Is Video the New TV?

Posted on | November 16, 2007 |

From the beginning of the television era marketers have considered it the ultimate brand-building medium. Its tremendous reach coupled with the ability to deliver stunning visual imagery in the context of a compelling message (when we could find one) created awareness and built brands. An article in today’s WSJ Online points out that demand for Super Bowl ads is high once again this year; the reach is still critical to megabrands. The ads are changing though; I chronicled this year’s Frito-Lay ad challenge in a recent post on my DIY blog. I’m sure there will be more Super Bowl ads that feature viewer engagement and drive traffic to websites.

Aside from the once a year ad spectacular, accompanied by a football game, that is the Super Bowl the tide has turned. We are seeing a seemingly inexorable trend away from the traditional mass media to digital. Marketers need a new branding channel. Recent evidence suggests they have found it in video.

Pundits proclaimed that 2007 was going to be “the year of video,” and that’s one forecast that seems to have been right on target. Here is some of the supporting data.

Source: “Web Video Viewers Logging More Hours,” October 1, 2007.

For one thing, we know that broadband users tend to do more of everything, and that’s especially true of video. eMarketer expected household broadband penetration to exceed 50% by the end of 2007 (“Broadband to Pass 50% Household Penetration in 2007,” February 20, 2007) and broadband speed is increasing. That makes it easier to watch video, and that’s just what people are doing. The chart on the right implies they are still primarily watching short clips whatever the nature of the content. Even better for marketers, consumers are taking action as a result of those videos (left chart). Videos are driving viewers to websites, causing them to search for more information, visit retail stores and more.

Those things are all good news for marketers. So is the fact that videos are becoming part of the social discourse on the web. This chart from a study by the Pew Foundation shows videos flying around the web at a great rate.

Surprising to some, it also shows viewing videos as a social activity. Another excellent report on video advertising viewing and outcomes is available from the Online Publisher’s Association. It shows consumers proactively searching for videos as well as being recipients.

How do we make video work in a branding context? Softly and carefully! Let me leave you with one of my favorites. If you haven’t already run across the Cadbury gorilla in your social discourse, take a minute and view the video. It will give you a chuckle. Influx Insight’s assessment of how successfully it went viral and how quickly the viral effect dissipates will provide food for thought.

We are on the threshold of a new era—and we’ll probably see it on video!

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