05/25/17: Netflix finds different content categories become more popular at certain times of day

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Good morning. It’s Thursday May 25, 2017 and this is your your first early morning Digital briefing!

TODAY’S CODEBREAKER

Game Engine: Broadly speaking, a game engine is a software framework designed for the creation and development of video games. The core functionality provided by game engines generally includes features such as 2D or 3D graphics, sound, scripting, animation, artificial intelligence, memory management, and more.

TOP NEWS

Pinterest has added auto-play video ads to search results and user feeds. To start, Pinterest is testing the new auto-play format with brands including Adidas, Toyota, L’Oreal, Visa, and Universal Pictures. The company says it plans to open the format to all advertisers “in the coming months.”

Netflix doesn’t release a lot of viewership data, but when it does it can be pretty intriguing. According to a new analysis from the streaming giant, which took a look at customer viewing behavior in 22 countries over a period of six months, viewers’ content preferences vary depending on what time of day it is. For instance, viewers prefer comedy in the morning, dramas during midday, and thrillers during primetime. Late at night, it’s back to comedies. And documentary content has its window of popularity as well, seeing a 24% increase in viewing from midnight to 6 AM. To gather the data, Netflix measured data from about 77 million accounts.

Yowza. Unity Technologies, a video game engine maker based in San Francisco, just raised $400 million in a new funding round from Silver Lake Partners. (The investment values Unity at $2.8 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal.) While Unity is best known for its work in mobile and console gaming, it’s also expanded into virtual and augmented reality. According to the company’s estimates, 90 percent of Samsung Gear VR games have been made with Unity’s technology. And the company recently hired VR entrepreneur Tony Parisi as its head of AR and VR strategy.

ADVERTISING

Well, at least it’s an improvement. A new report, released by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and White Ops, pegs the economic losses stemming from bot fraud at $6.5 billion in 2017. In 2016, the number was $7.2 billion. ANA CEO Bob Liodice called the report “ a powerful indicator that the war on digital ad fraud is winnable for those who establish proper controls and protocols.” Called the Bot Baseline Report, the study analyzed the digital advertising activity of 49 ANA members between October and January.

Cross-device data management platform Lotame has partnered with SintecMedia, a broadcast management platform for both linear and digital. Under the pact, audience segments from Lotame’s platform will be delivered directly to OnBoard, SintecMdia’s frontent proposal system. “By connecting detailed viewership data with Lotame’s audience data, local sellers can offer enhanced targeting to clients,” said SintecMedia in a release.

Audience data platform Eyeota has partnered with consumer data platform Treasure Data. Under the deal, Eyeota’s data will be integrated into Treasure Data’s customer data platform. The companies say that brands will be able to use the companies’ combined first- and third-party data to amplify their campaigns.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Cynopsis Measurement & Data Conference

August 3 |Dream Downtown, NYC |11:30AM – 4:00PM

Registration Now Open!

Join us for a thoughtful and candid examination of cross-platform video measurement and how the smartest minds in advertising and marketing are reading market forces and reacting to them in order to make this next leap in media’s evolution. Visit the site for more information .

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VIRTUAL + AUGMENTED REALITY

Samsung is out with the newest version of its Gear 360 camera. Compatible with a smartphone, it’s capable of shooting 4K 360-degree video and taking 15 megapixel photos. The camera can also be used to live-stream 360-degree videos to social platforms like YouTube or Facebook. (The live-streaming feature is only available for Samsung phones.) The initial version of the Gear 360, launched a year ago, had a lower video resolution and featured no live-streaming capabilities. The camera carries a hefty $229 price tag. As part of a promotion lasting until June 19, consumers who buy one of Samsung’s flagship phones can also get the camera for $49.

OTT + SVOD

Media-buying executives are expecting to spend much more on new ad-supported OTT TV platforms, according to a new survey from audience measurement company Tru Optik. The survey finds that 62% of media-buying execs believe OTT ad spending will increase, while the remaining 38% say it will stay the same. About one third of respondents believed that new OTT ad money will come out of their digital advertising budgets. 23% said it would come from their linear budgets, while 21% said it would come from a “pooled advertising” budget. Meanwhile, three quarters of digital publishers said that a main benefit of OTT/connected TV is reaching millennials and cord-cutters. And 50% of execs said that precision advertising and targeting was the main benefit for OTT.

PLATFORMS, APPS + DEVICES

Six of Japan’s biggest media companies just partnered to launch a new video platform aimed at smartphone users. Called Premium Platform Japan, the service is slated to launch in July. The six launch partners are Tokyo Broadcasting System (which leads with a 31.5% stake), newspaper publisher Nikkei (17%), TV Tokyo (15%), Wowow (15%), Dentsu (15%), and Hakuhodo (7%). Content will include variety shows and drama series from the companies’ libraries, as well as live concerts and sports.

Ashley Tisdale , the actress, singer and producer best known for her role in High School Musical, has signed on with the multi-channel network StyleHaul. StyleHaul, known for its network of lifestyle, beauty, and fashion channels, will now make Tisdale’s YouTube channel part of its roster. Tisdale’s channel, which she re-launched only seven months ago, has over 1.3 million subscribers. Her channel’s content ranges from makeup tutorials to cooking videos.

RESEARCH

Tweet of the week: @laurapotterxx: THE BACHELORETTE IS FINALLY HERE

Canvs , the language analytics company that measures emotions around content, analyzed tweets about TV and streaming programming from May 17-23 using Twitter data from Nielsen. Insights from the 3,373,917 tweets expressing a specific Emotional Reaction (ER) include:

– As celebrities strutted their stuff during the 2017 Billboard Music Awards on ABC, viewers gushed about their beauty/handsomeness, with the South Korean boy band BTS (aka Bangtan Boys) being a particularly big emotional touchpoint.

– People were spooked by the most recent episode of Freeform’s Pretty Little Liars during which Aria received some creepy video calls.

– Fans were psyched to have ABC’s The Bachelorette back on TV and flocked to the season 13 premiere.

– Tops in crazy ERs: the Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game on TNT where Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving scored a career-playoff-high of 42 points, helping lead his team to victory.

– Canvs

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Brian Ames is no longer at Snap Inc. A three-year vet at the Snapchat parent, Ames (formerly named Theisen) had served as Snap’s Director of Revenue since 2014. According to his LinkedIn page, Ames left Snap to become President of Advertising at King, a mobile game studio. The move was first noticed by The Information.

TRIVIA

The World of Warcraft multiplayer game was initially released in what year? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)

Our Last Trivia Question: Hank Azaria has been part of The Simpsons’ main cast since 1989, voicing a slew of characters. Name three of them. Answer: Too many to count! Azaria’s Simpsons characters include Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, and a slew of others. Kudos to Andy Pittman-TAMU/TX, Dan Quitério-Understood/NY, Louis Lewow-Lewow Media Group/GA, Scott Jenkins-Gracenote/NY, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, Lorrie Shilling/CA, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA, Josh Landau-Sports Illustrated Play/NJ, and Mike Martorano-Premiere Networks/CA

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Early rates for Kids !magination Awards expire in 2 weeks

For the sixth consecutive year, Cynopsis is honoring the best in children’s, tween and family programming across platforms, technology, marketing and prosocial campaigns. Winners will be recognized at the 6th annual awards event on September 19, 2017 in New York City. Enter NOW (while early rates apply)

DIGITAL SPOTLIGHT

For obvious reasons, Cynopsis Digital doesn’t usually devote the digital spotlight section to linear TV content. But the season 7 trailer for Game of Thrones is out, so that policy is officially out the window for a day. Watch it here.

David Teich
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JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT/Investigation Discovery/MD: Powerhouse devel mind to create/conceptualize high caliber ID series/specials/stunts. Comm & coordinate w/internal & external parties. 7+ yrs exp, Some exp in true crime req’d. Apply. (5/31)

JOB OPENING: POWERHOUSE ON-AIR PROMOPRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR/TCM & FILMSTRUCK/ATL: Seasoned Player/Coach needed for 2 acclaimed movie brands. Min 6-8 yrs promo prod exp in entertainment, brdcst or cable TV w/4-5 yrs conceptualizing/writing/prod promos for multiple platforms. Full info/apply HERE (5/31)

JOB OPENING: AD SALES ASST/FUSE Media/NY: Recent grad w/previous ad sales/adv internship exp. to asst ad sales dept. Strong Excel & multi-tasking a +. Good comm, interpersonal & organzt’l skills. Apply HERE (5/30)

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JOB OPENING: ANALYST, DIGITAL ANALYTICS /CNBC: Passionate, motivated candidate for Digital Analytics team. Synthesize user data to provide actionable insights to key stakeholders. Partner w/teams across orgnztn, incl IT, Product, & Edit to understand stakeholder needs, devise measurement plans & report on site & feature performance. Apply HERE (5/30)

JOB OPENING: SALES PLANNER TV/DIGITAL/GSN TV/Santa Monica: Hybrid role Sales assistant/planner. 2+ yrs’ experience. Advanced training in Powerpoint, Excel, bus writing; Familiar with Wide Orbit; BA Degree. Send res and CL [email protected] (5/30)

JOB OPENING: DEVELOPMENT EXEC: For short-term project w/potential for more. Established NY prodco. Generate ideas, find talent. Proposal writing a plus. [email protected] (5/29)

JOB OPENING: SR PLANNER/Z LIVING cable network/NYC: Immediate opening. Create/maintain sales plans, assisting AEs & SVP w/ sales presentations & projects as needed. 5 yrs’ exp at a nat’l cable network, w/min 3 yrs in a planner position. Exp w/Wide Orbit creating plans pref’d. Resume/cover: HERE (5/29)

JOB OPENING: BROADCAST/IT Engineer/NBCU/East Coast: Support day to day broadcast television, digital and IT/IP operations, Assist with implementation of software upgrades and system expansions, perform periodic maintenance. Full info/apply HERE (5/29)

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