In an effort to have a viable business model, YouTube recently announced a new brand channel, with the first channel being develoted to Paris Hilton and the release of her debut album. Their press release also mentions the introduction of Participatory Video Ads (PVA):
The new Participatory Video Ad is a user-initiated video advertisement with all of the YouTube community features enabled. Consumers can rate, share,comment, embed, and favorite advertising content that they find interesting, informative and entertaining. Rather than interrupt a consumer’s experience, we have created a model which encourages engagement and participation.
Initial PVA participants include a promo for the Weinstein Company’s upcoming release of PULSE, and Fox Broadcasting for the promotion of Fall season launch of Prison Break. Will this approach work for bringing dollars into YouTube? For the short-term, it is very likely, as advertisers are swarming around YouTube currently. But in other news, the blog Will Video for Food has started a betting pool to determine when YouTube will fall from glory…
After months of hype-building for the Samuel L. Jackson vehicle, Snakes on a Plane, the film opened with much fan-fare this past weekend. Weekend box office figures have been tallied, and the results are out. The film apparently did not fare as well as the film distributor hoped, taking in only $15.2 for the past weekend.
That being said, the marketing campaign that led up to the movie premiere was still an interesting exercise in using the internet to promote a film. From personalized mobile phone messages and emails, to a plethora of SoaP Parodies on You Tube, to customized templates on MySpace, the online excitement leading up to the film’s release was dizzying. And while the film didn’t provide much more of a plot than a bunch of poisonous snakes hanging out a plane, the audience participation at the screenings has been striking, and even an audience participation script is being distributed throughout the online world. So the film may not be a blockbuster hit, and it may not be up for an Oscar this year, but it still may have the chance to turn into a cult classic, a la Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Wieden + Kennedy has just launched an interesting tv spot that mimics the popular Grand Theft Auto video game — but with a twist. The happy-go-lucky characters remind me of the Honda Grrrr campaign. Is this spot saying that by drinking Coca-Cola you’ll be a nicer, friendlier person?
The editors of the online culture network Flavorpill have just announced the launch of Activate, a weekly email digest that focuses on world affairs. It is certainly an interesting approach for a network that is known for art, lifestyle events and music listings to venture into politics.
Goodby Silverstein & Partners launched a new animated spot for the California Coastal Commision to promote their clean up day in September.
