Guess Who's Investing in Original Independent Online Video?

It's not Revver.

It's Deca!

According to Paid Content "Digital entertainment company Deca has invested in Smosh, taking an undisclosed stake in the teen-centric online video brand. The Santa Monica-based content development, marketing and sales studio will handle everything, including ad sales, business development and distribution for Smosh. Deca co-founder and CEO Michael Wayne told paidContent that Smosh was already “profitable” from advertising; it currently runs Google AdSense-powered search and display ads."

Currently the third most subscribed YouTube channel of all time, Smosh is sketch comedy for teens and tweens by 20-year-olds Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox. With more than 175 million views, Smosh videos have become a pop culture phenomenon. Their site, Smosh.com, features video extras, robust forums, and a growing community of more than 340,000 registered members, who contribute to more than five million page views each month.

Now you as a sophisticated media professional might not see the value in two guys in a bedroom punching each other to the tune of the Mortal Kombat Theme but there are over 13 million views of this one video that prove that you need to face facts and realize that just because something is not appealing to you it still has an audience and has value.

As a young adult I was a producer on a variety show on Nickelodeon called What Would You Do? It was a show with hidden cameras and lots of pies. I swore to myself that I was an adult and that I was not going to let a kids' show with pies make me laugh but oh how I was wrong. Every time someone went through the Piepod, the Pie Coaster or was hit with a pie from the Wall o' Stuff I laughed my ass off.

Now you as a media buyer or brand manager might pause at associating your brand with a a show as wild and crazy as Smosh but times have changed. Smosh is the 3rd most subscribed channel on YouTube and Smosh has over 175 Million views. Someone likes and is watching Smosh and this is a huge opportunity for you as an advertiser to get in front of an audience that really cares about these guys.

Sure you can try and go make your own Smosh and get over 175 Million views but while you're doing that someone else is going to be sponsoring Smosh while you are still trying to get 1 million views.

So what are you waiting for? Call Karl House Director, Business Development at 310.587.3535 x 103 or email him at khouse@deca.tv and sponsor Smosh before your competitors do.

What is Reveision3 Beta?

Over the last three weeks I've been in San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York for several different online video events. Some I spoke at, some I attended and some I just went to the parties. While I was in New York I caught up with Jim Louderback CEO of Revision3 and he explains what Revision3 Beta is and how Independent producers can take advantage of Revision3's hosting, advertising, cross promotion and online video consulting.

Jim also talks about Hak5.

The Real Power of the Upfront Presentation

While network upfronts are on the out this year I feel the "Upfront Presentation" or Upfront "Trailer" is an important tool in explaining to advertisers what your show is and where it is going. These short form marketing tools can be emotionally engaging and aid in closing ad sales. Many shows' advertising have been sold on just an upfront presentation. In fact I created one presentation for a show (that will remain nameless) that hadn't even been filmed yet. We faked the whole thing and made it look like the show was in production when they were still casting it. (That presentation won an award)

Now I did have the pleasure of creating the Upfront Presentation for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and working on that project for Bob Bibb and Lew Goldstein at The WB and that gave me a lot of insight into how TV Networks picked shows and I still think there is a lot to be learned from Network Upfronts.

If you are going after advertisers for your online video and you are just getting started you might want to create a presentation that explains the details about your show and where you see it going in the future. An "Industry Trailer" that's not for consumers but for advertisers and other companies that might want to partner with you.

Networks are still going to go after Upfront money for their shows. They will still meet with Ad Agencies and Media Buyers from large advertisers and ask for their advertising buys before new shows launch. Why wouldn't they? And there's no reason for the online video advertising world not to do the same.

I think we should get together and have online content creators meet with advertisers at a cocktail party and we should show them our Upfront Presentations.

Maybe we could do one in New York, one in Chicago, one in LA and one in San Francisco.

Would any of you be interested?

Do You Love Commercials?

Do you love commercials enough to build a website dedicated to only the best commercials on TV the Web and Mobile? Or enough to go to a website to watch them?

Spectacle vs Story

My head hurts thinking about this spot and who created it. Not just the product Dove but all the creative types and production people who have spent their professional careers working on beauty campaigns that have now launched a new project to help women with self-esteem. Will these people give up their advertising careers and never work on a campaign with a skinny woman again? I really doubt it. But beyond the pot calling the kettle black this video is emotionally engaging, has spectacle and one hell of a story/back story that people will be talking about for quite some time.

Now if you will excuse me I have to go find some new French Maids.

Revver Pays Producers 1 Million Dollars!

Revver Reaches One Million Dollar Mark

LOS ANGELES --(Business Wire)-- Revver, Inc. (www.revver.com), the first video sharing service powered by advertising, today announced that it has paid one million dollars to video creators and sharers. To celebrate this success, which coincides with the site's one-year anniversary today, Revver presented Doug Bresler, the creator of the animated series "Doogtoons," with an honorary check for the millionth dollar earned.

"The time and place to be an independent creator is right now, online," said Steven Starr, founder and chairman of Revver. "Smart advertisers are financing an online economy that supports these creators, and the top talent will build fortunes. This is historic: It is the birth of a sustainable art form, and it's happening before our eyes."

Thousands of people have used Revver to earn money, sharing videos online to support their work or to bring in extra dollars. Today, Revver remains unique in the marketplace. Matching every video uploaded - whether professional or amateur - with an advertisement, Revver splits the ad revenue 50/50 with the video's creator and shares twenty percent off the top with the video's distributor.

"Today's achievement is further evidence that Revver's model works: Our ad products are bringing brand messages to willing audiences and driving revenue for our creators," said Kevin Wells, CEO. "Revver's creators are drawing millions of motivated viewers, and we're giving them the tools to capitalize on that. Since the introduction of pre-roll ads as an option this summer, many are earning four to seven times more revenue."

Revver launched the 1.0 version of its site in September 2006 to foster the independent creator community emerging on the Internet. From the beginning, the Revver business model sought to reward these creators for sharing their work. By screening submissions and not accepting copyright-infringing content, Revver is able to monetize each and every video. The company's performance-based advertising system also rewards video owners based on the popularity of their content without instituting barriers to entry. The result is the first open and effective marketplace for online video.

"When I began creating videos I found Revver, and I couldn't have picked a better way to start," said Doug Bresler of the animated series "Doogtoons" and recipient of the honorary millionth dollar earned with Revver. "Revver was built for someone like me - someone who wants to build a future creating videos for the Web - and that has made all the difference."

About Revver

Revver is the first video sharing service powered by advertising. Revver allows anyone to share videos across the Internet as well as broadcast and mobile distribution channels and rewards them with a percentage of the advertising revenue generated. Revver also upholds content owners' rights by not accepting copyright-infringing content. For more information, visit www.revver.com.

How do you measure your podcast?

There are many online videos that have more views than cable TV shows have viewers but online video producers don’t get paid the advertising dollars that cable TV networks do for ad sales. The above video Lucky Night has had over 4 Million views on Revver and in the Cable TV world that would generate some advertising dollars but online it has made only $62 in advertising revenue.

Top Brands are reluctant to spend their advertising budgets in online video because they aren’t sure what their brand will appear next to (like a fart joke, a kick to the nuts video or two girls kissing a lesbian kiss) and there are no standards in place for measuring online video views, downloads or ratings.

This is a topic we are trying to address with the newly formed.
Association of Downloadable Media .

The “ADM” Mission Statement is:

To provide leadership in and organization of advertising and audience measurement standards, research, education and advocacy to all those involved in portable media (Podcasts/ATOM/RSS media enclosures) across the Internet, iPods, MP3 players, mobile devices, P2P and other upcoming platforms.

We will be having an organizational meeting at the

Podcast and New Media Expo Sept 28th.

So if you would like to get involved and run for a position on the board or a committee now is your chance to help jump start this conversation and get some standards in place so that advertisers, aggregators and content creators can all speak the same language and really get the online video and podcast advertising business rolling.