At the iMedia Breakthrough Summit in March, Lars Bastholm (formerly AKQA) referred to a question his associate Tom Bedecarre (AKQA) had previously asked him; "why is so much decision making made by 25 year old media buyers?" My new friends in attendance said they all thought of me, the lone 25 year old media buyer in the room. I immediately realized that I needed to write something up to share my perspective and voice to everyone.
I was excited to get my invite to the Breathrough Summit in Coconut Point this past month, my first iMedia conference ever. I was apprehensive on my way down to Florida, not knowing what exactly to expect. I was told, “introduce yourself to everyone you can,” “go to as many of the sessions as possible,” and of course, “pace yourself,”
The Saturday night cocktail party threw me right into the fire. There were greetings full of “what company are you from?”, “oh is that in New York?” I was pleasantly surprised by how open and inviting everyone was right off the bat. Everybody was there to meet people and share thoughts without pretense. “The Latin 3” welcomed me with open arms, and so began my... Read more
Archive for April, 2009
X-Men Origins site: Captivating but chaotic
Like any blockbuster film, the studios behind X-Men Origins, the prequel to the X-Men film trilogy set to release May 1, have created a comprehensive online experience for moviegoers and fans of the comic book series via its X-Men Origins site.
A visit to the site begins with the movie trailer. Beyond the trailer, users are presented with a slick and metallic feel, much like Wolverine's blades.
The site cycles through the cast of characters, including audio clips from each of them. It also features clips from the movie for those who want to absorb all they can about the plot before the film's release.
You'll also find common movie site offerings -- synopsis, gallery, mobile, downloads (wallpaper, widget, IM icons, screensaver), etc. There's a "Time Warrior" game, and visitors can register to receive updates about the movie
One of the more interesting experiences you can have on the site is the ability to choose a character, activate their "power" and let your mouse become your weapon as you explore the rest of the site. I found that fun... at first. Then I was quickly reaching for the "deactive power" button. Too much, too much!
I also appreciated the list of the film's brand... Read more
Sneak Peek at next week's ad:tech San Francisco-my chat with Drew Ianni
Next week brings ad:tech back to San Francisco for another exciting conference and expo. I'm pleased to be returning to the big show and traded notes with ad:tech Content Chair Drew Ianni about what we can all look forward to seeing at Moscone Center.
Brad Berens: Let's start at the start: you have Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales opening the show. That's fantastic. He's a true internet visionary and has created in Wikipedia one of the most-trafficked sites and most enduring online brands that has nearly killed another enduring brand: the Encyclopedia Britannica. On the other hand, Wikipedia has struggled to stay afloat because it won't accept advertising and relies on donations to keep going. What's Mr. Wales going to talk about? And does it have much to do with the Mahalo-like Wikianswers that launched last month?
Drew Ianni: In addition to Jimmy Wales, we also just confirmed that Jason Kilar, the CEO of Hulu, will be keynoting ad:tech as well. This is very exciting and what I was hoping for-- as the whole idea of disruption couldn't be more timely and relevant. With Jason and Jimmy, we have two different kinds of disruptors. I expect Jimmy to talk a bit about the story... Read more
Will Sony push its films down the 'Tube?
Sony Corp.'s entertainment division is is considering the possibility of posting movies on YouTube. If a deal can be reached, it will be the first time a major U.S. movie studio has posted a full-length film on the Google-owned video sharing site.
According to a report on CNET, Sony is hoping that the move will help boost the profile of its online video site, Crackle, while YouTube could be using the deal to lure other studios into partnerships. A related story at Bloomberg.com frames the deal as an effort from Hollywood studios to accommodate viewers’ changing demands without cutting into revenue from DVDs and pay-television.
However, as it is unlikely that Sony will offer anything other than older films from its catalog, or allow syndication of its content onto users' sites, it's a bit unclear what ground would be gained with this content play.
It remains to be seen whether the industry will gain anything -- revenue or insight -- from offering films like "Groundhog Day" or "Stripes" on YouTube. These films are already on Crackle, and they run on basic cable practically every few weeks as well. The true test of whether the studios can adapt to viewer demand is for one... Read more
