iMedia Connection - ad:tech blog

Following an all-night "hackathon," from Facebook's Menlo Park headquarters, on a big stage in "Hacker Square," Mark Zuckerburg (yes, in a zip-up hoodie) rang NASDAQ's bell remotely on the company's widely anticipated IPO day.
Yesterday, Facebook sold 421 million shares at $38 apiece, valuing the company at $104 billion, four times larger than Google's 2004 valuation. According to The New York Times, technology companies experience a bump on the first day of trading, raising the average stock price 32 percent above its offer price. If Facebook follows the "first-day pop" trend, the company will be worth $137 billion at the market's close today. Even before this predicted increase, the $104 billion valuation makes Facebook the highest valued American company at the time of its offering and "the second-largest U.S. IPO ever behind Visa," according to CBS News. To monitor the latest share prices and public reactions to the IPO, check out The New York Times' live blog of "Facebook's Market Debut."
On 3.7 billion in sales in 2011, Facebook earned $1 billion, which calculates to some notable margins: For every dollar the company brings in, Facebook keeps $0.27. The company has also accrued 900 million users, and, according to Facebook, the company... Read more

Nearly everyone in familiar with EA Sports' motto "It's in the game," and now, as the gaming publisher realizes the widespread consumer desire to play games online, EA is changing the way it plays its game. With 100-million-dollar budgets, the EA of the past, for example, invested in big Hollywood names and professional athletes to voice characters to bolster consumer support, and the company prospered into an international gaming authority. Yet, as CEO John Riccitiello confessed on NPR's Morning Edition, "We would like to be No. 1 in every possible area. That's a grand ambition and we are not there yet."
For the past few years, EA has found itself posting losses and incurring falling stock prices as the gaming industry has magically transformed into an increasingly social experience. Riccitiello admits, "When it comes to Facebook, we're No. 2. I'd say we're a distant No. 2. I mean, the other guy has lapped us three times." This "other guy" is social network game development company Zynga, responsible for the extremely addictive farming simulation game Farmville.
For the huge empire that is EA, spending millions of dollars to create its games, it must burn to admit its social inferiority to Zynga, who makes... Read more

Clearly, as reinforced by iMedia's Video Summit, which sadly drew to a close last night, video and TV are rapidly evolving. And all the platforms accelerating this change were hot topics at the event. The tablet in particular, used by 70 percent of us while watching TV, gained some serious attention, as audiences have found an engaging viewing companion in the iPad. During the last night of the Summit, members of broadcasting network ABC offered some unique insights into the shifting video landscape, and detailed the iPad's heavy influence on TV consumption. Below you will find ABC's presentation to ensure that you don't miss out on the key takeaways awarded to event attendees, so that you and your company can keep pace with the rapid changes iPad connectivity and portability are creating.

Last night, at the iMedia Video Summit in San Antonio, Texas, Paul Kontonis, VP/Group Director, Brand Content, The Third Act at Digitas, gave attendees a preview of the exciting new original programming coming to the web. Not only is the digital content groundbreaking, but also the amount of investment pouring in to finance the online video creativity. Media giants Hulu and YouTube have both shelled out $100 million for new digital programming.
According Robert Kyncl, YouTube VP in charge of content, "Our $100 million is just a catalyst, a message that says the big channel or show of the future is not going to be the channel or show of today.” And he is right, as the phrase "television show" or "television channel" is currently being transformed by the new collaborations of Silicon Valley and Hollywood, as video developers strive to create the best content for this budding industry. Yet, big-time players aren’t the only ones creating video destined for online audiences, as innovative small timers are getting in on the action as well. And, advertisers are catching on, as 3.1 billion dollars are estimated to be invested in online video advertising in 2012. Buy, according to many, this sum is... Read more

Last night, as you peered through the thoroughly perused pages of your social network, you were probably overwhelmed by warnings scattered throughout the evening. "Warnings" may be too soft of a word, as typically composed friends scrambled urgently to erase their Google search history before what many perceived as the apocalyptic launch of Google's new privacy policy. And, now that the day has arrived, and Google streamlines its understanding of user interests, likes, and hates, I have one question to ask: Is this something to fear or simply a tempest in a teapot?
It began in January, as Google announced on their official blog that it will be trimming the fat, or, I should say, using a cleaver to chop the fat off of their privacy policy. Rather than more than 60 privacy policies that cover all of their different products, Google has greatly consolidated their efforts and devised one master document to govern all. So, what does this mean?
Basically, the implemented policy change dictates that the private data Google collects by one service may be shared across its other platforms including YouTube and Gmail. In other words, as Google's blog reads, "Our new Privacy Policy makes clear that, if you’re... Read more