CYNOPSISDIGITAL
03.21.17

Good morning. It’s Tuesday March 21, 2017 and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

 
Site Transparency: The phrase site transparency refers to when an advertiser or media buyer knows the exact websites, pages and placements where their ads will appear. Many ad networks and ad exchanges offer limited or no site transparency.
 
 

Great news: Netflix will soon be free…for a week. And only if you subscribe to Comcast’s Xfinity X1 service. (Sorry to get your hopes up.) X1, which integrated Netflix into its platform last fall, will offer its subscribers free access to all U.S. Netflix content from April 3 through April 9. The promotion comes as part of Xfinity Watchathon Week, which is in its fifth year. Such a strategy – designed to get users to subscribe once the trial period finishes – is hardly unheard of for linear networks. For instance, networks like Starz and Showtime will be a part of Watchathon Week as well. But that’s exactly what’s so notable about this: More and more, Comcast is treating Netflix like any other TV network. 
 
Just as Yahoo did last week, BuzzFeed has decided to vacate its spot in the 2017 Digital Content NewFronts, the series of advertiser-oriented events that select digital media companies use to compete with TV networks and the Upfronts. BuzzFeed had participated in the NewFronts for three years running, starting in 2014. This year, BuzzFeed says it will instead provide information to clients as part of a separate event.  “We’re really interested in building a deeper engagement with our clients,” BuzzFeed SVP Laura Henderson told Adweek. “We work differently than other players in the space, and we want to have a more in-depth conversation with partners.”
 

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According to Newzoo, the coming year will see the eSports economy grow to $696 million, a year-on-year growth of 41.3%. Get a piece of the action: The Cynopsis World eSports Summit has everything you need to know to join the eSports movement & succeed. Tickets are flying off the shelves. Register for the East Coast’s premiere eSports Summit before tomorrow! http://www.cynopsisesportsconference.com
 
 

 
No one said beauty comes cheap. Beautycon Media, the beauty-centric startup founded by Moj Mahdara, just raised $9 million in financing. Investors included A+E Networks, Main Street Advisors and Live Nation. They join a list of existing investors that includes CAA, Hearst Media, and AOL-owned venture fund BBG Ventures. Beautycon’s initiatives include its own curated social media channels, meetups, and branded products.  
 
 

When it comes to the major players in AR, Apple has often been left out of the conversation. That’s not going to last. According to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s efforts in augmented reality are extensive and well underway. Gurman reports that the tech giant is working on AR glasses, and will also likely add some AR features to the iPhone a bit later down the line. Mike Rockwell, a former Dolby exec who’s been with Apple since 2015, is reportedly overseeing the efforts, reporting to Head of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio. Other members of the AR team reportedly include Fletcher Rothkopf, who also worked on the Apple Watch, and Tomlinson Holman, creator of the THX audio format. Some veterans of major VR and AR initiatives like Oculus and Microsoft’s HoloLens are reportedly on-board as well. Gurman notes that Apple has been making strategic acquisitions in the AR space, including Maetaio, an AR software company, and FlyBy Media, a specialist in AR-related camera software. Gurman reports that “hundreds of engineers are now devoted to the cause.” You can check out the report here.
 
 

 
The more the merrier. A new survey from the IT research firm 451 Research finds that 19 percent of streaming service subscribers are paying for three or more streaming services. The survey, the latest of 451’s Voice of the Connected User Landscape surveys, also finds that Amazon Video is starting to improve its numbers. Of all the individuals who pay for a streaming service, the survey finds that 53% of them subscribe to Amazon – a five percent increase over last year’s study. (For the record, it’s still a distant second. For Netflix, the number is 79%.) Another notable bit of info: In an age where seemingly every SVOD service is pushing to spend zillions on original shows, most respondents (50%) cited access to movies as their biggest driver in picking a streaming service. Access to complete seasons of TV series came in at second, with 45%. Though to be fair, that 45% number represented a six point leap in just six months. You can learn more about the survey here.
 
OpenSlate Engagement Data for the Entertainment vertical, based on the engagement metric for the week ending March 19.
Channel (Engagement) / Monthly Views / Total Subs / SlateScore
Felipe Neto (9.8) / 99,270,691 / 9,578,620 / 797
elrincondegiorgio (9.5) / 41,104,259 / 6,249,110 / 723
Philip DeFranco (9.5) / 21,250,421 / 5,153,370 / 764
Fatos Desconhecidos (9.5) / 41,310,532 / 4,565,838 / 738
Wassabi Productions (9.5) / 98,388,704 / 7,955,342 / 687
ComedyShortsGamer (9.5) / 46,166,882 / 7,986,857 / 722
iTownGamePlay (9.4) / 61,843,366 / 7,953,223 / 785
CaELiKe (9.4) / 37,889,576 / 9,326,661 / 764
Lucas and Marcus (9.4) / 69,761,822 / 2,239,319 / 674
tophype (9.2) / 36,110,212 / 1,539,770 / 675
Source: The Engagement metric is one of OpenSlate’s component scores, and is a measure of a producer’s ability to evoke meaningful interaction with their audience. It is calculated on a scale of 1-10 with higher being better. The OpenSlateEngagement score uses a subset of the data incorporated in the SlateScore to perform a set of unique calculations. It factors in views, comments, likes, and more.
 
The ListenFirst Television Interest (TVI) Rating (TM) is a standardized measurement of the most buzzed-about TV programs on linear TV and streaming services. A complement to ListenFirst’s other syndicated data products (such as the ListenFirstDigital Audience Rating – TV), the metrics included in the rating capture organic actions that are largely unaffected by paid media. Programs that surface on the TVI leaderboards are the most hashtagged on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr, as well as most searched for on Wikipedia (used as a proxy for organic search volume).
 
All Series (3/13/17 – 3/19/17)

 
Source: ListenFirst. The TVI Rating aggregates metrics that measure organically generated activity by fans of the TV show. The metric includes total volume of official hashtag mentions on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr, along with Wikipedia page views (as a proxy for organic search volume) for a show as a percentage of the total volume of the same activities for all shows.
 
 

 
Digital ad tech company Simulmedia has named Tom Stiles as its new Vice President of Sales. Stiles has previously held over a decade’s worth of sales and business development positions at Viacom’s Nickelodeon.
 
VR production company Mandt VR has named Bradley Scott as its new Head of Production. Scott will now oversee the development of MANDT VR’s content. A longtime producer and filmmaker, Scott previously served as a Producer at Mandt Bros. Productions.
 
 

Robin Wright hadn’t appeared in too many TV shows before her co-starring role in Netflix’s House of Cards. But one of those shows – an NBC soap opera – featured her in over 500 episodes. What was it called? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)
 
Our Last Trivia Question: Who wrote the memoir that Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle is based on? Answer: Blair Tindall. Kudos to Andy Pittman-TAMU/TX, Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/CA, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA, Alina Lee-MediaLink/NY, Andrew Bellamy-Producers Guild of America/NY, Lorrie Shilling/CA, and Tiffani Stephenson-University of Florida/FL
 

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CYNOPSISJOBS – To view our full job listing online, please visit our webpage: HERE!.

JOB OPENING: SR DIR, LICENSE MARKETING/Scholastic Trade/NYC: Create smart and strategic mktg campaigns & programs that drive sales for licensed titles. Min 10 yrs exp in publishing, licensing, and/or entertainment leading initiatives against high-profile franchises and brands. Full info/apply HERE (3/25)

JOB OPENING: DIGITAL PRODUCER/Animal Planet/NYC: Execute creative vision for APL websites & social accts. Create dig orig series & build aud engagement, track analytics & seamlessly integrate social w/brdcst-maintaining ntwrk voice across dig space. 5+ yrs exp dig/interactive, TV exp a MUST. Full info/apply HERE (3/25)

JOB OPENING: PRODUCTION LEADER/EDGE NET/Orlando FL: Creative/self starter to mng all aspects of prod (studio and remote), content creation and delivery worldwide. Experience with kids and/or sports content a plus. Lead US based team. Mentor & mange staff. 7-10 years of increasingly responsible experience. Resume to: [email protected] (3/25)

JOB OPENING: PART TIME ASSISTANT/Talk Show/NYC: Retrieve/relate info accurately & promptly regarding pending projects incl but not limited to: personal appearances, PR, travel & charity initiatives. Ability to work well under pressure & prioritize tasks w/mult deadlines. Resume: [email protected] (3/23)

JOB OPENING: DEVELOPMENT MANAGER/Oriental DreamWorks/LA or NYC: Finding, evaluating and developing ideas for feature animation projects. Min 2 yrs executive level exp in creative development. Strong knwlg of global entertainment mktg. Mandarin Proficient a +. Full info/apply HERE (3/23)

JOB OPENING: DIR, SPORTS & SPECIALS/NBCU/NYC: Responsible for prospecting, targeting, and presenting all Sports & Olympics sales efforts. Min 8yrs of media sales, sponsorship, league/team sales or mktg focusing on client direct relationships. Full info/apply HERE (3/23)

JOB OPENING: ASSOC PRODUCER/OUTSIDE TV/Westport CT: Write/produce Short form videos & full length TV Programs that support brand. BS Deg. Exp in ths field & post production. Great opportunity for a self-starter to join our team and help grow our digital and TV footprint. Res/cover HERE (3/23)

JOB OPENING: SR ANALYST, AD SALES RSRCH/NBCU/NYC: Description: NBCU/NYC: Produce insightful reports for national ad sales & mrktng. Analyze trends, position NBC Entertainment in the marketplace & measure effectiveness of client campaigns. Ful info/apply HERE (3/22)

JOB OPENING: EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, PROGRAMMING/NYC: Support 3 sr progrmng exec. Generate presentations and spreadsheets for meetings. Coord travel, meetings, exp reports. 5-7 yrs of work exp & BA degree req’d. Flexible hours. Full info/apply HERE (3/22)

JOB OPENING: SR MGR ON AIR PROMO PLANNING/Lifetime/NYC: Dvlp/implement on-air media plan’g strategies that support network. Min 5 yrs exp exp planning and executing on-air promotional logs for brdcst or cable. Ability to mng a team of individual’s resp for scheduling mult networks. Full info/apply HERE (3/22)

JOB OPENING: SENIOR WRITER/PRODUCER/EDITOR/IFC/NYC: Lead creative for IFC Originals launches and brand campaigns. Idea-generating/writing/producing/directing mastermind with a comedy background and "Always On, Slightly Off" sensibility. 6-8 years’ experience. Submit resume and reel link HERE (3/22)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, MEDIA SALES/BRITE MEDIA/NYC: Senior sales role to lead and cultivate programs with brands and agencies. Client and agency relationships – OOH, shopper, multicultural, promotional, sampling experience desired – 7+ years exp. Resume HERE (3/22) 

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR OF PUBLICITY/TV LAND/LA: Responsible for dvlpng, overseeing, & implementing communications strategies for scripted series P&D. 8+ yrs exp TV comm (preferably scripted) or media relations. Superb writing & excellent verbal & interpersonal skills a must. Full info/apply HERE (3/22)

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