| Userplane's Michael Jones explains why online video | | | | experience online, and this powerful medium now |
| must be included in your marketing mix.Thanks to | | | | reaches everyone with engaging and interesting |
| online video ads, guys with bad hygiene and pathetic | | | | content," Hunter said.The internet makes users part |
| social skills can try wooing VH1 VJ Rachel Perry-- and | | | | of the media experience. They aren't just viewers, as |
| they even get a well-mannered response. Ah, the | | | | they are on television. They're participants. They're |
| wonders of the internet.The ad campaign was an | | | | members of the online community. Advertisers are |
| innovative partnership between laddie-mag Maxim and | | | | taking advantage of this increased engagement and |
| Pontiac to hype the carmaker's Solstice Roadster. | | | | loyalty. On New Year's Eve, MSN aired 30-second |
| Users logged onto the magazine's website and | | | | video ads from the entertainment and automotive |
| submitted pick-up lines to an image of Perry, actually | | | | industry throughout its live web cast from Times |
| an incarnation of the beautiful celebrity compiled from | | | | Square. The coverage allowed internet viewers to |
| hundreds of pre-recorded videos. People with the | | | | become part of the show-- sending emails that were |
| best lines registered to win a car. Depending on the | | | | included in the web cast.Companies are also |
| attempt, the program culled Perry's retort in real time | | | | mainstreaming online video ads because they use |
| from hundreds of pre-recorded responses. The site | | | | quantitative data to connect consumers to products |
| was flooded with users. According to Advertising | | | | and services. This is the new "golden metric" to |
| Age, 16,000 people registered in its first three | | | | determine ROI, according to Diane Mermigas, |
| weeks.The titillating Pontiac campaign was the | | | | contributing editor to The Hollywood Reporter. "It is |
| successor to Burger King's Subservient Chicken, an | | | | impossible to counter the logic that paying 28 cents |
| online craze of its own. The two demonstrate the | | | | for a click on Google by a targeted consumer who |
| unique potential for online video ads. They lock millions | | | | might engage in an electronic transaction is not |
| of users to the sites, create a viral response by | | | | preferred to paying 10 cents per reader for a national |
| allowing fans to email the links to friends, and | | | | magazine print ad that might not be seen," Mermigas |
| generate pop culture buzz. And of course, the online | | | | writes.Mermigas says traditional media outlets can |
| video ads paid off in higher chicken sandwich sales | | | | cash in on the online action by moving consumers and |
| and registrations.We shouldn't be surprised online | | | | advertisers to websites. In the future, look for more |
| video ads are becoming so popular. The streaming | | | | joint marketing sales between internet video |
| ads are a natural outgrowth of technological | | | | advertising and traditional media outlets. Companies |
| advances, evolving consumer habits and the perennial | | | | will integrate campaigns, combining online videos with |
| desire to gain traction with users. They are a | | | | TV spots run on cable networks. This naturally |
| much-needed advance in the maturation of the | | | | extends the campaign because video production |
| internet and will help ensure its future profitability. | | | | costs were paid when the content was prepared for |
| Fortunately, companies are realizing this. The online | | | | traditional media.3.) Interactive, engaging and |
| research aggregator eMarketer projects streaming | | | | informative |
| video spending will nearly triple to $640 million in the | | | | Finding your ads' target audience is only a start, you |
| next two years, and grow to $1.5 billion by | | | | have to lock them in to be effective, get them to |
| 2010.Three key factors have caused the rise of | | | | engage. TV, radio and print have skinned this cat |
| online video ads, and will guarantee the medium soars | | | | every which way for decades, but they're still |
| in 2006.1.) A tech-savvy culture | | | | handicapped. They're dealing with passive mediums |
| If the internet were a child, we could say it's leaving | | | | and can't snoop while the consumer interacts with |
| the awkward ugly stage and beginning to blossom. | | | | the pitch. The truth is, they don't know who's paying |
| Let's face it, only a small number of consumers | | | | attention or for how long! Meanwhile, customers who |
| jumped on board with the latest technologies when | | | | check out the new online video ads by Ross-Simons |
| they over-promised on the results or didn't work out | | | | not only get a behind-the-scenes peek at the styles |
| the bugs. At first, technology was holding back | | | | of jewelry merchant, their interaction with the ad |
| advances, which held back the profits. I was like a | | | | teaches marketers what works.Ross-Simons just |
| parent, cringing and wincing at those banners and | | | | launched its streaming ads on its website. They star |
| pop-ups. It was like seeing my youngster lurching | | | | soap opera actress Lauren Koslow of NBC's "Days of |
| through puberty. Hang in there little buddy, you're | | | | Our Lives," and allow consumers to click on |
| gonna make it! Now, technology is catching up with | | | | highlighted items to learn more or order the product. |
| expectations, which entices a broader range of | | | | The videos engage customers and allow them to |
| consumers and gives marketers a piece of the action. | | | | take action at the moment of interaction. It's more |
| I'm beaming.The rapid adoption of broadband internet | | | | than an advertisement-- it's a prelude to a |
| access is the primary driver of online video ads. And | | | | transaction.Shot on digital video, there is little |
| it's only going to get better. The U.S. market hurdled | | | | comparison between online advertisements and their |
| a barrier to internet advertising this year when more | | | | passive cousins. Programmers can blend interactive |
| than half of online households were using high-speed | | | | concepts with the campaigns, like hidden "Easter |
| connections. A study by eMarketer estimates the | | | | eggs," flash, 3-D and high-resolution images. Many |
| number will continue to grow, from 42.3 million | | | | online ads include viral elements like emailing the ad to |
| households in 2005 to 69.4 million in 2008.With all | | | | friends or allowing users to become part of the online |
| those high-speed connections out there, comScore | | | | community by posting comments on the site.David |
| Networks found consumers putting them to good | | | | Hallerman, senior analyst at eMarketer, said, "More |
| use. More than 94 million people in the United States | | | | than any other advertising format, internet video has |
| viewed a streaming video online in June of last year, | | | | the potential to blend hot marketing elements |
| according to comScore. The company recently | | | | together-- branded entertainment, paid search, viral |
| released the first comprehensive assessment of the | | | | marketing, consumer generated media, behavioral |
| online streaming marketplace and, surprisingly, | | | | targeting, website brand marketing and online |
| discovered that technology isn't just for youngsters | | | | gaming."And every time a user emails an ad, clicks on |
| anymore. Consumers between ages 35 and 54 | | | | an Easter egg or conducts a search, we're learning |
| accounted for more than 45 percent of online video | | | | more about our target audience. We'll take that |
| ads watched in August 2005. It is 20 percent more | | | | information and improve, giving consumers what they |
| likely that these mature adults will watch an online | | | | really want next time, and the time after that, and |
| video than the typical internet user, the study found, | | | | the time after that. The best part is that this is only |
| and people between the ages of 25 and 34 are 12 | | | | the beginning.Michael Jones, founder and president of |
| percent more likely to watch a streaming video. | | | | Userplane, oversees the company's application and |
| These are hot marketing targets, and they love their | | | | business strategy, focusing on the future of live |
| streaming media."Contrary to public perception, it's | | | | communications through the development of web |
| not just 'college kids' or 'bleeding edge' internet users | | | | applications. During the past four years, Userplane has |
| who are streaming videos," said Erin Hunter, senior | | | | gained recognition as a leading web-based application |
| vice president of comScore Networks media and | | | | provider, in large part due to the success of its |
| entertainment solutions. Publishers are using | | | | Flash-based Audio/Video Webmessenger (TM) and |
| innovations like high-quality video product clips, music | | | | Webchat (TM) . Jones, one of the primary team |
| videos, movie trailers -- even news broadcasts -- to | | | | members in the design and development of the |
| engage consumers, Hunter said. "This creates a | | | | Userplane Community Suite remains the primary |
| fantastic opportunity for advertisers to capitalize on | | | | manager of the application and its deployments. |
| what is now a mainstream audience," she added.2.) | | | | Currently Jones sits on the board of IdeaOasis, and |
| An evolving business mindset | | | | holds advisory positions on several dating and social |
| The video ad pioneers have mainstream companies | | | | networking websites. Prior to founding Userplane, |
| hot on their heels, jumping on the online video | | | | Jones was CEO of PBJ Digital, a national web |
| bandwagon. Todd Herman of MSN told that 23 of | | | | development agency with clients ranging from Disney |
| the top 50 brands have advertised on the site since | | | | to Boeing. Among other activities, Jones has been a |
| its launch in August 2004. They include Pfizer, Procter | | | | keynote speaker at the 2003 OFFF conference in |
| & Gamble, General Motors and Johnson & | | | | Barcelona Spain, a featured presenter at Flash |
| Johnson.Hunter, of comScore, says advertisers are | | | | Forward 2003, a guest speaker at BlogOn 2004, and |
| "waking up" to the potential of online video ads. | | | | has written a number of published industry articles. |
| "People want more than a two-dimensional | | | | |