The Best Quotes From #DICE2015

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DICE Summit is undoubtedly the place where the brightest stars in the gaming business meet and rub elbows to learn and talk about challenges and triumphs in creating games.

We’ve gathered our favorite quotes heard on the stage so far and put them in one convenient place for you to mentally download all the quotable goodness.

The Grammys Are A Master Class For Brands On How To Stay Relevant

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In some cases, awards shows simply drone on by, riding more on hype than actual effect when it comes to their presentation. However, that’s not the case for the Grammys, the yearly music awards show that continues to not only remain relevant after 57 years, but finds itself thriving in a whole new area – social media.

Fast Company posted a report that explains how the show continues to thrive year after year, with unique pushes in social media. “Every single year social media has changed and it’s up to us to set a new bar when it comes to social media and live events,” said Evan Greene, CMO for the Recording Academy. “We are at a point where text tweets aren’t enough to engage audiences anymore, there needs to be photos, GIFS, videos and more.”

The Grammys first got its start in the social media realm in 2008 and 2009, when it created specific Twitter, YouTube and Facebook accounts that stretched across every means of social network, including Instagram, Spotify and Vine. That move became even larger just a few years later, when, in 2012, the show managed to reach nearly 40 million viewers and 13 million social comments – unprecedented numbers for an awards show. It even managed to push past the Super Bowl’s big numbers.

“Twitter and Instagram are the two platforms that make the most sense when it comes to live and real-time engagement, so we will be providing even more media rich and behind-the-scenes content,” said Greene.

The team behind the channels unveiled a few strategies it has in mind, leading up to the latest Grammys telecast, which will take place on February 8th. They include the following…

Snapchat: For the first time, there will be a special Grammy “Story” in Snapchat on February 8th. This means that all Snapchat users will easily be able to see videos being shot at the event, complete with a custom location based graphic.

Tumblr: Mr. GIF will live-GIF the show’s telecast for the second year and create GIF portraits of the Grammy winners backstage.

Instagram: There will be a backstage photo studio for Instagram pictures.

Facebook: Questions and answers will be highlighted for several artist nominees, including Lecrae, Robert Glasper, SOJA and Brandy Clark.

Twitter: On the red carpet and backstage, Twitter will have its Twitter Mirror for artists to share pictures – at last year’s event, the Grammys became the first awards show to use the Twitter Mirror feature.

While YouTube won’t be live-broadcasting the event (thus creating less of a direct threat to the Grammys broadcast), it will have a music-focused set-up on its site for a day in March, to show its appreciation for the medium.

Indeed, the Grammys continue to rock on, and this year’s show should be no exception.

Meet The Winners Of Super Bowl XLIX

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by Jessica Klein

There’s no denying our commercial culture when it comes to the Super Bowl, one of the year’s biggest sporting and TV events that many people watch for the ads, and not the actual sport. In the spirit of these ads as entertainment, we worked with research technology firm Dialsmith to figure out which advertisers brought their A-game throughout Super Bowl XLIX and which ones dropped the ball – based on a sliding scale that allowed you, dear reader and (likely) Super Bowl viewer, to pinpoint the exact moments that you loved, hated, or felt indifferent about.

Here’s what you said…

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

How Nintendo Can Make Creators Happy Again

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The launch of Nintendo’s Creator’s Program this week and the terms involved has sparked some upset from YouTubers at the legacy brand’s way of approaching content. Nintendo sees an opportunity to monetize these videos, giving creators 60 to 70 percent of the money from YouTube while letting creators use otherwise copyrighted material that the company has been diligent about taking down.

The program has created a bit of a dilemma for creators who want to be involved, but feel there is a conflict of interest.

“A YouTuber who makes money from game criticism and game reviews would have a problem reviewing a Nintendo game. Not only do you have to essentially pay Nintendo to review their games, you have to review the game by their rules. You signed a contract with them in order to be allowed to review their game,” says Geek Remix in a video now circulating which addresses the partnership program.

“I think this is a slap in the face to the YouTube channels that do focus on Nintendo games exclusively,” says Felix Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, in a post to fans.

 

What You Need to Know About Snapchat Discover

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By: Sarah Ullman

Snapchat Discover debuted this week, thus launching Snapchat into the race for digital video platform dominance. Snapchat will not only distribute video to its 200 million users, but also create and publish its own content on the “Snapchannel.” (No one could think of a better name )

Converting Users Into Customers

Snapchat is somewhat inelegantly designed but wildly addictive. I won’t waste time explaining Snapchat basics, but you should know that the company is valued at $10 billion, and that users, including me, feel a strong sense of brand loyalty to the platform. As a user, I have an impassioned connection to my posts: the impermanence of a “Snap” means that it’s the only place I will take selfies. Selfie snaps feel almost existential: Are you there, SnapGod It’s me, Sully. And then, it disappears! Did it ever truly exist

Can you tell that I feel a bit emotional about Snapchat I wrote a sentimental and embarrassing Snapchat dissertation on Tumblr two years ago, which you can read here. It explains my belief that Snapchat is actually the most raw, base form of filmmaking that exists.

In some ways, Snapchat is the inverse of Facebook: content is temporary but a user can see exactly who is consuming your posts. Honestly, the knowledge of who is looking at your posts is essentially social media crack.

Snapchat knows that its audience is addicted, and now it’s time to trade in on that platform loyalty.

Read more…

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

Is Spending On Social A Better Use Of Marketing Dollars Than A Super Bowl Spot?

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Ads for this year’s Super Bowl event are at an all-time high, with NBC charging an estimated $4.5 million for 30-second ads. Many companies are still biting, including movie studios hyping their big-budget blockbusters and other products, but, according to Adweek, it may be an excessive cost – especially considering what you can get in return through alternate means.

A number of media buyers and experts spoke with Adweek about the possibilities. “With (a $4.5 million) budget, you can run a YouTube masthead, Snapchat sponsored story, sponsored Instagram ad, promoted Twitter trend and a Yahoo! homepage takeover and still have money to spare,” said Adam Shlachter, chief investment officer for DigitasLBi.

The article then broke down other ways that the money could be put to good use, including…

Ten “Premium Day” $425,000 Promoted Trends

Promoted trends usually run around $200,000 a pop, but with a higher value during the Super Bowl, due to a larger audience. However, it’s still more than worth it, as some Promoted Trends can easily reach said audience. The likely value is estimated to reach around 55 million users – and at a bargain price, no less.

Four Days of $950,000 Facebook Reach Blocks

A Facebook Reach Block estimates that promos show up in 100 percent of a target audience’s newsfeeds, at least once over the course of the day. This can spread to approximately 100 million users.

Though the ads will cost $950,000 for Super Bowl Sunday, that’s still a fraction of the price of a shortened TV ad.

Five $800,000 YouTube Masthead Ads

A masthead placement can cost $300,000 usually, although that skyrockets to $800,000 on game day. No matter, though, as the number of Super Bowl ads viewed on there have been watched quite a bit, with some reaching 80 million views, a 75 percent increase from the previous year. That’s a big audience.

Six Days Worth of $750,000 Sponsored Snapchat Snaps

Despite getting some flack recently over advertising prices, Snapchat is still a very effective tool for its audience outreach. Six days worth of these ads can generate an enormous audience, as proven by previous campaigns with Universal Pictures and McDonald’s. During the game, the social aspect alone would drive up viewership.

“It’s all driven by scarcity, which is why the TV spots are so expensive,” said Ian Schafer, CEO of Deep Focus. “At this point, it’s not because of how many people they reach – it’s because there’s so few of them.”

Still, you can’t ignore the value of ads, according to eMarketer. Approximately 80 percent of Internet users believe that good commercials – and even some of the bad ones – continue to have high value in terms of tradition. The additional numbers behind these statistics can be found here.

Influencers Talk About The Recent ‘Audience Explosion’

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NATPE 2015, which took place earlier this month, provided a number of highlights for those in the video production business, which you can see recapped here. In addition to announcements, press conferences and parties, the event was also a good place to check out a variety of panels covering topics like how to make an impact in the digital video community.

Among these panels was YouTube & Vine Stars: The Rise of the Digital Influencer, a panel devoted to explaining the explosion in popularity in the medium, as well as those that are turning it around for the better.

“While stars have been emerging from YouTube and other digital platforms for close to a decade, a true explosion in audience size has occurred over the past 18 months,” reads the YouTube description for the video. “These exceptional content creators, producers and channel leaders have become true influencers, and are now attracting an ever growing number of media companies and brand marketers that are turning to this new breed of global superstar to drive their products and messaging. How did these women and men find their viewers How do they maintain the high quality product the audience demands What does the future hold, and where will the online audience find tomorrow’s new talents This panel discussion will feature a mix of stars and talents with major followings, along with the professional representatives who help steer their careers. We will discuss how these stars are born, what it takes for them to grow and sustain a global audience, and the careful process by which they are matched with opportunities designed to leverage their reach and influence. If your business and viewing habits find you in this world, don’t miss this chance to hear from those who inhabit it with brilliance!”

The panel featured a number of stars and behind-the-scenes folk talking about the medium, including Ali Barash, moderator and digital media agent; Lisa Fillipelli vice president of Talent, Big Frame, Etc.; Viner/Actor Marcus Johns; Vlogger and Internet personality Tyler Oakley; Entertainer and Internet persona Connor Franta; and Amy Finnerty, executive vice president of talent partnerships for Disney’s Maker Studios.

The panel can be watched in full below, and while it runs nearly 48 minutes in length, there’s some information here that many will find useful – especially if they’re trying to break into the digital market.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DfoFUbnPVcs

CREATIVE: Scripted Series Comes To Snapchat Courtesy Of AT&T

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As Snapchat has made pains to convert themselves in the mindset of marketers from being a social network to being more of a media platform, brands are already eager to take part in what this means for mobile content.

SnapperHero will consist of 12 episodes bringing in YouTuber celebrities like Freddie Wong and Harley Morenstein, and of course, the original Snapchat celebrity, Shonduras. The series is being sponsored by AT&T who is paying the content makers in order to get the show out to Snapchat users.

Lately, Snapchat has made a lot of changes in order to entice brands and attract advertisers to tap into the app that is so popular among the young. From Sponsored Stories to its latest ‘Discover’ feature, Snapchat is looking to monetize in ways that seem unconventional when comparing it to other social platforms. The cost of reaching out to Snapchat’s audience may be high, but they’ll willing to bet brands will think it’s worth the $750,000 price tag.

 

Gaming’s Top Instagrams You Should Be Following

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We scoured Instagram for the most interesting and noteworthy accounts in the world of gaming. From publications to publishers, the games themselves and those who love them, here is the pick of the crop.

GameSpot

We’ll let GameSpot’s Instagram bio speak for itself: “Inside look at industry events and access to behind the scene photos from all things GameSpot!” So who doesn’t want to be behind the scenes Unfortunately, they barely post but the account provides a great mix of crucial game event coverage and a look at GameSpot’s inner-workings.

https://instagram.com/p/pKQg7VGROO

Sony marries the look and feel of its Instagram account with its design ethos. Everything is sleek, beautiful and holds its own when treated as a piece of art.

SEGA

SEGA’s Instagram is a fun one to follow indeed. One day they will post a photo of donuts that gets no less than 1,000 likes. Most days they will post all things Sonic The Hedgehog: statues, costumes, watches and more. The love for Sonic is palpable.

https://instagram.com/p/bHW-UWIFY6

Xbox

Xbox’s Instagram shows the many sides of the console’s controller. They have a good mix of photo and video which makes the content all the more interesting.

https://instagram.com/p/w930UbrnV5

Top Games On Instagram

TwoDots

We unabashedly love Dots‘ social strategy. They have such awesome creative that anthropomorphizes the game’s otherwise plain and minimalistic dots. The strategy around their Instagram is a little different, but just as creative: they turn the lens on dots IRL for stunning photos. Of course a mobile game is rocking it on Instagram!

https://instagram.com/p/xeyAPMi_Nx

Call of Duty

Call of Duty‘s Instagram flaunts the game’s visuals with cleverly written and snarky captions. If you’re looking for great use of video on the platform, this is one to watch.

https://instagram.com/p/yX6mVsSp77

Crossy Road

Crossy Road clearly has a lot of fun with its minimalist pixelish aesthetic. Focusing on what makes this mobile game unique has been great for their engagement.

https://instagram.com/p/xks0jUqwch

World of Warcraft

Blizzard’s MMORPG that’s been around the block more than a few times has a clear love for Instagram. So much so, that they just created a patch to allow players to take selfies with Instagram-esque filters in-game. That’s devotion.

https://instagram.com/p/ySuW5HqzRE

Top Instagram Gaming Influencers

Manolo Saviantoni

If pixel art is your cup of tea, you’ll need to follow this one. The game and app designer’s Insta is chock-full of pixel-ized famous characters

https://instagram.com/p/xRvsdrF8Al

PewDiePie

While the world’s biggest YouTuber has made a name for himself in gaming, his Instagram account has little to do with the subject and is more about his personal life and brand. With 3.4 million followers, we have to include him here.

https://instagram.com/p/x7Gs6xHazg

Top eSports Instagrams

League of Legends eSports

League of Legend’s official Instagram dedicated to eSports showcases the eSports community and just how fun it is to be a part of it. From celebrating together in triumph to disappointing defeat, the photos here are all stunning.

https://instagram.com/p/xrsQoPov9a

Astrogaming

The makers of gaming peripherals have fully immersed themselves in the eSports community with great event photography while pulling out the classic Instagram content types like tapping the likes of denn_ice to wear their backpacks on NYC rooftops or “what’s in my bag” kind of Instas.

https://instagram.com/p/yNMIg4rdfk

Snapchat Differentiates Itself From Other Social Networks With ‘Discover’ Feature

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This morning, Snapchat released a blog about its latest feature, ‘Discover’, which everyone working in social media marketing has been waiting with bated breath to see what exactly this thing is all about.

Unitl now, the platform has kept its functions pretty close to its original form, with users sending and sharing videos and images in a way that feels more personalized, like a social inbox. With ‘Discover’ Snapchat has made an entrée into the world of publishing now with a handpicked selection of publications and creates a “new way to explore Stories from different editorial teams.”

https://youtube.com/watch?v=UbOMqA2AOIk

That Snapchat has decided to center its Discovery feature around publications and not around its own users is quite notable. But that’s because Snapchat is perhaps no longer seeing itself as a social media company.”Social media companies tell us what to read based on what’s most recent or most popular. We see it differently. We count on editors and artists, not clicks and shares, to determine what’s important,” said Snapchat in the post.

The language here implies that Snapchat’s self-image is not in the same league as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Now, with ‘Discovery’ and has firmly positioned itself on the side of the publisher, and with that, in Snapchat’s hopes, advertising money.

“This time we built the technology to serve the art: each edition includes full screen photos and videos, awesome long form layouts, and gorgeous advertising.”

For all the dismissive talk around Snapchat’s first ad units, this one is clearly going to change the conversation.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=guGvV8LCx7o