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Cynopsis: DIGITAL
05.08.13

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, May 8, 2013, and this is your first early morning digital briefing.

Danny Zappin has stepped down as the CEO of Maker Studios, one of the top multichannel networks on YouTube. Veteran television executive Ynon Kreiz, a former Chairman and CEO of Endemol and the current Chairman of Maker Studios, will effectively succeed Zappin and is assuming the role of Executive Chairman. In a memo to employees, Zappin said: “As we prepare to move into the next phase of growth for Maker Studios, I felt it was the right time to make a significant transition. As the former CEO and Chairman of Endemol… Ynon has the specific media exec experience that we need to take Maker to the next level.” Zappin said he will keep his seat on the Board of Directors and will serve as an advisor to Kreiz. Maker currently reaches more than 32 million people and generates more than 3 billion views per month across its network of YouTube channels. Last December, the company secured a $36 million investment led by Time Warner Investments. Kreiz was also an investor in that round.

Break Media’s men’s lifestyle site, MadeMan.com, has partnered with Nivea Men to launch a web series for the brand’s “Silence the Irritation” campaign. Just Face It follows a man trying to juggle his personal and professional life, all the while having to deal with the “daily irritations of life.” The eight-episode comedy series is written by Chadd Gindin (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Cleveland Show) and stars Damon Wayans, Jr. (Happy Endings) and Janina Gavankar (True Blood). New episodes will be made available every week through June 4 on a custom page for Nivea Men on MadeMan.com as well as MadeMan’s YouTube channel. While developing the branded web series, Break Media used its Acumen research platform to survey a panel of “thousands of men” about the things in their lives that they found most irritating. For Nivea Men, this series falls in line with its portfolio of men’s skincare products, which are designed to help “men silence shaving irritation once and for all,” according to Evan Eckman, VP/Marketing, North America, Beiersdorf.

Nickelodeon says its second annual Animated Shorts Program, which aims to identify and develop original comedy content for kids, has selected 12 finalists from a pool of almost 900 pitches. These concepts will be developed into animated shorts, with the potential to air on Nickelodeon and/or show up on Nick.com and the recently launched Nick mobile app. There is also the chance of the concepts (and the resulting animated shorts) becoming future television franchises for Nickelodeon. The company’s first Animated Shorts Program also picked 12 finalists, from a list of over 600 pitches. Six of those finalists are currently in series development and two will get pilot orders. As for the Animated Shorts Program, Nickelodeon plans to expand it in the future as well as roll out an international version in the coming months.

Machinima has launched a new graphic novel-style action/comedy series called Tainted Love on its Machinima Prime YouTube channel. Created by and starring Orlando Jones (Evolution, The Replacements), the show follows a hitman and his newly pregnant girlfriend as they try to fend off his boss (who they tried to rob) and the police. The visual format fuses live action with graphic novel-like animation. Alongside Jones, the show also features Deanna Russo, Eric Roberts, and Maz Jobrani. Six episodes are planned, with each new one airing every Sunday at 12 noon on Machinima Prime.

NDN has struck a syndication deal with MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) to distributed licensed MLB game highlights within baseball stories on local news publishers’ websites. Via its content syndication solution, NDN offers publishers the ability to feature breaking news, entertainment, technology, business, politics, and lifestyle content, among other types. “Online video has become a key component of consumers’ viewing habits within the sports vertical, and with NDN, MLBAM will be able to quickly and easily expand its reach to fans across the US,” said Reggie Jackson (THE Reggie Jackson), who is a major investor in NDN. NDN currently has partnerships with more than 4,500 online news publishers. For some, it even acts as a “newsroom” of sorts by remotely embedding relevant news clips into publishers’ stories.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Our exclusive Webinar will provide you with their latest thinking, strategies and tactics to help you optimize your video investments. Expert speakers include: Joann Wolferman, Product Leadership, Ad Effectiveness for Nielsen, Matt Timothy, President at VINDICO!, and Robin Wilson, Vice President, Operations at Blip

Sharethrough has unveiled a native mobile ad product — appropriately titled Sharethrough Mobile Sponsored Stories — that allows advertisers to embed videos, articles, and other pieces of content into publishers’ mobile websites. Think of these as similar to the “Sponsored Stories” on Facebook, but now available on individual mobile websites from Sharethrough’s publishing partners like Forbes, Serious Eats, and People. All native ads will be labeled as “sponsored content” and will visually align with the mobile site’s colors, font, and layout thanks to a technology Sharethrough developed called Real Time Templating. Sharethrough says it’s currently running a native ad campaign for brands like Pepsi and Cruzan Rum. For Pepsi, Sharethrough is distributing the company’s “Mirrors” video featuring Beyonce. 

Though YouTube is planning to unveil a subscription option for channel owners this week (likely to be Thursday), the subscription-based channels will also feature ads, according to AllThingsD.

Apple was the top smartphone manufacturer in the US during Q1 2013 with an average market share of 39%, according to comScore. Apple’s biggest competitor, Samsung, ranked second with a 21.7% average market share during the same time period, followed by HTC (9%), Motorola (8.5%), and LG (6.8%). Android was the top smartphone operating system in the US with a market share of 52%, with Apple second at 39%, followed by BlackBerry (5.2%), Microsoft (3%), and Symbian (0.5%). Overall, comScore reports that 136.7 million Americans owned smartphones (58% mobile market penetration) during the three-month period ending in March 2013. This is up 9% from the previous three-month period.

Mobile apps measurement AppsFlyer has released its first “Mobile Apps Discovery Report.” Analyzing “billions of app marketing events” during the first quarter, the report found that social was the top app marketing channel when assessed by user quality (function of app sessions, in-app activity, purchases, and retention), conversion rates, and new user volume. In this report, AppsFlyer defines “social app marketing” as things like Facebook and Twitter campaigns, users inviting their friends to download the app, and app discovery based on social elements. AppsFlyer says the introduction of Facebook’s Mobile App Install Ads product helped the social channel score big during Q1. If you’re looking strictly for volume, AppsFlyer advisers using mobile ad networks, which can bring you high user numbers, but on average “lower quality users.”

The next Cynopsis Digital Webinar, “Online Video: How The Heck Do I Measure This Stuff?“ is less than two weeks away, which means time is slipping to get yourself and your colleagues registered for what should definitely by a raucous (but very informative) event. Do it. Do it now. We’ve got some great speakers lined up, and it will be moderated by none other than the guy writing this wonderful piece of copy.

TV Guide Digital’s newly redesigned Android app includes a “Watchlist” feature that lets users discover where they can check out their favorite TV shows and programs. When a user adds a show, sports team, actor, or movies to the Watchlist, it will let them know on a single screen all the different ways to see it, including TV, on demand, streaming, and DVD. The Android app also links users to apps for HBO Go, Max Go, Hulu Plus, The CW, and Crackle, in order to get to their favorite shows/movies quickly. TV Guide Digital says additional video sources will be added during the next few weeks. Other new features include: Curated video channels featuring TV, movie, and original online video content handpicked by TV Guide editors and guests; the ability to check into programming; and video clips of celebrities discussing their favorite movies.

Cross-screen ad solutions provider Tapad continues its US expansion with new offices in Atlanta and Dallas. The company has also appointed John Cattarulla as its Regional VP/Sales, Southeast Region, based in Atlanta; and Brent Richey as Senior Account Executive, Southwest Region, based in Dallas. Overall, Tapad has opened seven new offices in the past 12 months.

Zonoff, a provider of “smart home” technology, has hired Dave DiOrio as its new VP/Customer Programs. He will e responsible for driving “innovative implementations” of Zonoff’s smart home tech solutions for consumers and channel partners.

Real Media Group (RMG) has made several new additions to its North American sales team, including Casey Squier, Rob Harrington, and Jordana Havriluk on the west coast, and Katy Katz, Emma Wiedner, and Joe Patlevic in Chicago.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

I’m on a “branded entertainment” kick the past couple of days, so here’s a three-minute video on Audi’s YouTube channel for the 2013 Audi S7. Starring Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto (better known as Spock, and New Spock), the video features the two men racing to a golf club. Obviously the new guy drives the Audi S7 and the older gentleman opts for a competitor’s not-as-cool car (in this case, a Mercedes-Benz). It’s funny, has some decent references for the Trekkies out there, and features a pretty cool tag if you’re into cars. The video was directed by the comedy duo of Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello (otherwise known as Paulilu), who have some cool stuff elsewhere on YouTube, including Broadway Video’s Above Average comedy channel.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Later – Sahil
Sahil Patel, Editor for Cynopsis Digital
05.08.13

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