ADVERTISING
Nielsen has extended its ad measurement deal with YouTube to the video giant’s mobile app. The company says that its Digital Ad Ratings product will now provide cross-device measurement of YouTube advertising audiences across all mobile devices and computers. Nielsen’s clients will be able to access gender and age demos – as well as frequency, reach, and gross rating points – on YouTube’s mobile app. YouTube has used Nielsen for ad revenue for three years. Previously, it was only active on desktop and mobile web browsers.
Vox Media is in the process of eliminating all ads from exchanges, Vox CEO Jim Bankoff told Digiday. According to Bankoff, exchange-based ads have already been eliminated on the “most quality” parts of Vox’s network. Now, he says, the company is in the process of eliminating them across the board. The problem, according to Bankoff: Programmatic ad systems often let bad ads slip through, slowing down sites in the process.
CYNOPSIS WEBINAR: SNAPCHAT VS. INSTAGRAM STORIES
Programmers and marketers need to know how of Snapchat and Instagram Stories – and when to use which. On June 29, join Cynopsis for the webinar Snapchat and Instagram Stories: A How & When Guide. Speakers include Scripps Networks Interactive’s Abbi McCollum and Giant Spoon’s Will Thompson. Register here.
VIRTUAL + AUGMENTED REALITY
YouTube just stepped up its VR game. At Vidcon, the Google-owned video giant announced the debut of VR180, a new 180-degree VR video format. In addition to Google’s own Daydream and Cardboard viewers, the videos will be compatible with Sony PlayStation VR headsets. Unlike 360-degree videos, 180-degree vids don’t feature any imagery behind the viewer. And on the web or traditional phones, the content will be formatted to look like standard rectangular YouTube videos.
In other YouTube VR news, the company announced that it has partnered with several consumer electronics companies, including Lenovo, LG and Yi, to create new 180VR-compatible virtual reality cameras. The cameras, set roll out to consumers later this year, will also come equipped with support for VR180 live-streaming.
Facebook announced the dates of this year’s Oculus Connect 4 conference. The event, devoted to announcements and new products surrounding Oculus, will run from October 11-12 in San Jose.
APPS + PLATFORMS
8i, a startup specializing in holographic capture, has released its new Holo app for iOS and Android. Holo lets users record real-life videos that incorporate photo-realistic holographic images. At launch, the company is partnering with Sony Pictures to let users add Spider-Man holograms to their recordings. 8i has also partnered with Hearst, AOL’s RYOT, and Verizon’s Go90 to bring other content to the app.
AUDIO
Tech billionaire Sean Parker is leaving Spotify’s board, according to Swedish site Breakit.se. The founder of Napster and the first president of Facebook, Parker has been on the Spotify board for the past seven years. The company is widely expected to go public later this year.
DIGITAL PROGRAMMING
Defy Media, the digital media company that oversees channels such as Smosh and ScreenJunkies, just reached a deal with Comedy Central International. Under the new partnership, two of Defy’s most successful programs – Smosh’s Every Blank Ever and ScreenJunkies’ Honest Trailers – will get international exposure. CCI will launch new versions of the two series – ten episodes of Every Blank Ever and 25 Episodes of Honest Trailers – for foreign audiences. Comedy Central hasn’t clarified just which countries the shows will debut in just yet.
Great Big Story, a CNN-backed digital content startup focused on docu-style short-form video, is getting a big boost. CNN recently announced that it’s investing another $40 million into GBS. (The investment values Great Big Story at somewhere between $200 million and $250 million, according to Bloomberg.) GBS says it will use the investment to develop a 24-hour streaming channel. The startup plans to fill out a full-day programming schedule with a more diverse array of content, including feature films and live programming. And, according to CNN, GBS plans to find distribution across OTT TV services like Dish’s Sling TV and AT&T’s DirecTV Now.
CYNOPSIS MEASUREMENT & DATA CONFERNCE
Register now for the Cynopsis Measurement & Data Conference, on August 3 in NYC, while early rates apply. Register before June 30 and be a part of this thoughtful and candid examination of cross-platform video measurement with some of the smartest minds in advertising.
MEASURING UP
SHAREABLEE SOCIAL TV RATINGS: Top 10 U.S. Primetime and Streaming Shows for June 5 – June 11. Based on Shareablee’s Video Power Index (VPI), which combines viewing, consumer interactions and audience scale across all active platforms, and includes the video performance of primetime and streaming shows.
Source: Shareablee Inc. The total actions metric includes the total volume of post-level likes, shares, favorites, retweets and comments across social platforms.
Tweet of the week: @daniellefoxy: The Warriors parade is on I’m so proud of my team
Canvs, the emotion analytics company, analyzed tweets about TV and streaming programming from June 14-20 using Twitter data from Nielsen. Insights from the 1,302,435 tweets expressing a specific Emotional Reaction (ER) include:
– Tops in beauty: the most recent episode of The Bachelorette on ABC. Viewers sent thousands of messages commenting on the hotness of the contestants, with Dean and Peter in particular getting a ton of attention.
– The 2017 NBA champs Golden State Warriors basked in the glow of the week’s biggest flood of congratulatory messages during their championship parade, which was broadcast on NBA TV.
– WWE’s Money in the Bank PPV event had viewers bubbling with excitement.
– Outside of sports, viewers of Freeform’s Pretty Little Liars posted the most messages talking about how crazy the latest episode was, with Mona being the biggest conversation topic.
– Canvs
TRIVIA
In May, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola said that a new Hellboy film will be in theaters by 2018. (Title: Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen.) According to Mignola, which Stranger Things actor is set to star in the film?
Our Last Trivia Question: This YouTube star who plays in the band We The Kings holds a Guinness World Record for posting a daily, uninterrupted video about his life for more than eight years. Answer: Charles Trippy. Kudos to Amelia Girgenti-NBA/NY, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, Lorrie Shilling/CA, and Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)
