Game Changing Performance Contest. The technology enables Sportscaster Greg Gumbel to appear personally and invite March Madness fans on numerous Web sites to enter the contest. The contest is in its third year, and second year using the Rovion technology.

In terms of engaging with viewers, Len Ostroff, Rovion's CEO, said the technology enables Pontiac to "bring Greg to life on Web sites and personally greet and engage with visitors on the site."

While average click-through rates for online video hover around 3%, the rates for Pontiac's program last year reached around 18 to 20%, Ostroff said.

Last year, Gumbel appeared only on the contest's landing page, but this year, Pontiac's using the technology to advertise on a slew of third-party sports sites to drive people to the contest.

"What continues to attract Pontiac to our platform is it really allows one of the most recognizable personalities in sports broadcasting to be brought to life within the visitor's online experience." Pontiac was not available for comment.

In 2006, CBS SportsLine racked up more than 19 million streams of live and archived tournament action with March Madness on Demand and logged more than 5 million visits during the tournament. CBS reports that 1.3 million people registered for March Madness on Demand.

16 Mar 2007 - 12:26 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Metacafe Teams With Bochco For Video Confessions Channel
by Gavin O'Malley, Monday, Mar 19, 2007 6:00 AM ET
ONLINE VIDEO STARTUP METACAFE IS attempting to bring a little gravitas to the world of consumer-generated media with a video confessions channel created by Hollywood producer Steven Bochco that features short videos of twenty-something non-actors sharing highly personal experiences.


Sponsored by urban clothier American Apparel, the channel, Cafe Confidential, is targeting 18- to-30-year-olds. The unscripted confessions--about two minutes each--are also designed to encourage viewers to respond by posting their own video stories, thus growing Metacafe's community and content library.

Along with a producer rewards program--which pays video creators $5 for every 1,000 views of their video shorts--Metacafe is trying to separate itself from a crowded video-sharing market with a higher caliber of CGM.

Indeed, the company prides itself on its screening process -- also followed by rival Revver--which guarantees that all posted clips are screened by a panel of volunteers to prevent pirated, inappropriate, or just plain boring material. According to Metacafe, this process also makes its platform highly advertiser-friendly.

"There's just too much content out there right now, and people are relying on us to manage it," said Allyson Campa, vice president of marketing for Metacafe.

While the process of consumers posting confessions online can happen organically, Metacafe and Bochco are trying to set a higher standard through intimate Q&A sessions with selected interviewees.

"Instead of dictating an entertainment experience, Hollywood can now have a dialogue with an online audience and transform the narrative in partnership with them," said Bochco.

Some ethics experts, however, have expressed concerns over media companies profiting from the highly personal admissions of young people who might not recognize the consequences of their actions.

20 Mar 2007 - 08:52 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Doritos Brand Chief Plugs Authenticity, Reveals Next Online Play
by Tobi Elkin, Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 6:00 AM ET
HOLLYWOOD, CA -- MARKETERS NEED to "get real" and acknowledge that marketing isn't merely advertising and communication: It's about "building a relationship with consumers," according to Jason McDonell, director of marketing for Frito-Lay's Doritos brand.


Speaking to an overflow crowd on Monday at OMMA Hollywood, McDonell urged marketers to get a better understanding of their consumers by engaging in a dialogue with them. He illuminated Doritos' experience in doing just that by relating key highlights of his brand's recent experience in creating the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest. The contest invited consumers to create an ad that would air on the Super Bowl. With more than 1,000 entries, five finalists were chosen and consumers viewed and voted for their favorite ad online.

Doritos, McDonell said, learned that its target consumer--16 to 24-year-olds--embrace self-expression, independence, and something he called "belongingness"--the desire to belong to something. Doritos learned that the target lives a "hyperlife" (life on a multitasking, 24/7 basis); likes creative control and evidence of its own creative DNA (it wants a stage to perform on); and craves authenticity, reality, and relevance. These consumer insights were critical to establishing the framework for Doritos' consumer-generated Super Bowl challenge.

Doritos partnered with multiple agencies--Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, OMD, Millsport, TPN, Yahoo Video, and Jumpcut--to collaborate on the contest. The collaboration found that the Doritos brand stands for bold, intense, hit, loud, and unapologetic; its product experience is synonymous to a big crunch, intense flavor, and triangular shape.

McDonell said Doritos ended up airing two of the five winning spots on the Super Bowl, much to the delight of both winning teams

[Source:MediaPost.com]

21 Mar 2007 - 11:36 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

21 Mar 2007 - 11:37 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Search To Drive TV Viewership
by Shankar Gupta, Tuesday, Mar 20, 2007 6:00 AM ET
HOLLYWOOD, CA--MEDIA COMPANIES ARE INCREASINGLY using social media and search to drive viewership of their movies and TV content, according to panelists at the OMMA conference on Monday.


Tim Farish, vice president of media for NBC Entertainment, said his company is using search and social media to drive word-of-mouth for shows like "Heroes."

"In the TV world, we've found that WOM is critical in the entertainment business. If people are talking about our shows, it has such an effect on ratings," Farish said.

"Our product is free for one specific hour a week," he says. "Not only do we need to invent interest, but we need to have that magical thing where someone's interested in watching at that exact time."

[Source: MediaPost.com]

21 Mar 2007 - 11:43 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

People Engage More With Small, Branded, Well-Lit Communities
by Gavin O'Malley, Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 6:00 AM ET
WHAT SMALLER ONLINE COMMUNITIES LACK in size they can often make up for in stronger engagement levels, according to new research from online community developer Communispace.


The study, which analyzed participation behavior among 26,539 members of 66 private online communities, also found that consumers prefer fully transparent and branded communities to non-specific, non-branded ones.

"Big public communities may attract more eyeballs, but they may not be the answer for marketers who are looking for deep engagement with customers," said Julie Wittes-Schlack, Communispace vice president of innovation and research.

The more intimate the community, the more people participate. Results indicate that 86% of the people who log on to private, facilitated communities with 300 to 500 members made contributions: they posted comments, initiated dialogues, participated in chats, brainstormed ideas, shared photos, and more. Only 14% merely logged in to observe, or "lurk."

By contrast, on public social networking Web sites, blogs, and message boards, this ratio is typically reversed, as the vast majority of site visitors do not contribute. In a typical online forum, for example, just 1% of site visitors contribute, and the other 99% lurk.

"Everybody is talking about communities now, and so the question is no longer 'should we have one?', but more 'what kind should it be?' and 'how can we design it to truly engage people and fulfill our objectives?'" said Communispace President and CEO Diane Hessan.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

23 Mar 2007 - 09:53 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Advertisers Responsive To NBC/News Corp.'s 'Largest Ad Platform On Earth'
by Gavin O'Malley and Laurie Petersen, Friday, Mar 23, 2007 6:00 AM ET
ADVERTISERS ARE FALLING OVER THEMSELVES to join the yet-unnamed video venture between News Corp. and NBC, according to Thursday's conference call hosted by News Corp.'s President-COO Peter Chernin and NBC Universal's President-CEO Jeff Zucker.


"Within four hours [Wednesday night] we had five charter advertisers," said Zucker. Two more came on yesterday morning, with many additional deals being worked out. "I think they see the value," he said.

Initial named advertisers are General Motors, Intel, Cisco Systems, Cadbury Schweppes, eSurance and Royal Caribbean.

Chernin said he foresees the site, expected to launch this summer, will be "the largest ad platform on Earth," thanks to distribution deals with Yahoo, Microsoft's MSN, Time Warner's AOL and News Corp.'s MySpace. The combined audience will span into the hundreds of millions, or 96% of the U.S. Web viewing audience, according to Chernin.

"The industry knew there would be a response from the programmers to develop a platform safe for their content," said Curt Hecht, executive vice president and chief digital officer for GM Planworks, who negotiated the deal for GM's participation within 90 minutes of getting the call Wednesday night.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

24 Mar 2007 - 12:29 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

The above deal to me is so obvious - you have the traffic - you have the content - in you build the interactive space in consultation with advertisers than you have built in revenue from day one - the above is no-brainer - the fact that it took a response to YouTube to do it is what is strange

24 Mar 2007 - 12:30 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Web 2.0: The Wow Factor
by Lynn Russo Whylly
As we began pulling out of the recession, experts said we would again start to see "big ideas" from the Internet. But not until the explosion of social networking and UGC models in 2006 did Web 2.0 really begin to take off. That growth is now fueling dozens of new sites and categories.

How are today's startups different? In Web 1.0, "Everyone was focused on putting up stores," says Courtney Buechert, president of boutique agency Eleven. "Today, these sites are more like media - a magazine, newspaper, or TV show where people aggregate to - and I just want to get myself in the middle of that to tell them about me."

A good example, he says, is the online dating arena, which is beginning to offer a more refined user experience. PodDater, for instance, uses iPod technology as a sifting device, recognizing that people who like Apple's version of MP3 players are a particular "type."

It's about data, not advertising, Buechert adds. "If I'm a cruise line or a resort that's advertising in the online dating arena, I'm not trying to help people date, but people who go to Match.com should index very high against people who use my service. So being able to collect that data gives me an opportunity to start a dialogue with them."

"Where I'm seeing the most interesting perspective are these mash-ups - combinations of music and video and photos and content," says Mark D. Kvamme, a partner at Sequoia Capital. "Podshow.com, which we invest in, is a good example. I think they do two things very well: They provide tools for independent content producers to quickly create programming. Then they provide a platform for getting the word out."

Should you advertise with startups? To make that determination, Doug Powell, chief integrator at Maiden Lane, asks these questions: Are they playing in a space that seems to have a lot of traction? Are they really focusing on solving a user challenge or issue?

[Source: MediaPost]

03 Apr 2007 - 16:30 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

ESPN Acquires NASCAR Fan Site Jayski.com
by Gavin O'Malley, Tuesday, Apr 3, 2007 6:00 AM ET
CONTINUING TO BROADEN ITS WEB reach through acquisition, ESPN has acquired NASCAR fan site Jayski.com, founded in 1996 by Jay Adamczyk.


With top NASCAR crew chiefs, drivers and owners among its regular visitors, Jayski has positioned itself as a solid resource for super-fans, according to John Kosner, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN New Media.

"Jayski.com is, day-in and day-out, one of the most distinctive, authoritative voices for NASCAR fans online," Kosner said. "Jay's fan perspective informs everything he writes."

Adamczyk will continue to operate the site independent from ESPN. It will also feature prominently on ESPN's recently revamped NASCAR editorial section.

Jayski.com's relationship with ESPN extends back to 2004, when ESPN began hosting the site. Now, Adamczyk and partner Mark Garrow will serve as contributors for NASCAR coverage across all ESPN media--including on-air, online and radio and podcasting.

Speaking of the acquisition, Adamczyk said: "We'll have the resources to grow Jayski.com to serve NASCAR fans even better than it already does." Terms were not disclosed.

Jayski.com features some 1,500 pages of content on the NASCAR Nextel Cup, the Busch Series and Truck Series. Some popular features of the site include Jayski's NASCAR News and Rumors, Team Pages and the Jayski Paint Scheme section.

Recognizing the threat posed by upstart bloggers and mainstream rivals, ESPN earlier this year also bought TrueHoop.com, a popular sports blog covering the NBA, and signed TrueHoop's founder Henry Abbott as an NBA expert.

One of ESPN.com's mainstream rivals is Sports Illustrated's SI.com, which is itself attempting to grow through site extensions and acquisitions. Last fall, SI launched a customizable desktop application for super-fans named MySI.com.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

04 Apr 2007 - 10:13 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Pepsi Puts Tools In Place For Consumers To Create Can
by Nina M. Lentini, Thursday, Apr 5, 2007 6:00 AM ET
FEEDING INTO YOUNG CONSUMERS' DESIRE to discover and personalize, Pepsi is offering anyone a chance to design a can and win 10 grand. The tools to do it are online at designourpepsican.com


It's all part of the beverage giant's 2007 initiative to make its product new and exciting by changing the design 35 times throughout the year, letting consumers design a billboard for the company, which is up in New York's Times Square, and now offering its can as blank canvas.

The winning design will appear on 500 million Pepsi cans in national distribution, the company says.

Would-be artists can use tools that are available online or their own design programs. The top designs, determined by an in-house panel, will be posted at the site, where consumers will vote for the winner.

"We did an extensive global youth trends study, and the key findings were that young people embrace change, they're constantly exploring and they're into personalization," says a Pepsi spokesperson. "We believe the best way to connect with them is to offer a world of online discovery through our ever-changing packaging. The Pepsi package designs feature unique Web addresses that take consumers to exclusive online content, games, contests and sweepstakes."

In upcoming months, consumers can expect to see three special cans designed by musicians The All-American Rejects, Big & Rich and Pharrell Williams. These cans will feature Web site addresses that will take fans to exclusive footage of the artists and offer information on their new projects.

[Source: MediaPost.com]






Allowing consumers to participate in the design of the can is really what Web2.0 is all about

07 Apr 2007 - 11:49 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Vlog Becomes Icon For Honesty In New Campaign For SoyJoy Nutrition Bars
by Laurie Petersen, Friday, Apr 6, 2007 6:00 AM ET
PHARMAVITE BREAKS A CAMPAIGN MONDAY for its new SoyJoy nutrition bars using two TV spots that feature individual women speaking to the camera appearing as if they are in a videoblog to capture the snack bar's positioning as true and honest real food with the theme "Real Is Revolutionary."


"This is real food being launched into a category filled with candy bars masquerading as nutrition bars," said David Smith, senior vice president and creative director at RPA, the Santa Monica, Calif.-based agency that created the effort. "Because the Internet is where consumers are turning to find the truth behind the marketing, we've used that world as a reference point for all of our advertising."

All television, print and online advertising for the $30 million marketing effort supporting the product leads back to the Web.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

07 Apr 2007 - 12:02 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

USAToday.com Registrations Up 380% Since Makeover
by Gavin O'Malley, Friday, Apr 13, 2007 6:00 AM ET
USA TODAY'S COMMUNITY-CENTRIC MAKEOVER LAST month appears to be paying off in dividends. Indeed, the site has seen a dramatic 380% increase in registrations since the re-launch, while its unique visitor rates have grown 21% from February, according to Nielsen//NetRatings.


Targeting today's interaction-hungry readers, the Gannett-owned paper last month relaunched its Web site in the guise of a social network laden with video, blogs, dynamic content-sharing and recommendation tools.

As such, the new USAToday.com includes expanded user-profile and social-network capabilities, and public comment and content contribution tools across the site. In March, nearly 40,000 user comments were posted on the site.

Of utmost importance, the new site was designed to create a community around the news--one that connects readers to reporting and each other, according to Jeff Webber, the site's senior vice president and publisher.

"Our readers are always looking for new ways to engage more directly in discussions," Webber said.

Sections seeing particularly strong traffic gains include Sports, Money, Travel and Tech, according to Gannett's internal measurements.

To achieve the site's new look and feel, USA Today enlisted the proprietary social media services of Pluck Corp. Pluck SiteLife, for example, makes possible reader blogs, photo sharing, content ratings, reader comments, and forums, while Pluck BlogBurst is a blog syndication network with some 3,400 blogs serving up content to major news outlets, magazines and broadcast networks worldwide.

"Our relationship with Pluck has enabled us to integrate social media tools throughout the site, creating a powerful combination of content and community to engage and inform our readers," said Webber.

A privately held company based in Austin, Texas, Pluck's other clients include Hearst, Meredith and The Washington Post. With the relaunch, USA Today joined a stampede of publishing that is racing to compete in an increasingly Web 2.0 world.

The New York Times, for example, has been busy augmenting its Web presence.

In the most recent example, the paper is revising its online political coverage in anticipation of the 2008 presidential election.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

14 Apr 2007 - 12:22 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Lexus Puts Out Test Drive Patch To Atari Game Players
by Karl Greenberg, Friday, Apr 13, 2007 6:00 AM ET
TAPPING INTO THE MARKETING PLATFORM of Internet-linked real-time game play, Lexus is reaching out to 18- to-34-year-old players through an arrangement with game-developer Atari, a New York-based subsidiary of Infogrames Entertainment SA, based in France.


Atari this week is launching a free, downloadable test-drive patch for its "Test Drive Unlimited" multi-player game. A "Lexus Car Pack," available at Xbox Live Marketplace, is for Xbox 360 owners who have also purchased "Test Drive Unlimited."

For Lexus, the effort--Lexus' only gaming initiative--is part of a broad push to promote the brand as a performance marque, as it prepares to roll out its first-ever performance sub-brand, "F", next year.

"The reason this was appealing was that, first of all it was quite a nice organic fit since it's truly a driving game," said Brian Bolain, national interactive and contextual marketing manager for the Torrance, Calif. division of Toyota. "We get a lot of proposals where you pay to have your vehicle in a game, but it's not--to borrow from my title--'contextual.'"

Lexus doesn't just have its cars in the game, but also a Lexus dealership, where, if a player earns enough points, he or she can go to pick up one of the Lexus vehicles. "So it involves us in multi-dimensional way." He said that, before the IS 350 went on sale last November, there were already "customers" lined up at the virtual dealership within the game.

[Excerpt Source: MediaPost.com]

14 Apr 2007 - 12:25 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

It's a BarbieGirl's Virtual World
Monday, Apr 23, 2007 6:00 AM ET
MATTEL,INC. HAS LAUNCHED BARBIEGIRLS.COM, A virtual world for 'tween girls, where users can create their own Barbie dolls and interact with each other.

The online community is the first glimpse into Mattel's Barbie Girl initiative, its next-generation fashion doll line and an attempt to gain ground in its heated competition with MGA Entertainment's Bratz collection.
At BarbieGirls.com, users can go to a virtual mall and shop for clothes, accessories and furniture for their online room. Though there are strict rules barring collection and transmittal of personal information for children under 13, the site's Privacy Policy does acknowledge that users over 13 who don't opt out-may receive information for products from Mattel and its partners.

In the coming months, marketers seeking to contextually target 'tween girls may flock to BarbieGirls.com much like they have to Second Life. -- Tameka Kee

[Source: MediaPost.com]

24 Apr 2007 - 15:48 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

Homepage of for Barbiegirls.com

24 Apr 2007 - 15:51 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

NBC Digital Goes Social With MyNBC
by Gavin O'Malley, Tuesday, May 15, 2007 6:00 AM ET
WATCH OUT, MYSPACE--BECAUSE NBC DIGITAL this fall plans to launch its own social network, which will be integrated into NBC.com to encourage visitor interaction and involvement.


The community initiative, dubbed MyNBC, is part of a larger effort by the ailing network to boost its digital offerings for consumers and advertisers. Nearly all of NBC's properties will get additional online attention, including "360 degree" experiences for "Heroes" and "The Office."

"We are allowing our users to interact with their favorite shows on a deeper level, and are providing full immersion in our content," explained Jeff Gaspin, president, NBC Universal Cable and Digital Content.

NBC is certainly not the first media company to follow the lead of MySpace and embrace social networking to grow audience participation.

USA Today, for one, recently succeeded in boosting traffic by an impressive 380% in just over a month by adding social networking features to its site. Through the use of video, blogs, dynamic content-sharing and recommendation tools, the Gannett-owned publisher also managed to boost unique visitor rates by 21% since February, according to Nielsen//NetRatings.

Beginning this fall, fans of "The Office" will be able to engross themselves within the show's world by creating their own company branches online and completing weekly "corporate tasks." The show's producers will also make original content available over multiple platforms.

Also this fall, NBC.com plans to host behind-the-scenes "virtual tours" of shows, their sets, and their production processes. In another gimmick, users can register online for an NBC "Talent Scout" game, in which they gain access to three top "casting agencies" to create their own dream team of NBC talent. When any of their stars perform a trademark phrase or action, the online "agent" earns commission in the form of points.

Along with additions to its existing Web-exclusive content, NBC.com will also debut a Web-exclusive soap opera named "Coastal Dreams."

Digital add-ons will support returning programs, including "30 Rock," "Deal or No Deal," Las Vegas," and "ER," among others.

[Source: MediaPost.com]

16 May 2007 - 15:45 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

NBC follows USAToday's lead and lets users participate with their content

16 May 2007 - 15:49 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

AOL News Relaunches In Web 2.0
by Gavin O'Malley, Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007 6:00 AM ET
AOL NEWS HAS RELAUNCHED AS an ultra-clean blog that's big on interactive features like polls and user-submitted and shared material.
With the new site, AOL joins the ranks of media companies that have relinquished editorial and design control to consumers whose attention increasingly rests on their ability to affect the content they consume.
"News habits have changed, and AOL News is the first site designed from the ground up to appeal to today's online news consumer," said Lewis D'Vorkin, senior vice president, AOL News and Sports. "We believe that AOL News will set the standard for other major online news sites."
Some major news sites, however, had previously caught on. Publishers that have already embraced interactivity and social features include The New York Times and USA Today, which has recorded a near 400% jump in online registrations since relaunching earlier this year.
New to AOL's site, the center column of the main news page features regularly updated top news stories, selected by AOL's editorial news staff and delivered blog-style. This column also features embedded video, photos and polls.
The left side of the new page features stories that are generating the most user interest, including most popular and most-commented-on stories, along with user-submitted news.
The site also includes in-depth features, called Topics Pages, on a wide range of stories, such as elections, health and science.

[Source: MediaPost]

28 Jun 2007 - 12:05 Melbourne

MrWeb2 says:  

AOL's Web2.0 News Interface

28 Jun 2007 - 12:09 Melbourne