Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
ONLINE VIDEO OF THE WEEK: PLAY-DOH IN NYC
Several weeks ago, I was out on my morning bike ride when I spotted a giant red bunny. This being NYC, I took a few moments to process the giant red bunny sitting before me and motored on. Now it all makes sense. . .
Sony Bravia Playdoh Ad
(Click Below) I recommend you go with the low res version on this one. The high res sucks your computer memory dry.
Shot for over 3 weeks in Manhattan and devised by Fallon, Sony Bravia’s latest ad masterpiece was released on October 4th. The commercial employed 40 animators from Passion and used 2.5 tonnes of plasticine. Mmmmm. . .plasticine. This time around, Fallon selected a more established artist as their musical accompaniment: Rolling Stones ‘She’s a Rainbow’.
You may remember Fallon’s first campaign for Sony Bravia which featured bouncy balls falling down a hill in San Francisco or their second effort which incorporated a tower of paint shot in Glascow. The latest commercial is equally stunning.
Sony Bravia Bouncy Balls Ad
Sony Paint Tower Ad
Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
BROADCAST/CABLE
Dow Jones and Nielsen are teaming up to host a “Media and Money” conference in November featuring keynotes from the likes of Sumner Redstone, Michael Eisner and Norm Pearlstine. Jeff Bewkes will address: “What Does It Take to Build a Multi-Media Strategy?” (http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6488167.html 10/8)
Time Warner plans to set up a “council” to make it easier for advertisers to negotiate with all its U.K. media properties, including AOL U.K., IPC Media, Turner Broadcasting and Warner Bros. The U.K. council will mirror a system in operation in the United States. (http://www.smartmoney.com/bn/ON/index.cfm?story=ON-20071009-000167-0642 10/9)
A new workplace comedy is in development at HBO. Intelligence stars Bradley Cooper and Patton Oswalt and is set in a counter-intelligence unit, says Hollywood Reporter.
“High School Musical 2,” the hit sequel from the Disney Channel, is signing on with free-to-air television stations in more than 40 countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Russia, China and Japan. The U.S. premiere of “HSM2″ in August broke ratings records. (http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/10/high_school_musical_2_dances_t.php 10/8)
Joining the cast of 24 in the upcoming season as a recurring character will be Carly Pope as the president’s son’s girlfriend.
Drew Carey makes his debut as new host of CBS’ The Price Is Right when the 36th season of the game show opens October 15.
Cablevision’s iO: Interactive Optimum subscribers will get an early look at the upcoming Disney Channel movie “Twitches Too.” Additionally, subscribers of the VOD service will see new episodes of Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” series a week before they are telecast on the Disney Channel. (Broadcast Newsroom/Broadcasting & Cable 10/8)
The FCC is moving the start date for the 700 Mhz auction back from Jan. 16 to Jan. 24 and has set a total reserve price of about $10 billion for the entire swath. This should give coalitions looking to utilize the space to offer wireless broadband access and other services a bit more time to shore up their finances. The application process officially opens Nov. 19.
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
ONLINE/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
(Below) Very very interesting. To try and remain relevant to a consumer that can now readily acquire DVR from the cable-provided set-top box, TiVo has devised a strategy to add value to their technology by partnering with companies such as Amazon Unbox or RealNetworks in this case. TiVo’s monthly cost for service is $13 - $17 as compared to the cable company’s DVR monthly price of $5 - $10. On top of that, there is the up front TiVo equipment cost ($100 - $600) as compared to $0 up front cost for the cable company DVR. TiVo has to make that value up somewhere.
TiVo is unveiling a deal with RealNetworks to offer its Rhapsody music service on TiVo DVRs. The TiVo box is “now as a digital video receiver,” says TiVo CEO Tom Rogers. Rhapsody, a RealNetworks joint venture with MTV Networks, gives subscribers access to about 4 million songs. (http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2007-10-09-tivo_N.htm 10/8)
Google’s stock price on Monday passed $600 for the first time, giving the company a market cap greater than the three biggest traditional media companies — Time Warner, Disney and News Corp. — combined. Also: A possible Google mobile phone could push Google’s stock to $714. (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=68835 10/9, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ay.AvdDTOOvM 10/9)
Google will begin showing YouTube videos on thousands of other Web sites, hoping to profit from ads attached to the clips. The ads accompanying the YouTube clips won’t be in a video format. Instead, they will appear as a graphic straddling the video or as a link along the bottom. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071009/ap_on_hi_te/google_video 10/9)
Bob Garfield, a columnist for Advertising Age and host of NPR’s “On the Media,” is launching ComcastMustDie.com, an online forum allowing Comcast subscribers to complaint about the cable-TV operator. Garfield says he wants Comcast to “pay close attention.” (http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6488057.html 10/8)
55 Comments from the public and counting. Here’s one post that seemed to speak volumes about how consumers feel towards their cable company:
Actually, I have no deathwish for Comcast or any other gigantic, blundering, greedy, arrogant corporate monstrosity, What I do have is the earnest desire for such companies to change there (SIC) ways. This site offers an opportunity — for you to vent your grievances (civilly, please) and for Comcast to pay close attention.
While most consumers say they would rather watch video on their TVs than their PCs, 13% of people feel otherwise, according to Frank N. Magid Associates. Younger adults are the least committed to TV, with only 23% strongly agreeing that they prefer TV for video viewing. (http://adage.com/digital/article.php?article_id=120937 10/8)
ABC.com will host a live blog tonight from 8 pm to 9 pm ET with best-selling author James Patterson. The interactive Q&A was set to promote the premiere of the drama Women’s Murder Club on Friday night on ABC, based on Patterson’s mystery series set in San Francisco.
P2P internet TV service Babelgum unveiled a new upload feature to help independent producers manage and monetize their online assets on the site. The company, which unlike rival service Joost has adopted an open platform approach, is guaranteeing $5 per 1,000 views until it officially launches advertising next year.
Yahoo! will buy 10% of the shares in the Hong Kong IPO of Alibaba.com, the business-to-business unit of China’s biggest online retailer. Yahoo, already the owner of a 40% stake in Alibaba, wants to boost earnings in China, the world’s second-biggest Internet market. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=al9VcdugzKRg 10/9)
Locally targeted search engines are starting to replace phone books as the starting point for millions of people seeking plumbers, lawyers or hair stylists. The trend is creating a big business opportunity for Web advertising start-ups and traditional yellow-pages publishers. (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-local9oct09,1,7624035.story?ctrack=2&cset=true 10/9)
Filed under: GAMING
GAMING
Sony Corp’s U.S. video games operation is creating an advertising unit that will promote brands and products inside games such as its upcoming “Home” virtual world. Sony will depict brands in various forms within the game, such as “on billboards and images of TV screens.” (http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0831837920071008 10/8)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
When the Robert Zemeckis movie “Beowulf” premieres in November, many screens will show it in Dolby 3D, the first time the new 3D technology from Dolby Laboratories has been used. (CNET 10/8)
John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, Anthony Hopkins, and Angelina Jolie in the CGI animated version of Beowulf. Hmmm. . . A lot of star power but I’m on the fence after seeing the trailer. Perhaps, that’s because Angelina Jolie’s lisp in this film really frustrates me. That said, seeing this in 3D will be nothing short of amazing.
Beowulf Trailer
Apple’s iPod may draw in around 70% of all digital-music-player sales, but its penetration of the U.S. population is still only at 20%. That, argues Fortune editor-at-large Richard Siklos, leaves plenty of room for competitors to make headway into the market. (CNNMoney.com/Fortune 10/8)
(Below) I must have it. MUST. Not quite as amazing as my wi-fi enabled sweater. . . Sarcasm tags on that last comment.
Talk about dressing smart. Online retailer ThinkGeek has announced a new line of T-shirts that come with Wi-Fi hot spot detectors. The shirts, powered by three AAA batteries, light up when a network is in range. (Yahoo!/PC World/IDG News Service 10/7)
Gateway, itself about to be acquired by Acer, has made a “binding offer” to acquire Packard Bell, a purchase that would be funded in Acer. Terms were not disclosed, but sources say the deal does not allow Packard Bell to seek a better offer from Lenovo, which had previously expressed interest in buying the company. (Financial Times 10/9)
