Amazon is rumored to be launching a set-top box this fall, bringing their content into the living room. Amazon has already had quite a bit of success with their Instant Video service so it makes sense to expand their distribution platforms. While Amazon Instant Video can be accessed via other over-the-top services like Roku, their dedicated device would allow them to feature their services more prominently. Time will tell if they decide to include other competitive content providers like Netflix within their ecosystem.
Tag: streaming
The Future Of TV Starts With A Name Change
There comes a time where naming conventions seem to hold back progress.
If we still called music “cassettes” it would be hard to imagine the effect this would have had on the way products like iTunes or services like Spotify would have been developed and marketed.
It strikes me that the future of TV , in terms of how content is searched for, found and viewed and how TV advertising manifests, is being hampered by the concept of TV and it’s antiquated name.
TV’s used to be large boxes in the home that you watched TV shows on, that were broadcast by TV companies on TV Channels.
Especially in the UK and Europe, you were quite likely to sit down at watch Channel Number X for the evening.
Increasingly these separate TV based units are becoming meaningless, the notion of a TV channel seems rather strange, even the idea of a “show” made for TV seems a little odd in an era of long and short form content on Vimeo, Youtube, News Websites etc.
A new name is required and with it a new way of thinking.
Much like we used to talk about records then cassettes, then CD’s and then MP3’s, each with their own cassette player, discman etc, we now just talk about music.
We now need to think not about DVD’s and TV Channels and Set top boxes, but about what it is Video.
Our TV’s are on the edge of being nothing to do with TV. They are merely large screen through which to play video.
We no longer sit down and “tune in” to see what is “on”, increasingly we sit down and think about specific content we watch. Smart TV’s like Samsung with their S- Recommendation engines now surface content based on our behavior and regardless of the format of content and the pipeline that brought it. Your thirst for soccer could be quenched by Live Soccer on Fox Soccer, a match on your DVR, an iTunes hosted video of the top goals ever, or highlights for free on Youtube.
Thinking of the TV as large screen for video allows the imagination to rethink other aspects. As an agency that seeks to serve the needs of brands, why are we now bound by the limitations and expense ofTV advertising.
TV Advertising can be done more accurately.
Digital TV’s can record data about your behavior and can work at an individual level, you now no longer need to buy a show, you can buy a individual house at a specific moment in time.
TV Advertising can be linked to an action.
You are now showing video to people on a large connected screen. Opportunities to buy products featured in shows will soon become common, as will click to find out more, or click to enter competitions
TV Advertising can be done more creatively.
With targeting down to a household ads can be served sequentially to build a narrative and ads can now be based on real time context or other data to make ads richer. They could pull in your feeds from you social graph, show what your friends think of the products etc.
TV Advertising can be done more measurably.
Any action based creative can be used to measure response in real time, thus providing ways for advertisers to test creative.
Even more than this advertising can now be served more quickly and much more cheaply/
So my only question remains, with this new world of the large screen and richer ad experiences, what does the TV’s new name become?
Pandora Announces 200 Million Users
Pandora announced that on Tuesday it passed 200 million registered users for its online radio service. Although it took the company six years to sign its first 100 million users, from July 2005 to July 20011, it took a little less than two years thereafter to double that figure. In addition, 140 million out of the 200 million also access their accounts from mobile devices. Pandora firmly believes that it’s on the right side of radio innovation, for both artists and music fans; however only 70 million of the 200 million registered users use the service on a monthly basis. At the same time, this ratio is significantly more promising than that of Spotify, which boasts 24 million active users, only 6 million of which pay for the service.
Nuance Announces Talking Ads
Engagement has been a challenge for advertisers in the mobile sphere since its inception, but Nuance aims to change that with conversational mobile ads. An advertisement would prompt a user to tap a button in the ad and then speak to it, triggering a two-way conversation leading up to a sale. The applications are clear in formats that already incorporate audio, like Pandora and other streaming applications, but hopes are high for other areas as well. The instant gratification and interaction factors of voice ads are attractive to marketers seeking to create engaging experiences for consumers, but will talking ads be seen by consumers as a nuisance more than an improvement?
HBO Go To Stream Live Sports By Year End
One of the major downsides to advanced TV platforms has been the lack of live programming, specifically around sports games and other tentpole events like the Oscars. The real-time nature of these programs is paramount and is often not available from players like Roku or Xbox. Yet, recent news indicates that this may no longer be the case.
HBO Go has announced that they will offer live sports streaming by the year end. HBO Go has already been a colossal success and this new feature would likely make it an even more attractive offer. Currently, live streaming has been offered by cable networks for large events like NBC Olympic coverage, but HBO and others providers are expanding this online model to more regular programming as well.
FX Announces FXX and FXNow to Target Millennials
FX Networks is aiming to compete with large broadcast networks for ad buys by splitting their audiences and offering competitive CPMs. The newest network, FXX, aimed at the valuable 18-34 demographic, will launch September 2 and become the new home for such favorites as “The League” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” This announcement follows the launch of FXM, which airs movies, and will soon be home to original miniseries much like competitor HBO. The company also intends to launch FXNow this fall, offering on-demand streaming aimed to reduce DVR usage. The service will include FX original series as well as a rotating set of movies. Now that FX has clearly set its sights on such varied competitors as ABC, NBC, HBO, and Netflix, will other networks follow suit and diversify?
Spotify Runs TV Ads
Spotify is finally ready to enter the world of mainstream advertising, airing ads during NBC’s The Voice in an effort to expand on its 6 million paying subscribers. These 6 million put Spotify handily ahead of competitors like Rdio and MOG, but the future of the streaming model supporting these services is far from perfect, and music industry criticism of the financial repercussions of a subscription model could result in more than just grumbling in coming years. The old rumor that Spotify aims to become an all-in-one destination for all forms of media online – one to compete with Netflix and Hulu – has gained new breath in light of this ad push. Could Spotify be gearing up to take new ground, and potentially silence its most vocal critics by balancing its financial woes in the process?
Intel Announces Streaming TV Box
Prepare to be watched while you watch. Intel Media GM, Erik Huggers, has revealed that Intel will launch a set-top box this year to power an Internet television service including live television, on-demand, catch-up television, and apps. Hopes are high for the quality of the service, but concerns over privacy have already been voiced, as the box will feature a camera, which is rumored to be used to target advertisements to users. Advertisers have been excited for some time about this type of targeting technology, and this box could be a strong first step towards integrating it into home TV setups.
CBS Superbowl Stream
The Super Bowl is all about the first screen as viewers look for the most monstrous display to take in the action, but CBS also considered PC and tablet use this year providing a free stream of the game. Additionally, viewers could toggle camera angles, rewatch plays and receive web-exclusive ads. While twitter was likely the main second screen, CBS was able to extended their reach and interactivity online.
DirecTV Invests in FreeWheel, Monetizes Online Content
DirecTV is making big moves towards the standardization of monetized online video content. This week they announced their strategic investment in video ad company FreeWheel in an effort to improve monetization of its new digital platforms. FreeWheel dynamically inserts ads in on-demand and live video streams, and has already been used by such big names as AOL, ESPN, FOX, NBC and VEVO. They also provide monetization rights management technology, ensuring the right content providers are paid for the monetization of their streamed shows.
