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Best Consumer-Generated Advertising?

ByNalts

What’s your favorite consumer-generated advertisement? (See Joseph Jaffe’s dated but comprehensive iMediaConnection article to get a better understanding of what CGA is). A classic is when iPod lover and teacher George Masters creates his own online campaign for Apple iPod. HappySlip’s Mac Beautiful is one of my favorites, and it was seen more than a…

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Online-Video Workshop for Marketers

ByNalts

Warning: Blog post contains blatant self promotion. 🙂 I’ve been frustrated by the lack of understanding among marketers and advertising agencies about how to capitalize on online/viral video. Most viral-video marketing campaigns are born to fail — with heavy production costs, overtly promotional content, and view counts that are embarrassing. Rather than stew and rant,…

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XLNTads Nearing Launch

ByNalts

If you want a “sneak peak” at a rapidly evolving website that’s connecting marketers with online-video creators, check out Xlntads.com. Note- I’m on the company’s “creator adviser board,” so don’t expect complete objectivity in this post. But I love that they found me, and that I’ve been able to help shape this company. I only…

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Is Amateur Online-Video Under Siege by Hollywood and Madison Avenue?

ByNalts

“Viral videos are on their way out. You’re the Chia Pet of 2007.” That’s from an e-mail sent last night from my sister, who produces for a major television network on the west coast. There seems to be a great skepticism about amateur video’s endurance when the competitive Huns from Hollywood and Madison-Avenue Mongolians are…

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Get Paid to Do Word-of-Mouth Marketing: CashtoBuzz.com

ByNalts

A new startup is paying college kids to simply mention product names to strangers. It’s part of a new viral-marketing wave that capitalizes on the trust of peer-to-peer “buzz marketing. Here’s a video that explains how the system works, and be sure to visit www.CashtoBuzz.com to see some top-notch clients. [youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=e9KtYoUoImk]

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Ouch. The Fine Line Between “Storytelling” and Inauthenticity

ByNalts

Online-video has rules, and I’ve broken one. And I don’t care.   A while back two YouTubers (myself and CharlesTrippy) did a fake feud on YouTube that created something of a backlash. Our loyal subscribers were outraged that Charles and I would give out each other’s cell phones to torment the other (see Charles’ video, then…

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Can the Hype of “The Largest Ad Platform on Earth” Deliver?

ByNalts

With the anticipated surge in spending, media companies are scrambling to get in on the action. This is clear with Viacom’s suit against YouTube and the recent partnership between NBC Universal and News Corp. The two companies are creating a yet-unnamed “online video ad network.” News Corp. President-COO Peter Chernin called “the largest ad platform on earth.”…

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Make Money from Your Animated Cartoons

ByNalts

Independent animators have a new channel to promote and profit from their animated cartoons — without having to compete with ripped television cartoons.   ToonBreak is a new site that shares revenue with creators. Animators can earn money from video ads, text and banner ads, affiliate links, donations, and merchandising. All of this is currently…