That’s what meme’s are. We’re nostalgic for pop-culture that happened 10 seconds ago. We want to see spoofs and fresh takes on what’s currently popular.
It’s the same reason movie studios invest in sequels: the audiences are pre-aware, pre-established and pre-engaged.
Just look at all the “Shit People Say”, Bed Intruder Song, or all the meme’s happening. Nothing original here folks. But why can’t you look away?
Want to increase your chance of going viral? Be second.
I recently wrote about my experience watching The Mercury Men on Syfy’s app on XBox, it made me realize that we (Looney Viewers) need to clarify some terms.
I’ve been having many discussions lately about the future of Online Video and Broadcast Television, over-the-top (OTT), iTV, platform agnostic, synchronized cookie pools. OK, that last one is bullshit (but not according to an ad rep CJ Bruce once spoke with.)
The leading term seems to be ‘iTV’. But with Apple’s rumored product taking share of mind, we need a new term.
I think we should describe the medium, the experience and the new industry TVideo. The content style will be shorter, more democratized - hence the empahsis on ‘video’. The ‘T’ let’s you know the screen you’ll be viewing it on.
Let me just say that again: TVideo is the future.
TVideo. Let that marinade in your looney view.
The new XBox Live update has paved the way for Video on the TV. We at Looney Views call it TVideo.
XBox has delivered the ultimate TVideo experience. Video is no longer ‘online’ but on TV and seamlessly integrated with broadcast content and premium web series. Side-by-side. But the inclusion of social elements makes the experience more Video than TV.
TVideo is a premium Broadcast experience that maintains the 1:1, intimate feeling that only social video delivers. Here are a couple highlights from my recent hands-on experience:
PREMIUM WEB SERIES by SyFy
I just watched original web series content on the SyFy app using XBox Live on my TV. I highly recommend The Mercury Men if you love Ari Fliescher cartoons and classic serials that inspired Indiana Jones and Star Wars. I’m a big The Rocketeer fan.
After viewing, I shared it on Facebook:
And if you click the link on Facebook you watch the same The Mercury Men episode in browser. Multi-platform viewing and sharing.
YOUTUBE
YouTube on XBox is a completely different experience than browser YouTube. The Xbox version is completely focused on channels and networks with consistent premium content with a consistent format. The 100 channels they invested in are going to match this Internet Television format.
 RAPID ADOPTION
There’s a wonderful article from WIRED MAGAZINE this month about the YouTube Studio system.
While it’s mostly about Maker Studios (and fails to mention Big Frame or The Collective even though their talent is interviewed, odd) there is a great interview with some YouTube engineers that reveal some big plans for TVideo and effective monetization:
THE YOUTUBE PLAN
YouTube’s solution to “effective monetization of video content” is to increase viewing time (and CPMs). They’re using these tactics:
1. Implementing LeanBack for an autoplay, passive viewing experience similar to TV
2. Add a Pandora-like algorithm to make recommendations accurate and personalized during LeanBack, a passive TV-like experience
3. Investing in Premium content channels to populate LeanBack so it looks/feels more like TV, gain more viewership, create longer viewing sessions, etc.
4. Curators will be compensated for views of their Playlist. YouTube is using top YouTubers to drive their audience towards longer-tail content in the same niche. Curators are programming directors and getting paid for “recommending views”.
Chevy Sonic Skydiving is a perfect social video, not an advertisement.
Disney and YouTube are set to announce a content partnership worth $10 million to $15 million, The New York Times reports. Under the terms of the agreement, YouTube will invest millions of dollars on an original video series produced by Disney and distributed exclusively through a new co-brand…
If you’re not familiar with the tyrannical rule of the MPAA, check out this documentary.
YouTube has a basic ratings system to help categorize and tag videos for audiences and advertisers too.
What if everyone’s favorite video network started enforcing strict rating codes?
What if you couldn’t argue an unfair rating?
What if your YouTube audience was a bunch of 14 year olds (very likely) and you were forced to be edit out the best scene in your video before uploading to your channel?
Would you still use YouTube? Would YouTube feel more like TheirTube?
Someday YouTube might make you choose between the integrity of you content and the possibilities of discovery.
It’s our toys in their sandbox. They decide when recess is over.
