Waiter, There are TV Ads in My Internet

Who was it that said “Content is King.”? Well, apparently it’s a King with no country because Online Video marketing content, for the most part, continues to be a re-hash of traditional TV advertising. On one hand I understand that experienced TV producers need to follow the money. As Online Video spending grows exponentially year after year, traditional media dollars trend downwards.

But seriously, Online Video is NOT Television. Lazy producers must stop trying to cram their TV shaped peg into the amorphous, ever-changing expanse of the internet. That’s like taking a job as an Italian chef when you’re training and career has been cooking Mexican food. Sure, people like Mexican food, but not when they show up at an Italian restaurant.

Melissa Chang hits the nail on the head in her article at TheStandard.com.

“With this much money being spent, you would think that the creativity and variety of ads would be flourishing. But instead, the majority of today’s video advertising is fairly rudimentary and comes in a number of often-criticized formats that piggy-back on existing advertising…”

Lord knows there is enough Online Video work to go around, and I welcome fresh, talented people into the industry. But there’s a very real need for producers to learn the dozens of defining characteristics that separate Online Video Marketing Content, from Television Marketing Content

To name a few:

• TV is a passive media (sit and watch). Online Video is interactive (move and control).
• TV is a short pitch. Online Video is open ended and flexible depending on venue.
• TV is slick-polished-whiz-bang-boom kind of content. Online Video is a child of the internet. The most transparent, interconnected, user driven experience in history.

Drop the posing. Burn the shallow script. Quit re-purposing old school TV production methods. Online Video is a fresh medium with unique considerations. Producers finally have the freedom to effectively use authenticity, relevance, and here’s the best part… That’s what people have always wanted!

Clients shouldn’t be afraid to promptly acknowledge and address the weak points of their business either. No one expects you to be perfect. As long as your value is effectively communicated, that kind of transparency and dedication resonates on the net. (but that’s another post entirely.)

Yes, a company should appear respectable through their marketing efforts. This is business, and you should play to your strengths. But they have to be Real Strengths. The moment you start pushing half-truths and plastic words, your credibility jumps out the window. This generation can smell posers a mile away, and the polished ad-speak of yesteryear is either being met with cynicism or ignored. Unfortunately, TV marketing efforts are usually riddled with hype, unsubstantiated claims, patronizing promises, or stylized fluff.

Please don’t misunderstand. I still watch TV. (as indicated by my waistband) My wife and I spend wwaayy too much time hopping through Tivo. But you wouldn’t see a video banner ad as 30 second spot would you? Beyond just “Content” being King, I think we should also try to remember the Kinglyness of “Context”.

• Where are people experiencing the Online Video Marketing content?
• What brought them there? What indicators do you have to reveal their likely mindset?
• What’s going to be the most relevant and compelling video content during that specific experience?
• How can you be less like an ignored ad, and more like an intriguing invitation for them to come closer to you.

To those professionals who see the differences and cater to the innate strengths of Online Video over the traditions of Old-Media, I salute you. To everyone else, shift gears and join us in the 21st century. The restaurant is packed and we could use some more good chefs. Just don’t cook up anymore of this.

/rant off
/going to see: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

YouTube Improves Video Tracking

When it comes to online video there’s no shortage of distribution options out there, but YouTube is still a behemoth. They just have more eyes and ears, plain and simple. Until recently, only the most rudimentary pieces of information could be learned through the site. But YouTube finally heeded our calls and released YouTube Insight. Now you can track your daily YouTube hits and geographic data.

Still pretty basic stuff, but at least this giant is plodding in the right direction.

Simplifying Your Online Life

The zen archery metaphor in that lomography post reminded me of an email I received from a partner recently. Tim Miles, good guy. Kind of twitchy sometimes, but in a smart way.

He linked me to ZenHabits, a website that I’ve since found helpful. Specifically he sent me to a post about ways to simplify your life in a digital age that begs us to be more-faster-now.

I was the guy getting pinged by 3 open email accounts, phone calls, multiple IM chats and cell phone textings while working towards multiple deadlines. For years I thought multitasking allowed me to get more work done, but I mistook being “busy” for being “productive”.

Maybe you’ve had similar experiences. Wake up in the morning, charge to work, and dive into a whirlpool of phone calls, emails, memos, deadlines. By the end your brain is fried and can’t recall accomplishing anything that actually made a real difference. Finally, plop onto the sofa and you’re too drained to enjoy those truly important things in life. You know what I mean, starts with a “F-A-M”. That’s right. Famous people on your TV.

As with most worthwhile endeavors simplifying your life takes some discipline, but it’s worth it. The clarity and focus allows you to invest in those relationships that are truly important, both personal and professional. Occasionally I still wander back into a maelstrom of multi-tasking. But then again, I often suck.

Down with Posing! Up with Lomogra-huh?

Hey. Obviously I’ve been neglecting the blog lately. The sad thing is I looked for a way to hide the posting dates. No luck… How’s that for authenticity? heheheh.

Just wanted to give you a quick glimpse into one our creative inspirations. It’s a way of taking pictures that results in breathtaking images, compositions, and what I like to think of as “moments of truth”. Lomography seems very “zen” to me. I don’t mean that in an overtly spiritual way, but I’ve always been fascinated by the way zen archers approach a target. They – don’t – aim.

How many of you have posed for a picture and stared at the camera for an uncomfortable amount of time until it finally flashes. The results? Predictable.

Do you shoot pictures that way? Holding the camera eye level with the subject, making sure you don’t cut off anything, everyone is looking right at you and smiling. *click* booorrriiinnnggg. But don’t feel bad, most of the camera carrying public takes pictures like that.

Chances are you have a digital camera, so the expense of film should be a non-issue. If you’re at all interested in taking more real, dynamic, or just more interesting photos, give this stuff a shot. (lame pun semi-intended. )

In my opinion, lomography is to photography what zen is to archery. Simply put yourself in the right place, time, frame of mind and boom – you can get awesome shots. Success has less to do with how hard you’re trying, and everything to do with how flexible you’re willing to be with your photography.

Now please excuse me while I keep not-aiming at this blog. (self deprecating jab very intended)

Wealthy Consumers and Social Networks

Think social networking sites are just for teens and people with too much time on their hands? The Center for Media Research gives a glimpse at social media use and how it’s changing the way the internet is being used by the wealthy.

“… the participation of wealthy online consumers in social networks dramatically increased to 60% in 2008, from 27% in 2007. Participation levels of online wealthy consumers in leading social networks are 16% for MySpace, 13% for LinkedIn, and 11% for Facebook. “

Mark my words. More online marketing efforts must become less like advertising and more like public relations. Even when a MySpace page is filled with ads, consumers are typically oblivious to their presence. But when a company finally “gets it”, and steps into to the snarky frontier of a social media with candor and insight, they become more relevant.

This is a scary thing for most businesses to hear, but it’s the truth. The customer is in control, and they’re talking about you in blogs, forums and text messages beyond your control.

But you’re not completely impotent, and can still be very influential in buying decisions. Social Influence Marketing. It’s not for the faint of heart, but nows the time to seriously consider the pros and cons.

Free Money and Ginger

You’ve been there before. Sitting at a stop light and a few feet away someone with a cardboard sign is asking for money. But what would you do if they were trying to give you money instead?

Peter Nevland decided to find out.

The video isn’t overtly religious, but Peter has been a friend of mine for years and the subtext here is interesting. He’s is a poet, a vocalist, a performance artist and one of the most spiritual Christians I know.

The final thought, “Sometimes it’s hard to take a free gift… What you do with it is up to you.”

An entertaining and powerful metaphor played out in the street. I dig.

@ Peter : So THAT’S why you needed to borrow a camera. Well done, sir.

MySpace Ads Not Delivering

Want to know why?

No Relevance.

Is it any surprise that chronic socializers are choosing relationships over buying things. Big companies are spending millions of dollars to tap into the social networking scene, but MySpacers aren’t biting.

“Direct marketers say only a fraction of 1% of the people who see the ads click on them.”

If you’ve used MySpace, you know that the ads are pervasive. So much so that it’s become another form of marketing noise to be ignored.

The article goes on to talk about how social network advertising is still in it’s infancy, and will eventually come into it’s own. Sure, there’s potential there. But until these marketers find a consistent way to become relevant to people who simply want to connect with their friends, their ads will continue to be the annoying “friend” that people secretly wish would go hang out somewhere else.

Best way (generally) to reach people online? Make sure people can find you when they actively look for the thing that you offer. Growing brand awareness can be an exception, but most people simply need a helpful website and ways for people to actually find it.

How to effectively handle those visitors is another post entirely. =)