Digital Advertising

If print ads are the predecessor to digital banner ads, then TV commercials are the forefathers to online video (both in-banner and in-stream). Creative agencies have perfected the art of the TV commercial with exemplary spots that are still mentioned by consumers and advertisers alike. Any discussion of TV advertising’s greatest hits includes the silly genius of Mentos, the iconic 1984 Apple ad and GE’s sweet story about a woman’s career from her daughter’s perspective, and thousands of other great spots. At this point, does the industry have anything to learn when it comes to creating exciting digital video campaigns, or is broadcast-based expertise easily transferable?

It has a lot to learn, actually. While there are similarities between a digital video ad and a TV commercial (e.g. amazing storytelling opportunities, and the fact that viewers are already focused on the right part of the screen), there are many differences between the TV and online environments. Digital channels create the possibility for advertising to become a two-way path. Not only is the brand sharing its message with the viewer, but also the viewer can now interact with the brand. There are also limitations in an online environment: the screen is usually smaller than a television, and viewers are accustomed to shorter content.

These opportunities and limitations should guide the creation of digital video. On most platforms, viewers have the option to skip ads, so the most important content should come at the beginning of an in-stream ad. On desktop and mobile devices, viewers consume many short pieces of content, so some advertisers release multiple short ads in lieu of one longer ad, giving viewers the option to consume additional brand content if they choose.

Measurement is a key area where the rules of TV do not apply in digital. In television, the most commonly used metrics are around reach. Online advertisers measure reach and impression volume, in addition to clicks, interactions, video completions, conversions, and much more. One newer metric that has been the subject of many conversations is viewability, which is defined by the MRC as at least 50 percent of the ad in view for at least one second.

The ability to advertise across different channels -- including print, television, digital video, social platforms, and mobile apps, among others -- creates many points of contact between consumers and brands, but how specifically should the brand message be tailored to the medium? According to a recent report released by Gallup, the more consistent advertising efforts are across all channels, the more effective they will be. Each advertising channel presents its own unique opportunity, but must be designed with the goal of presenting a harmonious message to customers.

Experts Views on the Value of Business Plans

Andrea Cokerton is an expert in delivering product and services from the United Kingdom.  During her career she has worked with over 350 entrepreneurs. Her career expertise centers on “venture funding and business critical ideas. She has facilitated entrepreneurial workshops, network events for businesses in the U.K.  and has aided large companies in developing key talks in order to successfully impact the business world.  In an interview in 2008, she expressed some essential key information for a successful business plan. She comments that it is important to ask for money from investors and bankers before there is no cash left. Andrea states, “Going to investors at too late a stage is a risky strategy. Better is to look at the long-term objectives and aspirations of the business and plan the fundraising sensibly into this long-term strategy,” (Thenextwomen.com, 2008). She adds that there should be three essential points that a person must have in their business plan pitch: “that you are (1) targeting a growing market with a need for your product or service, (2) that the team is talented and able to execute the business plan, and (3) that your product, service or idea is groundbreaking,” (Thenextwomen.com, 2008).  These idea’s are key fundamentals to the presentation of a business plan because investors are searching for entrepreneurs who invest time and energy in the successful future while understanding and applying mindful risk management.

Angelo Meneguzzi is a business expert and professional with over 10 years of experience in the business world. He has helped and mentored several start ups in the technological world. He has generated millions of dollars in revenue. Some of the A-List companies he has had the pleasure of working with include Disney, Upside Magazine and ABC News among others. While giving consulting advise, he has develop several business plans. Given that I am a new business owner, I have often wondered why is a business plan so important? Angelo states, “benefits include: a heads-up to changes in the environments, better forecasting, opportunities to analyze situations before they become problematic,” (Bplans.com, 2011). Once again, this advice is essential to the future success and the ability to spot out concerns before they become problems for your business.

As I am developing my business, I am taking both Meneguzzi and Cokerton have mentioned about business plan development.  It is so important to have a plan that that has specific objectives and forecasts for your business. Starting a company is risky, but if one is able to make educated predictions on the direction of the industry and its future trends then prosperity can be just around the corner.

The Current State of Television

 It’s no secret that consumers are taking back control of their viewing habits, watching only the content that interests them, whenever and wherever they want. Widespread adoption of connected devices and the emergence of platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Aereo and Apple TV have only amplified this, putting pressure on the television industry to innovate. 
It's increasingly clear that consumers aren't satisfied with the status quo. With more eyeballs migrating online, new programming and viewing platforms are emerging at a rapid pace, offering consumers the flexibility to customize their television experience. Companies who recognize the role technology plays in developing solutions that simplify and enrich the consumer experience are driving these innovations. This will examine the current state of the television ecosystem and uncover the innovative technologies that are acting as catalysts for change.

The first wave of connected TVs, called "Web TVs," failed because they assumed that people would use their televisions as a computer, by browsing the Internet and reading email. Now, a new generation of Internet-enabled TVs is succeeding. These connected televisions enhance the everyday experience of watching television by offering a better viewing experience for your favorite programs and movies, as well as an alternative way to interact with music and photos.

Streaming devices currently comprise the majority of connected TVs. But we believe distribution will shift to smart TVs, as prices decrease and the television upgrade cycle shortens. Apple TV and Roku hold the largest market share for streaming devices, but Chromecast, which Google released last summer, has also achieved stellar sales numbers. Market research data shows that 8 million Apple TVs and 4.5 million Rokus shipped in 2013 in the U.S. Smart TVs will account for the majority of television shipments by 2014. By 2015, more households will have smart TV than connected TVs. On both streaming devices and smart TVs there is a division between open and closed platforms. Chromecast, LG, and Roku have embraced open platforms that allow developers a great deal of freedom to develop apps for their devices. Samsung, Apple, and others are betting on closed ecosystems, which follow a more careful curatorial approach. Despite platform fragmentation, HTML5 offers at least a faint hope for increased unification between connected TVs, just as it does on mobile. LG and Chromecast have integrated it into their connected TV development environments. How will developers and operating system operators monetize smart TV apps? Media downloads, subscriptions and to a much lesser degree — advertisements will drive the dollars. Smart TV platform operators have begun experimenting with ads. Changes to the pay TV industry, namely cable and satellite providers, will also have a huge impact on the future of connected TV. It’s now an open question as to how and how effectively cable providers will use their power to shape the future of connected TV.

Industry Liabilities

According to a lawsuit filed against James Franco, Franco had an agreement to develop the film version of “Ham on Rye” by Charles Bukowski but it expired in 2010.  In an agreement entered by both Franco and Humphries in January 2009, Humphries allowed Franco to develop a film based on this novel. The lawsuit states the film “barrows the Novel's themes of childhood loneliness; adolescent self-consciousness; the failures, hypocrisy, and cruelty of adults; and, in an unflinching depiction, the crude interest teenage boys take in sex. …The Film incorporates entire scenes, including substantially their dialogue, from the Novel." The complaint of the lawsuit covers all the alleged similarities as well as all the discussions between Humphries and Franco’s representatives over the past year.  In December of last year, Humphries caught wind that the film had completed work and was being shopped by Franco for distribution. I believe that Franco should allow Humphries to see the completed work of the film thus far and allow him to sit in on the rest of the filming so that Humphries can have the piece of mind about his novel as a film.

            Tess Gerristen, Best-selling author, is suing Warner Bros. with the allegation that the movie Gravity was derived from her 1999 book Gravity. The lawsuit filed claims that it was not copyright infringement, but a contract that she had stemming from a film option when her book was released. The premise of Gerristen’s book “is a female medical doctor/astronaut who is stranded alone aboard a space station after a series of disasters kill the rest of the crew." She was promised that if a film was made "based on" her book was made, she would receive a $500,000 production bonus, screen credit and, maybe most importantly, 2.5 percent of defined net proceeds. Last year's film -- which won seven Oscars -- grossed more than $700 million worldwide, putting potentially a lot at stake in the new lawsuit.” In my opinion Gerristen is out of luck with this one. I do not think she going to be able to prove that she deserves to be given credit and receive payment for the movie.

            Thomas Althouse sued Warner Bros alleging that The Matrix trilogy had similarities to a script he submitted to Warner Bros. in 1993. The premise of Althouse script The Immortals is “a CIA agent who gains immortality from a drug and finds himself in the year 2235, where Adolph Hitler and some Nazis have been reanimated from cryopreservation. In the script, the spy protagonist is now fighting with those now immortal Nazis who seek to oppress and destroy all "short-lifers." "The basic premises of The Matrix Trilogy and The Immortals are so different that it would be unreasonable to find their plots substantially similar," writes Judge R. Gary Klausner.  This was pretty much an open and shut case. The premises of The Matrix Trilogy and The Immortals were just too different, so I rule for Warner Bros.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/warner-bros-wins-lawsuit-claiming-699434

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/james-franco-sued-violating-film-699013

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/tess-gerritsen-sues-warner-bros-700218

Artist Management: Using Digital Marketing to Brand Yourself

Artist Management: Using Digital Marketing to Brand Yourself

When it comes to artist brand digital marketing keep in mind that less is more and relationships are very important. The deluge of content will allow you a lot of noise that the bar will be set high as result. Music companies will do more with less. This means the use of a low number of creative campaigns will go a long way. As the ability to track analytics increases, the budgets for content marketing will also increase. With the increasing usage of mobile devices, 20% of all websites are being access using them. Between streaming websites, B2B services and other types of websites, you can bet that a large portion of them is being access using tables and mobile phones. With the understanding that Google is a widely use search engine, it will be a matter of time that they will crack down on having the free download sites with in their searches. Think about if Google was to remove all the free download music sites from their databases, record labels are bound to see an increase in sales. This will force consumers to actually have to buy the music at an actual physical store or through the purchase of a digital copy. Google has a choice to make to either remove the sites or began charging web users to access these sites. For the past two years the music industry has seen a lot tech start ups.  These start ups have taken on the responsibility to aid artist and labels to obtain a clearer understanding of using data to increase the size of fan bases, and at the same time increase loyalty among the artists’ listeners. Companies such as Pledge Music, Next Big Sound, BandPage, and EmuBands will began to flourish in the music industry as a whole. The use of visual media is becoming more and more essential to an artist’s digital imprint. We understand that info graphics are the most shared kind of content in the industry. We live in an emerging age of short attention spans so applications like Vine and Twitter are more appealing to the masses. So when it comes to branding yourself through the use of digital marketing always go with less to meet the music desires of your audience.