Archive for the ‘Online Media’ Category

Earlier this morning I attended PluggedIn Ventures Roundtable:“Second Screens & Social TV” and it couldn’t have been better. I jotted a few notes and here’s a quick summary:

Social TV, a general term for technology that supports communication and social interaction in either the context of watching television, or related to TV content is truly taking off and is the way of the future. While some have doubts there are already strong trends showing it will take over in the very near future (think of the hashtags in the corner of a show, by tweeting with that hashtag you not only can join in on relevant conversations, but you are also providing easy data points).

Currently, there are about 18 million unique social TV viewers and growing – social TV generates referrals and gives the advertisers the opportunity to hone in on a target market; according to Oliver Young of Blue Fin Labs, “Ads for social TV are meant to interact with the show, which create the organic word of mouth for advertisers.” There is nothing better than a word of mouth referral. From a consumer’s standpoint, I would much rather receive ads that discuss fantasy football than potpourri – it’s the same idea how Google sends you ads based on your Gmail conversations.

Additionally, social TV benefits the networks and shows directly. For the first time ever, shows can figure out (almost instantaneously) where their content fails or succeeds. WWE Raw actually experimented with something similar with a “click to vote” idea. Essentially they asked the people in the arena to pick match-ups for later on in the evening; sure enough there was an overwhelming response (I know, how could you pick who fights who if wrestling is real – this is a whole different and important conversation that will hopefully be discussed at the next roundtable).  Giving your audience what they want is the smartest and simplest way to keep them coming back for more, a.k.a.: retention. A prime example of a successful social TV campaign is the show “The Walking Dead;” their social presence is unbelievable (they actually promote Twitter chats for the show, during the show!) and while it may not be the reason it’s the most tuned into show, it most definitely attracts viewers because of it – I know this because I am one of the many that began watching due to its social traction.

On a very similar note, look at Old Spice (while some might consider them an outlier I see them as trailblazers), they took an intimate product and made it sexy and cool. This was done through their social TV campaigns and by making “cooler ads” – a simple yet true comment from the roundtable. One of the reasons why Old Spice exploded is because they themselves, as well as their ads, are relatable and interactive.

One interesting issue that was slightly broached was live TV – Twitter is a real time tool (about 60% of the time) and Tivo (or DVR) being the most amazing creation since television itself, takes us out of that real time element. A quote that was thrown out and stands true for just about anything, “People want the path of least resistance” and with television that translates into no commercials.  I would much rather watch a Chicago Bears game in an hour and a half instead of the 3 hours it takes for the live broadcast. That being said, according to David Markowitz of SecondScreen Networks, “Social TV will be good for advertisers over time. It forces the viewer to watch TV live to get the full effect.” This I firmly agree with, while I may strongly oppose commercials I am all for live friendly banter during a Chicago Bears game.

So Will Twitter ignite more real time TV viewers? I would bet on yes. People are already being active and seem to enjoy it; according to this Nielsen study a third of active Twitter users tweeted about TV related content and those numbers are growing.

Lastly, with all this talk about Twitter, one might wonder where the other social media powerhouse (Facebook) comes in – it doesn’t.  At least not until Facebook opens their data will they be able to compete with Twitter in the social TV world – to quote David Beck of Univision, “Facebook has to open up their firehouse to combat Twitter and their reach with TV.”

Bottom line: Social TV is a forward thinking venture that will ultimately prove majorly successful (and profitable) for the masses very soon; it also doesn’t hurt that Social TV was listed as one of the 10 most important emerging technologies by the MIT Technology Review in 2010.

Thanks to Eli Mandelbuam of PluggedIn Ventures for putting everything together; props to Rich Ullman for doing a fantastic job as the moderator and thank you to an impressive panel – it was an amazing conversation to be a fly on the wall for – looking forward to the next one!

Join the fans of AC Lion on Facebook and LinkedIN and recommend our page to your friends in the digital media space! Click on the logos to like our pages and enter!

Eligibility This promotion is open to individuals ages 18 or older residing in the contiguous United States. Employees, officers, directors and immediate family members (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) of AC Lion are not eligible to participate. Drawing Follow us on both LinkedIn and Facebook to increase your chances of winning the IPAD. The drawing will take place on February 1, 2011 if we have reached 1000 new members on LinkedIn. However, if on February 1, 2011 we do not have 1000 new members, the drawing will take place as soon as we reach our goal of 1000 new members. On the drawing date all of our LinkedIn and Facebook followers will be entered into a raffle where one person will win the IPAD. The winner will be announced on the drawing date through the AC Lion LinkedIn Hot Jobs group and personally contacted via email. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

The hotel industry, who have been hammered hard by online user generated content, are fighting back.   No, they are not pasting over all those negative reviews of dirty bathrooms and dreadful views.  They are fighting back against unruly guests.   So if you had a bad weekend, and maybe put a stolen tiger in your hotel room, don’t expect to be welcomed with open arms.  GuestScan will know if you stole the towels or  trashed the room.  

So, where will Charlie Sheen stay when this wife kicks him out?  Think the Plaza will take him back?

Click Here for more.

Nice to see Crain’s and Inc. magazine confirm what we here at AC Lion already know:  NYC is a hot spot for fast-growing digital media companies.  Of the annual list of 500 booming businesses, AC Lion’s sweet spot (or, new media advertising, as they call it), software and IT rule.   It’s a full fifth of the NY area companies listed (Click here for the full list)   

Around here, this is no surprise.   Digital media has more than held its own during the recent economic downturn.   And I hear it from friends and family all the time—expressing surprise that a recruiting company is doing well during a ‘jobless recovery.’   As I tell them, it’s just like real estate—location, location, location.  Our location (i.e. digital media) is in demand—and so are we.   Our clients are hiring—and so are we.  So times are good for us here at AC Lion.  (BTW, always open to referrals to good sales people and recruiters).

So thanks to Crain’s and Inc. for confirming what we know to be true—the Digital Mad Men (and women) will continue to be based in NYC!

So, were you watching or working when the US scored its’ winning goal?  And were you monitoring the game on your computer monitor?  Well, you were not alone.  World Cup fever is spreading—and driving traffic online.   Huge spike in FIFA.com traffic. On Opening Day, 1.2% of the global Internet audience visit the site. 

Geographical differences in visitation to FIFA.com suggest varying levels of interest in the World Cup depending on one’s corner of the globe. The Middle East-Africa (2.5% penetration) and Latin America (2.3% penetration) exhibited the highest relative visitation to FIFA.com, well outpacing the global average of 1.2%. Europe followed with 1.3% penetration, while North America (1.0% penetration) and Asia Pacific (0.5% penetration) ranked below the global average. In absolute terms, Europe accounted for the greatest number of FIFA.com visitors on opening day at 2.6 million.

Article By: Joshua ‘The Red’ Russak (Red@aclion.com)


The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

2008 is a hip-year for voters. Besides the fact that the candidates have driven more intrest through YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn, Facebook and other social-media Web2.0 sites…there are so many 2nd tier efforts taking place on the side by companies seeking attention and results.

Actress and Comedian, Sarah Silverman took a brave approach with TheGreatSchlep.com As quoted directly from her site, “The Great Schlep aims to have Jewish grandchildren visit their grandparents in Florida, educate them about Obama, and therefore swing the crucial Florida vote in his favor. Don’t have grandparents in Florida? Not Jewish? No problem! You can still become a schlepper and make change happen in 2008, simply by talking to your relatives about Obama.” Just watch the video above and you’ll see what I mean.

This video inspired me to not only post a blog, but cover some other successful voting awareness and viral campaigns out there. At the top of the leader-board is obviously RockTheVote , a “non-profit organization founded in Los Angeles in 1990 by Jeff Ayeroff for the purposes of political advocacy. Rock the Vote works to engage youth in the political process by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities” (Wikipedia). Year after year of support from political officials and celebs alike! It’s #1 go-to spot for voting encouragement.

A more “awareness” based approach was put foruth by Someecards digital greeting card company with their viral campaign, BotherVoting.com. They are increasing voting awareness..in a very entertaining way. Vulgur, to-the-point, & hilarious cards that you can post on your blog and share with friends

Another voting attempt came with the recent release of Swing Vote, starring Kevin Costner in a film where, “in a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man’s vote.” It was a great attempt to capture the attention of soon-to-be voters and promoted the NEED to vote. Glad to see it got a wopping 38% on RottenTomatoes. Can you smell the sarcasm?

As for some failed/awaiting attempts, I’m not sure what happened to Puffy’s Vote Or Die campaigns this year. I haven’t seen much. Another one was hidden in cyberspace, but I managed to pull it out. NYC was planning to launch a viral e-mail marketing campaign, but nothing came out of it. Check it out here.

Can’t wait to see what comes out next…

Article By: Joshua ‘The Red’ Russak (Red@aclion.com)


Front-and-center on the Yahoo! homepage: Citigroup to buy Wachovia banking operations! Bear, Lehman and WaMu…now we have arrived at Wachovia!? “In the latest byproduct of the widening global financial crisis, Citigroup Inc. will acquire the banking operations of Wachovia Corp. in a deal facilitated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.” How will this effect the Technology Sector and Digital Growth?
The financial markets have been on edge since Friday following the proposal for a $700 billion banking bailout hit a roadblock of opposition. (Read the $700 Billion Bailout Plan or the Alley Insider Summary.) Surprisingly, big financial companies raised the Dow Jones more than 120 points on hopes lawmakers would hammer out the bailout rescue plan this weekend. The Technology sector suffered a different fate, quoting Reuter’s article on Friday: Dow, S&P gain on bailout hopes, Nasdaq slips , “Tech shares took it on the chin, keeping the Nasdaq in the red, after a disappointing outlook from BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. considered a bellwether for the sector. [...] The fate of the rescue plan pushed nearly everything else to the background on Friday.” The Technology Heavy Nasdaq was down almost 4 points on Friday!
Research in Motion wasn’t entirely to blame. Apple Inc, shed 2.8%, also hurting the Nasdaq. Apple is really feeling really the pain. In ZDNet article, Apple: Is It Really Recession Proof?, “Morgan Stanley analyst Kathryn Huberty thinks that Apple can’t outrun a slowing economy. And she’s betting her estimates on it.” PC’s are coming out on top because “Apple doesn’t play the sub-$1,000 game.” The cheaper option prevails during a recession! This is going to be a recurring theme in our economy! Want proof? My girlfriend was just given the assignment to write a 5 page essay on the effects on the purchasing of Brand-Names during a recession. I will gladly post that paper on my blog as soon as it is completed.
To make things seems even worse, AdAge just published the article: Revenue Growth Slowest Since 2001! “The nation’s top 100 media companies saw a 4.6% revenue boost in 2007, their slowest growth since the recession year of 2001.” Though on the bright-side of things “Media’s biggest winner is no surprise: digital, with revenue up 10.8%.” Could we be headed back to
That doesn’t change the fact that for the Media Sector, mergers-and-acquisition activity has slowed dramatically this year undoubtedly due to the credit and capital markets current situation. “There have been only five announced U.S. media acquisitions valued above $250 million so far this year. [...] In contrast, there were 14 announced media acquisitions above $250 million by this time last year.” (AdAge)
All these facts do not mean the tech sector is suffering entirely. According to MarketWatch.com article FiSpace.Net: One Company’s Recession, Another Company’s Opportunity, “some businesses find that the economic malaise has created a greater need for their technology and services. One such company, Zippi Networks, Inc. (Pink Sheets:ZIPI), may well be in the right place at the right time as they assist individuals in successfully selling items on eBay, creating a revenue stream for their customers and the company.” The article continues to explain how many tech companies are reaping the benefit of our current economic situation.
The title for this article may be a bit misleading, but the point is simple: This is a very mixed-up place to be for the tech and online media space and I’m interested to see how this will play out in the next few months (or weeks pending any new surprises from the financial sector).

Article By: Joshua ‘The Red’ Russak (Red@aclion.com)

Silicon Alley Insider is a business blog, produced by and for the New York digital business community…and easily one of my favorite blogs in the Online Space!

Only in their 2nd year, they are now hosting their second Silicon Alley 100, an “annual list of the 100 most influential and important folks in New York’s digital-business community. The list includes executives, investors (venture capital, private equity, angels), financiers, attorneys, journalists, analysts, commentators, philanthropists, and others who make extraordinary contributions to New York’s digital industries (such as the guys on the right).” (Launching The 2008 Silicon Alley 100…Vote Now!)

If you’d like to Vote, then go to the Silicon Alley 100 Voting Booth and make your selection. You’ll recognize quite a few names on the list, and you’ll be surprised to see how they rank. If you don’t like the way our tally looks right now, their voting booth will close at end of the business today (aka: Tonight!).
As always, here’s SAI’s company info provided by CrunchBase.com

Article By: Joshua ‘The Red’ Russak (Red@aclion.com)

eMarketer.com published an article today that may affect the world of online in a whole new way. In the article Affluent Spend the Most Time Online, a study conducted from March through July 2008 by Ipsos Mendelsohn suggests that “among US affluent heads of household surveyed, those with annual household incomes of $250,000 and over spend the most time online.”

This may impact where advertisers go to research the impact of their campaigns. The rich could one day define the “perfect ad” and the poor will get stuck with last years Banner ads. This is all speculation, but one thing is for sure. Ad Networks and social communities like aSmallWorld.com, that advertise to the Rich will see an increase in income if these stats continue.
I find it interesting to note that TV and Radio time decreases as you get richer. Now, when you site down and think about, everything here makes sense. The rich are more likely to rely on the Web as a source of news and information simply because the RADIO and TV are too slow and cluttered with ads. There are endless correlations and reasons, but I’ll leave those assumptions up to you…

Article By: Joshua ‘The Red’ Russak (Red@aclion.com)

According to AdAge.com article E-mail Blunder Alerts Carat Staff to Major Restructuring, “struggling media agency Carat is planning a major restructuring of its U.S. operations, including an undetermined number of layoffs — news it accidentally released today via a memo the agency’s top New York-based HR executive e-mailed to the entire agency that appeared to be intended only for senior managers.”
I don’t mean to laugh out loud (LOL), but this is worse than the time “a friend of mine” e-mailed 50,000 people with greetings “Hi [Firstname],”. No, this is way…way worse! If you’re wondering just how bad it was, courtesty of AdAge, read the documents for yourselves:Carat Restructuring Memo & Carat Restructuring Communication Plan.
Neither Carat President Scott Sorokin “nor a spokeswoman would comment on whether any disciplinary action would be taken as a result of the e-mail mishap”. I’d hate to be in HR’s shoes right about now. Quoting Ad Age Ediotor, John Hollon, “You pay those people to step up in these situations, not make it worse.” This may be a good time for AC Lion Online Recruiters to show corporate what they’re made of!