Category Archives: book

book, Online Video, Uncategorized, Video Advertising, Video Business, Video Sites, Viral Video

Why Tuesdays Suck for Online Video Junkies

snail.jpgTuesdays suck. Why? It's the worst day to check videos. For reasons I can't quite explain, people do more on e-mail and the web on Tuesdays. It's been a long-standing "secret" that promotional e-mails get the best "open rates" on Tuesdays. My CubeBreak traffic spikes on Tuesdays. Even this blog spikes on Tuesdays.

But all of this means I'm competing with my co-workers for bandwidth. Tuesday lunchtime is the single worst time to surf videos. So my videos aren't loading, and it's pissing me off. Could everyone just get off the Internet for a few minutes?  

book, Future of Online Video, Killer Video, Making Videos, Online Video, Uncategorized, Video Business, Video Software, Viral Video, Web 2.0

Video Resolution to Get Worse Before Better

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old-cam.jpgWe're all getting used to crappy video online. It may stream quickly, but it's a pixelated as Atari's original Space Invaders.

Will this improve soon? Not for the most part. Sure some of us will upgrade to higher end pro-sumer video cameras ($3000-$10,000). And broadband will allow for higher file-size uplpoads than the typical 100 meg cap. But the vast majority of us will start using our video-enabled cell phones to capture a lot of spontanious, viral videos. So in aggregate, the videos of 2007 will be even uglier than 2006.

Bandwidth isn't yet an issue online, but keep in mind that Japan's wireless broadband is signficantly faster than what you're using now to connect at home. There won't be an incentive for cell providers in the U.S. to bring us high definition video cameras because nobody will want to spend 5-10 minutes sending their video clips to their buddy. So until cell phone pipes expand in the U.S., we're going to be stuck with grainy footage for a while.

The high-end sites will boast broadcast-like quality video, but the vast majority of consumer-generated video will look worst next year. Let's hope that I'm wrong or that someone's creating a software to enhance videos.

… Like in the movies when they turn a 10-pixel image of some guy at his desk into a "Kodak clear" image, in which you can read the legal print on the memo on his desk. Does that bother anyone else, or am I just a geek (don't feel obliged to answer that)?

book, Diet Coke, Killer Video, Mentos, Online Video, Revver, Uncategorized, Video Advertising, Video Business, Viral Video, Web 2.0, YouTube

Get Rick Quick? Amazing Case Study on Viral Video Impact (Diet Coke and Mentos)

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1150173200mentos.jpgWho would have thought that a few hundred dollars worth of Diet Coke and Mentos could turn into $30,000? According to this Wall Street Journal article, viral videos — which featuring explosive shots of Mentos mixed with Diet Coke — http://www.eepybird.com/ have generated several million of views. This is not uncommon for YouTube, but it's a record for Revver.com, a video-serving company that splits ad revenue 50/50 with its creators.

The result?

  • In the first weeks, the creators made $15,000 of ad revenue from their videos, which included an elaborate display of 101 two-liter bottles of Diet Coke and 523 Mentos to create what WSJ called a "dancing fountain like the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas." (Click here for video). Revver made $15,000 as well, and this data is already weeks old. EepyBird is not posting its videos on YouTube or other sites, and has requested visitors not to either.mentos.jpg
  • Mentos is made by a unit of Italian confectioner Perfetti Van Melle. "We are tickled pink by it," says Pete Healy, vice president of marketing for the company's U.S. division. The company spends less than $20 million on U.S. advertising annually. He estimates the value of online buzz to be "over $10 million." He's talking about EepyBird, as well as the hundreds of other videos posted elsewhere.coke1.jpg
  • Mentos is considering a promotional campaign with the two creators of the viral videos. Diet Coke, however, is less interested. spokeswoman Susan McDermott. "We would hope people want to drink [Diet Coke] more than try experiments with it." McDermott says that the "craziness with Mentos … doesn't fit with the brand personality" of Diet Coke. (kinda reminds you of when the M&M guy passed on having his candy associated with an alien, and then Resees Pieces ate M&M's lunch by appearing on E.T.).  Would Sergio have argued about brand personality? Would Sergio Zyman have turned that down?
  • EepyBird's creators are Fritz Grobe, a 37-year-old professional juggler, and Stephen Voltz, 48-year-old lawyer, from Buckfield, Me. They belong to a local theater company (Oddfellow theater) and have had calls from several late-night talk shows, including CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman."

Typically it's hard to make a mint on Revver (which has limited traffic), but impossible to make money on YouTube (which doesn't share ad revenue with content creators). So how do I move from my GoogleHead, Crackberry and Burger King Outsources videos (which are somewhat popular but nothing like Eeepy) into something with wicked viral appeal?

I wonder if I lit my fart on fire with a Bic if I could get the lighter-maker to do a promotion with me. Ya think?

Blogs on Video, book, Future of Online Video, Making Videos, Online Video, Uncategorized, Video Advertising, Video Business, Video Sites, Viral Video, Web 2.0, YouTube

YouTube is a Giant Conference Call

concall.jpgI've been trying to figure out how YouTube managed to surpass video-sharing sites like Break.com, despite arriving to the market far later. Then it occured to me what may already be obvious to you. Most video sites are searchable television stations… putting the visitor in command to find video that appeals.

YouTube, however, is a giant conference call. It's made up of video posters watching and commenting on other video posters. They're connected, they have popularity (or lack of), and they react to each other. YouTube has recently launched the ability to send a video reaction to someone's video (instead of just leaving a comment). It's closer to MySpace in the social networking aspect. And it's what people want out of online video.

So despite previous posts, I think there will be a future for YouTube after the "wild west" era of copyright protection ends. It won't be as dramatic, but it will be there.

Interestingly, though, some of the popular video creators of YouTube are starting to migrate their content to other channels that give them income. For instance, YouTube idol, Morbeck, began posting on Revver.com (a site that gives creators half of the revenue generated by ad clicks). Others (like ZeFrank) are posting via Revver and asking people not to post it on YouTube or other online video sites.

book, Future of Online Video, Online Video, Uncategorized, Video Advertising, Video Business, Video Sites, Viral Video, Web 2.0, YouTube

YouTube’s Accidental Rocket: Whoa, duuuude.”

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"There is a sense that YouTube accidentally built a rocket and is willing to hang on to see where it goes," observes Technology Writer Kevin Maney in an article from USAToday. "Co-founders Chen and Chad Hurley can be like the main characters in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, who go for joy rides in a time-traveling phone booth and marvel at where they land with a "Whoa, duuuude!""

Here are my other two favorite parts:youtube.jpg

  1. When I ask Hurley if advertisers are seeking out YouTube, he replies, "More than we can deal with. Potential partners — that's another wave of e-mails. We're having discussions with all the major studios, (record) labels and networks."

  2. What does all this mean to the media business? There isn't a soul who really knows — except to know it means that a tiny company above a Japanese restaurant can alter the balance of the entire industry.

P.S. I'm not a soul who knows either, but that doesn't stop me from blogging about it a few times a day.

book, Killer Video, Making Videos, Online Video, Uncategorized, Video Advertising, Viral Video

Pranking the Coffee Mascot

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testdrive.jpgBlogs can be fatiguing to maintain (sans revenue) until something like this comes along. Mascot Roommate. These guys prank their poor roommate who has a job promoting a coffee shop.

It takes the fun out of it to think it might be staged, but there's certainly tips that would suggest that. One thing's clear to me- it's not an ad campaign. Coffee Bean wouldn't sanction this (some of it's crude) and they certainly wouldn't serve the clips on a Mac account. So whether it's staged or not, we can conclude that the real prank is on the store and its customers.

That said, this would make a helluva viral ad campaign, wouldn't it? I think if I was the PR guy for Coffee Bean, I'd have our lawyers send a "cease and desist" letter. And if I was the head of marketing, I'd give 'em a check, pull down the "over the top" content (Mascot thrusting pole), and put some viral wind behind it.

book, Killer Video, Online Video, Video Advertising, Video Business, Viral Video, Web 2.0

Sasquatch Helps Market Beef Jerkey

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jack.jpgI just about peed on myself looking at the videos on this Jack Link's Beef Jerkey campaign website. To see some really funny ads, click on the video camera hanging on the tree. They feature hikers taunting Sasquatch with various pranks. 

You may also want to visit Sasquatch's MySpace. (Courtesy of Adrants). Someone please post the name of the agency that did this. Fantastic campaign. 

book, Killer Video, Online Video, Uncategorized, Video Advertising, Video Business, Viral Video, Web 2.0

Feature Film Released in Short Chunks Via Web (WorkingStiff)

workingstiff.jpgWho needs Hollywood? "WorkingStiff" is an independent film being released via www.ProjectWorkingStiff.com in short chunks via the Internet. The release began Memorial Day, and is being rolled out in 3 to 5-minute increments until the complete 94 minutes has played. Each day’s episode is stored in the lineup until the whole movie has played. The story features Gene, a beleaguered corporate filmmaker who directs training videos for a large corporation. Facing a financial crunch that could cost him his home, he decides to use the company studio at night to produce an ”adult” version of the anti-sexual harassment training video he's shooting during the day.

The writer, Greg Joyce, has more han twenty years of experience. He earned his BA in English and Philosophy from Boston College and his Masters degree in Magazine Journalism from Syracuse University. For full credits click here.

This is a great example of an innovative distribution approach, and I suspect we'll see more of these projects where small film makers bypass traditional distribution channels and offer their work directly. Brightcove is the company powering the technology, and to RSS it (which I would highly recommend), put this in your feeder: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid18617683?action=rss

To dive deeper, check out the film's blog.  

book, Future of Online Video, Killer Video, Online Video, Uncategorized, Viral Video, YouTube

Bus Uncle: I have PRESSURE

bus uncle.jpg

I've always maintained that web video can't be longer than 30 seconds to 2 minutes, but this 6-minute clip (Bus Uncle) provide otherwise- it will entertain you silly and you'll soon be quoting it.

Some poor 23-year-old in a Hong Kong bus tapped the shoulder of a real estate agent who was talking loudly on his cell phone. The guy (now known in Hong Kong as "Bus Uncle") proceeded to yell at the teenager for 6 minutes using absurd dialogue that appears to have been taken from a low-budget Japanese film. Luckily another guy across the bus captured the entire episode, and posted it to YouTube (where it has been watched several million times). Search"Bus Uncle" to find the original as well as a Karaoke version, the rap remix and the dance and disco take.

According to this CNN article, "Now Chan is rarely seen without an entourage. A business sells T-shirts and handbags. "Bus Uncle" Web sites have emerged, while there is an entry on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. His words on pressure have become an oft-repeated catchphrase in this teeming city."

Watch everything you do, folks. When U.S. citizens are armed with video cellphones, your next outburst could become an Internet phenomenon.