Is There A TV Revolution Happening?

Could we be looking at the real transformation of TV in the next 24 months with Google and Apple both with big plans?

Google is first out of the gate and just this week made a couple of very big announcements:
1). Unveiling a line up of new channels on the YouTube network which involves partnerships with an interesting mix of celebrities along with some conventional media players, like The Wall Street  and emergent players like The Onion and a host of others.

Interestingly, the only brand to make it on to YouTube’s list was Red Bull, who we at Influx have argued for years that they were the first brand to build themselves into a media network. Everyone else is just playing catch up to them.

2.) The other announcement of Google was a complete revamp of the Google TV platform, which first time out didn’t do so great. They appear to have learned some lessons and have improved the interface and really have the objective of bringing some of the great content available on the web and phone onto the television set via apps.

Google isn't the only one in the game. Apple too is looking to move more aggressively into the TV game.

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Dr Pepper Ten - The Week's Top Twenty in Social Media

With the launch of DP Ten, Dr Pepper makes its first appearance in the top 20 since the introduction of the Social Business Index in The Atlantic Wire. The reason may be attributed to the controversy innate to the campaign. The new "not for women" Dr. Pepper has stirred up skeptic since the company announced it back in February, but the official release sent people to watch the commercials and comment on YouTube and share their opinions regarding the direction. DPSG has continued to rise from #19 two weeks ago, to #16.

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Dr Pepper Ten: The Buzz

A lot of chatter has come within just one week of the DP Ten national launch. From GOOD magazine to the Early Show to AdWeek, DP Ten is getting the well deserved buzz.

Provided below are a few of the most high profile articles and news coverage of the spot:

Best of the Best:

• Early Show
• PSFK
• USA Today
• Brand Channel
• Washington Post
• FOX news
• CBS
• Esquire
• GOOD
• AdWeek

The Growth of Social Media (in Infographics)

It is easy to forget how integrated social is in our lives now, everyone knows the growth of social has been huge over the last 5+ years, but what about in the last 12 months from 2010-2011? Provided are a few highlights of key stats.

◦49% of Twitter users rarely login
◦Facebook’s crazy 63.46% market share
◦1 in 4 Americans watch a YouTube video every single day
◦53% of employees research potential job candidates on social networks
◦Facebook has 310m unique visitors every day
◦Stumbleupon gets more daily traffic than twitter


Click here to view super cool Infographics 

Real Time Social Smile Stations Billboard

Publicis Israel recently developed a real-life Facebook experience by creating “Smile Stations.” Facebook fans of Prigat, a leading juice company, had the opportunity to send real time messages to interactive digital billboards at various train stations in the hope of getting passers by to smile, and like their message.

People walking past could approach a screen and press a physical “Like” button which would broadcast video of the moment they read the message back to the individual user who sent it on Facebook. With the users who generated the most smiles winning all sorts of great prizes.

While this recent interactive campaign was highly successful and innovative, it is important to note that the Facebook “like” button is dwindling in importance given the new Facebook changes. Likes are becoming a thing of the past; brands will need to find ways to be relevant through apps and other engaging content.

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Conan's Ratings Are Down, but He's Huge Online

This week Turner Broadcasting will be out selling Conan O'Brien with a new pitch: Forget the TV ratings, look at his online popularity. 

Turner has reason to focus attention on Mr. O'Brien's pull in other media. When "Conan" launched last November after NBC cut him loose and returned Jay Leno to its marquee late-night spot, it represented the latest front in the late-night wars-and an aggressive step for any cable network. Turner, which is sinking a reported $10 million-plus annually into a crowded field, moved boldly to claim what it thought was its due: higher-than-expected ad rates that it insisted should be on par with what marketers paid for NBC's "Tonight" and CBS's "Late Show." 

Yet after seeing mammoth initial ratings due to the NBC controversy, Mr. O'Brien's TV viewership has begun to settle. It is worth noting that, regardless of this decreased TV viewership, O'Brien's show lures hard-to-reach young adults via online and social media, not only on TV. "TV is only a fraction of it," claimed Linda Yaccarino, exec VP-chief operating officer. The average time spent viewing "Conan" content on his website, TeamCoco.com, has increased 30% since the show launched, and the average time spent per visitor on the site has increased 103%, according to Turner. On Facebook Mr. O'Brien has 1.7 million "friends," according to the network-more, as it turns out, than his average TV viewership in his first year on the air so far.


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Facebook Unveils New Features at F8

Last week, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced some big changes to the Facebook site. Hyperbole aside, these changes will revolutionize the way we interact with our friends and with marketers. The highlights of the F8 reveal include the following:

1.       The Newsfeed: Like Google’s change in algorithm affected many sites based on SEO, what Facebook is saying in this change is “we’re going to use an algorithm to make sure that you see only the most relevant stuff in your feed.” That’s great for you as user, but for you as marketer…what they are saying is “hey, if you’re not relevant…no one, not even your mom, is going to see your updates. If you can’t create engagement, interest, and excitement (i.e. earn attention), it’ll be like you don’t exist.”

2.       Subscribe to Anyone: On the flip side, if you ARE ridiculously relevant, now they’ve removed the “privacy/friend” objection for Facebook. Facebook becomes a true, global, public publishing platform. If you’re the most knowledgeable about what you do in the world, you can share that with everyone…and they don’t have to see pictures of your niece’s 6 year old birthday part—or worse.

3.       Changes to Fan Pages: Facebook also announced that, starting Sept. 30th, Fan Pages can no longer receive and publish automatic imports from RSS feeds (e.g. a blog). Instead, they want you to manually post and offer a comment when you do. 

4.       Apps: Facebook has added a new breed of apps to its interface. The new apps allow users to consume content within Facebook's platform and share what they're watching, listening to or reading in real-time. Advertisers will be able to target Facebook users based on the kinds of content they've viewed or shared via the new apps, which will feature "listened," "watched" and "read" buttons. Major partners include Spotify, iHeartRadio and Netflix.

The short list above only touches the surface of the changes made to the social networking site. However, these four modifications play an essential role in future brand engagement efforts.   

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Pepsi: Music Mash-Up

Name of Company/Competitor: Pepsi
Name of Campaign/Spot: TBD/ Music Mash-Up
Date Launched: 9/20/2011
Description: A mash-up of past Pepsi spots featuring well-known musical talent. The spot premiered on the Pepsi sponsored show "The X Factor."
Media Details: TV

Netflix Turmoil and Business Remodeling

The once unstoppable movie service is experiencing major criticism from consumers and from business analysts alike. For those who haven't been following the company's recent changes, Netflix first announced  a change in its price plan. Two months ago, you could spend 10 bucks and get both streaming and mail order service. Now customers have to pay $8 for each service. Netflix announced that they've lost a million customers over the price hike and they may be about to lose more.


The CEO of Netflix said he was sorry for mishandling a recent price increase that caused customers to cancel the service in droves. But the apology was drowned out by a decision that angered subscribers all over again. The company will split into two services -- one with an odd new name that offers the familiar discs in red envelopes and another for online streaming of TV shows and movies. The DVD service will be called Qwikster, a name that is supposed to signify a commitment to fast service but quickly became an object of ridicule Monday on the Internet. The streaming service will keep the Netflix name.

As one analyst noted, "It's kind of the cardinal rule of marketing that you do not make it more complicated for the customer. You always make things easy. You know, think Amazon one-click ordering and, you know, this is equivalent I think of Amazon getting rid of one click."

However, Hastings, Netflix's CEO, did not make this decision without reason. He sees the future of movie rentals in streaming. Spinning off the DVD services will also allow Netflix to provide studios with a clearer idea of how many people are streaming their content. That could be critical as it negotiates future licensing deals.

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HBO Promotes Boardwalk Empire With Vintage Subway Cars In New York City

Going above and beyond traditional posters in the subway station, HBO decided to take a new spin on its subway takeover. To promote the series Boardwalk Empire, HBO added a vintage 1920s subway train to run along the 2/3 express line throughout New York City on weekends.The train is complete with all its original detailing from rattan seats, ceiling fans, drop sash windows, and some Boardwalk Empire-inspired period advertisements. The vintage train will retire on September 25 with the show’s premiere.

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