Google's CEO sees traditional media under threat from digital media and peoples changing habits of wanting information and entertainement on the move - anywhere and anytime. Newsprint with its logistics and physical point of sale and restriction to 'print news on deadline' (when going to press) does not suit the 24 hour 365 online model now enjoyed by many. Traditional broadcast media is also showing it is struggling with retaining its audience.

Google also have just unveilved a new deal with a Hollywood producer/writer and the same time it has complied with a court order obtained by Viacom regarding removal of copyright programmes from YouTube. Google sees a new ad revenue linked model for producers as the way forward. Rather than pure programme or series sponsorship the deal envisages programmes having AdSence linked adverts and the programmes owners sharing in the revenue.

Now that is an interesting model some of our clients could consider. Take two specific examples.

One client produced a series of video podcasts. Over a 12 month period they attracted over 300k visits via the RSS link. What is even more interesting is that there were only 6 programmes in the series and all those visits were generated via WOMMA. Cost per visitor was less that 3p. Now compare that to the cost of other communication campaigns. Having generated that level of traffic maybe content sensative ads would have worked well and even allowed them to offset our costs and possibly made a profit!

Another client produced a series of audio podcasts targeted a scientific and technical community. A series of 7 podcasts generated over 40k listeners. Again a number of carefully managed and subject matter relevant adverts could have been used to generate revenue and off-set our costs.

It would certainly seem possible to turn a marketing cost centre into a revenue generating centre. I wonder who will be the first to try that out? What a great case study that would be!

Great example of the power of YouTube to help disseminate information to a global audience through word-of-mouth and viral marketing.

Johnny Lee is a researcher in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in the USA. In this TedTalk he shows his work at applying innovative ideas using low cost objects.

What is equally impressive is how fast news of his work has spread globally, the level of interest and the speed of a commercial application of one of his inventions.

Gordon Brown is sure to get more 'brick-bats' that plaudits for using YouTube to ask for video questions. Shame. To my mindthis is a great initiative. I feel it works on multiple levels. I have never met him personally but relatives of mine (not labour supporters and members of the public) have said he is a very nice person to meet and talk to. YouTube maybe less adversorial and suit his communication style better. Equally it gives him a direct contact with his 'customers'. What a great way to get feedback on some of the issues the electorate feels unsettled about. Opinion polls and research by others can never replace hard-wired feedback. Policians do hold regular clinics for constituents but being in the Westminister Village does cut you off from reality. YouTube sould help reconnect.

So what lessons can business learn?

• Too many senior executives live in the 'boardroom bubble' where they become detached from the daily issues facing their customers. they see and hear 'massaged' and presented data from their management team. In some cases the boards attitude means that the 'messangers' present the data in the most favourable way possible. YouTube feedback could help the management team engage better with customers. What are the hot issues? What are management doing to address them?
• It is a great 'dip-stick' research tool. Instead of the annual satisfaction surveys that are virtually out of date before being presented why not use YouTube as a form on ongoing 'sentiment' checking?
• Why not extend the principal to employees? Look at research. How many times does it say management is 'out of touch' with employees? Employees do not understand senior managements strategy or their personal role in it? That they are de-motivated as they feel disengaged?Could a YouTube type initiative but behind the 'firewall' help? 

Some interesting research by Rubber Republic on the use of YouTube for 'viral' videos. As to be expected the 80:20 + 1 metric applies.

20% of videos get 500+ views in the first month

80% get less that (majority will be less than 100 I would guess)

1% get 500,000+

What is not discussed is how this overlays to the campaign objectives. For example if the target was to have the FTSE 250 CxOs watch then a viewing number of 20 or 50 would be considered brilliant (I would of course question if YouTube was the right medium to deliver the video anyway). If your target was all teenagers then such numbers would be a disaster!

Slowly but surely the internet as a viable channel of quality content delivery is happening.

BBC Worldwide has just announced the availability of material by Michael Palin and Steve Coogan amongst others. No longer do you have to rely on YouTube to see such content. Traditional production companeis and broadcasters are realising many people now want content delivery via the internet either at home or when out and about.

Thanks to Digital Bulletin for the news that the Cadbury Gorilla ad had reached 500,000 views on YouTube. What I also noticed was that the campaign costs a cool £6.2m. I expect a large amount of that was spent on media (after Mr Collins took his share of course).

I personally did not know it had been on TV. A friend e-mailed me the YouTube link and I posted about it on my blog earlier. The cost of getting those 500,000 views on YouTube will have been virtually zero as it will mainly have been done by word-of-mouth. If I was the marketing director at Cadbury's I would be wondering about the budget spend on broadcast media versus what not spent on social media. Just what was the response to the TV spots? Without a direct response mechanism I guess they will never really know. If they do and brand recall surveys will they ignore any online media exposure.

Maybe in the big scheme of things it does not matter. Maybe integrating online and offline is best anyway. But a part of me would still want to know. Just like in the early days of direct and then e-mail it maybe prudent to take part of the budget to support social media activity.

If I was Cadbury's I would run a mash-up competition. This is what we did - now show us yours. I would also look at the releasing a 'making of the ad' showing make up, camara shots etc. (OK - showing my a/v geek side). What sort of casting process did they use? Did they ask the actors to bring their own gorilla suits? What were the auditions like? This could become a series. Bit late for viewers to vote on their favourite gorilla. Shame. This could run and run...

Notice that the article refers to 200+ people on Gorilla Facebook group but look at the comments and you will see someone says it is nearer 9,000. Wow!

This one will win an award and you should check up how many mash-ups exist on YouTube already....

Viral marketing at its best.

The PR Week/Brands2Life latest annual survey shows UK business uptake of podcasting, blogging and posting of videos on YouTube have increased significantly over the last 12 months.

In their survey they showed 44% of businesses are using podcasts, 41% now use blogging and 15% have posted a video on YouTube.

The blogging figures show a massive increase from only 4% to 41%. They caution that most companies seem to be experimenting rather than having a strategy for the active use of social media.

I will try and get some more details of the research as these seem very high numbers from my personal experience.

As it says Broadcast Yourself. Or maybe that should be Watch Others broadcast themselves. That is the power of social media.

As Marshall McLuhan (1911 - 1980), the Communications and Media academic researcher said "With telephone and TV it is not so much the message as the sender that is “sent.”

He died before the internet became such a powerful communication platform so I am sure he would not mind me editing his statement slightly:

'With the internet and online video it is not so much the message as the sender that is sent'

A press release comScore yesterday reported that 80% of internet users (aged 15 and older) streamed video in April 2007. A total of 10% of their time online was spent watching video.

The study measuring video consumption in France, Germany, UK and the USA shows UK consumers are number 1 in terms of percentage watching but France leads on total time spent watching them at 13%. The UK beats all countries again with the total number of streams initiated.

Where are people accessing the video streams from?

• Google                 - 608m (includes YouTube)
• Yahoo! sites          -  58m
• BBC                     -  32m
• Fox Interactive      -  26m
• Microsoft              -  17m

Marshall McLuhan (1911 - 1980)

We have just received news of a new household recycling programme being introduced by local councils across England and Wales.

Funded by an EC grant to help the UK increase the percentage of household waste that is recycled a local council official stated that they would be using the first 6 months as an educational period of time but thereafter on the spot fines would be imposed.

The council official refused to confirm or deny that the process would allow car number plates to be tracked back so video would be put on YouTube as part of a 'name and shame' programme.

What with 14 million CCTV cameras already in the UK it does seem excessive to now have mobile crews at recycling plants!

See http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianjmoss/sets/72157600291863746/

Question: What goes from zero to $1.6b in less than 21 months?

Answer: YouTube

Check out this intersting video and potted history http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=108