French Maid Magic

So I've decided I try a few new things and see how they work. I've redesigned the French Maid TV website (using Apple's iWeb) and I've launched a new series on French Maid TV called French Maid Magic using Revver for the video hosting.

French Maid Magic is shorter than previous French Maid TV episodes, it's cheaper to produce and most importantly it's not sponsored.

I think I've left a lot of money on the table by not creating more episodes and I've also found that when I release a new episode I have more sponsorship inquiries come my way. So rather than spend time chasing sponsors I'm going to try and create more content that hopefully will generate income through attached online video advertising / new ads on the French Maid TV website and bring new sponsors to me.

I'm also trying a few other new things that I will let you know about as well.

Oh, I've also created an area on the site for Media Buyers

Natalie Portman's "THIGHS"

There's one sure way to get views on YouTube, have your title read:
"Natalie Portman - WITH MY THIGHS"

You can also throw in something about Scarlett Johansson and some book club about THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL but you don't really need it.

I'm not sure of the whole Movie Marketing story behind this one yet but I can see it working on getting both men and women into the theater to watch this film and maybe sell a few books as well.

Google Video Ad Solutions - AdSense for Video

New Tee Vee reports that Google has Video Ad Solutions.



I need to get my head around this today and see how this is different from what they have already been doing on YouTube.

Happy Tips

Do you have any Happy Tips you would like to share?

Cross Promotion and Integrated Advertising

In cable television there is something known as "Cross Channel Promotion." Cable Networks like CNN, MTV, ESPN, Sci-FI, etc. and Local Affiliates like Los Angeles Time Warner Cable, Glendale Charter or Orlando Bright House etc. will work together to cross promote cable channels. The cable network will create a thirty second television commercial that advertises a new product, service or show and they will leave the last five seconds of the spot clear of voice over so that the local affiliate can ad their own voice over to explain how the commercial relates to the local market. Then the local affiliate will play the spot on another cable network in an "Avail" (an advertising break that hasn't been sold.)

An example of this would be a spot that Spike TV creates to advertise a new season of Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV and the local Orlando affiliate would tag the last five seconds of the spot telling viewers what channel they can watch the new show on. Then the local affiliate will run that spot on another channel like ESPN.

Just like there is a good chance that guys who watch ESPN might be interested in watching Ultimate Fighter there is a good chance that guys who watch Rhett and Link might be interested in watching iJustine.

The new Rhett and Link video Dead iPod Song posted yesterday has iJustine in it and is a great cross promotion with an Integrated Ad for iresq.com.

Nice work guys!

Contests

I'm not a big fan of "Contests" unless you get paid to explain the rules to a contest. Then I'm all for it.

It looks like Lisa Nova, the almost winner of last year's Sketchies competition "was asked" to read the rules to this year's Sketchies II competition, presented by the all new Toyota Corolla.

According to the YouTube site, "While Lisa's dream of winning is over, enter for your chance to live the dream! This years prizes are $25,000 cash & $15,000 worth of video production gear."

I sure hope she got some green.

For Amy, Heart Adam

Used to be you could make your own Valentine's Card and you could get extra points with your date. Now people are making their own Valentine's Videos - I wonder what the point bump up will be?

Have you made a Valentine's Video?

Have you thought about selling a customized version of it?

Look out Hallmark.

Super Bowl Secret Spot

WARNING: Have a few beers before you watch the spot. Maybe even with a few friends. You will enjoy it a lot more.

So this is the "Secret Spot" that Bud produced for after the Super Bowl. To watch it I had to go to BudBowl.com and because I didn't have the secret code I had to play a game of organizing the Bud Super Bowl spots in the order they played on the Super Bowl. Then I got to watch the spot and after it was over they gave me the embed code.

I'm not sure why I'm posting this except to get traffic from advertising agency people who will find this post through search, take a look at my blog and then discover French Maid TV and realize that the French Maids are a great way to launch new products and services that appeal to 21 - 34 year old males. How was that for shameless self-promotion?

Are ads ready to become content?

Michael Estrin writes a great article for iMedia Connection that talks about Big Advertising Brands attending the Brand Summit at the Hyatt Regency in Coconut Point, Florida - including Carol Kruse, VP of interactive marketing for The Coca Cola Company who talks about the shift.

"According to Kruse, that shift (in ads becoming content) will mean increased costs and more work for independent production houses because digital often demands a slew of creatives for a single campaign. However, those costs may not be as painful as brands might think if their agencies are able to realize economic efficiencies by producing content-style ads for the web in conjunction with their traditional TV spots."

The article also points out that, "messaging will require a creative ramp-up that will force brands and agencies to invest more heavily in production..."

"Entertainment units within the agencies are getting a lot more attention, and that's helping to reshape the agency model as compelling content becomes more vital,"

iMedia also has party coverage of the event so you can check to see if your spouse has a drink in their hand or Marti Gras beads around their neck.