‘Gone Girl’ Movie Creates Creepy Pinterest Account For Character

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Gone Girl‘s Twitter account tweeted out an interesting tie-in involving the movie’s character that goes missing. Mirroring real life in an eerie way, the character has left behind a digital footprint on Pinterest.

Instagram’s Top Videos For the Week

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Instagram is currently a hot spot for branded videos, allowing companies to reach out to consumers in creative ways – through wonderfully produced clips that will get them talking. GoPro leads the charge on the channel, with an estimated 2.9 million Instagram followers, and a recent clip featuring a giant manta ray clocking in an estimated 146,000 interactions.

Adweek recently took a look at the ten best clips for the week, and you can find them below, in no particular order:

http://instagram.com/p/s0wAMdMVPB

With this simple clip from Aeropostale, you’ve got shoes walking along the ground and eventually climbing their way up to a fence, where they create a lovely little heart symbol.

http://instagram.com/p/ssQq-YAvo7

Even with all his controversy, Justin Bieber remains a huge draw on Instagram, and his latest video, with him working out, will no doubt leave fans happy.

http://instagram.com/p/s3D2NDRh2p

With the new NBA season almost in full swing, Andre Drummond decided to take the opportunity to show off on the league’s official Instagram channel, nailing a sweet shot while sitting down.

http://instagram.com/p/svUFVJNjJ3

Ellen DeGeneres, who hosts the popular syndicated program The Ellen Show, decided to get into “booty” action this week with a humorous clip where she tries to shake her butt along with fellow dancers. The results, as you may guess, are hilarious.

http://instagram.com/p/sxp9OVHLor

Fashion remains a big draw on Instagram, and Michael Kors’ latest line of outfits managed to get a lot of views this past week.

http://instagram.com/p/sxFL1wLifg

The new video on Adidas’ Instagram channel shows what goes into the creation of the company’s new Originals line, featuring a variety of decorative colors and designs that are sure to grab an audience.

http://instagram.com/p/szDlc4zcE7

Who knew that Mercedes Benz knew how to make a stylish Hummer-like vehicle That’s exactly what its latest video shows off, a nice six-wheeler that has no problems being as stylish as it is powerful.

http://instagram.com/p/soHRV5opa8

Although much more brief than the other clips on this list, Mac Cosmetics’ latest video has been a huge draw, showing the various angles of how its designs are applied to a blonde female subject.

http://instagram.com/p/sssgLIrf2C

The aforementioned GoPro clip featuring a manta ray in action is next on the list, and is well worth a view for enthusiasts who want to see what the mobile camera technology can do.

http://instagram.com/p/s5w32msdMn

Finally, Urban Outfitters showed off some new clothing designs in its latest Instagram submission, through a quick slide show.

Source: Adweek

 

A Slew Of Parodies Delight YouTube’s iPhone Fever

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There are a few adages about the Internet that continue to ring true. If you’re wondering whether or not something exists, it probably does, at least online, and secondly, if __________ exists then there is also probably a parody. The same of course is true of the iPhone. If you haven’t already seen Zappo’s clever mobile-ready pants video, you need to.

Below are some of the highlights of all the Apple parodies out there on YouTube that continue to give some perspective on iPhone fever in the wake of the media blitz.

 

Source: TechCrunch

Tumblr Is the Wealthiest Social Platform

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Retailers should ignore Tumblr at their own peril as Tumblr has released data with insights into where they stand when it comes to the pockets of their users. Tumblr stands above Twitter, Pinterest and far above Facebook with the median household income of its users coming in at $80,075. For comparison, Facebook clocks in at just $70,124.

More than that, with the extra disposable income lining the pockets of the average Tumblr user, a referral from Tumblr means much more in terms of value. Average referral revenue from Tumblr is $2.57 on a tablet and 67 cents on a smartphone versus Facebook’s $1.55 referral visits on tablets and 42 cents on smartphones as measured by Adobe’s Mobile Benchmark report.

Although Tumblr is no Pinterest when it comes to obvious appeal to retailers, over half of Tumblr users have bought something that they saw on the platform and a whopping 90 percent admit to being “inspired to buy something.”

Tumblr’s global head of brand partnerships, Lee Brown, says that Tumblr users are highly engaged return visitors, too.

“Not only do our users have the greatest spending power, but they also spend the most time on our platform. They are both engaged and active, taking that next crucial step to buy what they discover on Tumblr (and then post about it). The customer journey begins on Tumblr with prepurchase aspiration and ends on Tumblr for postpurchase celebration, making Tumblr the ultimate destination for shopping,” said Brown.

 

Source: AdWeek

Maker Studios’ Branded Series Pairs Chocolate with YouTubers

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A new branded series from Maker Studios features several major YouTubers, a variety of romantic scenarios, and Lindt chocolate’s “Hello” collection.

“It Started with Hello” premieres Thursday, September 18 on Maker’s fashion and beauty network, The Platform, with an episode in which office mates meet to the tune of Lindt Hello Crunchy Nougat. Each episode will showcase a different chocolate in the line along with a different potentially romantic encounter.

Maker talent featured in the series includes Lindsey Stirling, Chester See,Tessa Violet, and Amy Pham. YouTubers Mike Tompkins and Rusty Clanton also star in “It Started with Hello,” (series trailer below).

https://youtube.com/watch?v=2hjqwejG1u0

The series will release four episodes in total, the last of which comes out on October 9. If viewers want more, they will be able to interact with the series via a dedicated hashtag (#ItStartedWithHELLO).Ashley Tisdale produced the first episode with her company, Blondie Girl Productions. Remaining episodes will roll out on a weekly basis.

 

 

A Peek At Marketers’ Social Media Strategies

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It seems by and large marketers agree that social media marketing is important and an even larger number, 97 percent, are using it. But how A new infographic from AdWeek compiles survey data from 2,800 marketers from companies of all sizes and 160 of which are from companies with revenue of $1 billion or more.

Take a look below to see what marketers’ biggest questions and priorities are and what types of content they are creating and where they are dispensing them.

Source: AdWeek

 

Rhett & Link Predict the Future Of Video On ‘Ear Biscuits’

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By Jessica Klein

In the current digital age, the idea of a future in which our way of life has completely altered lurks potentially just around the corner. Rhett & Link paid homage to this concept in this week’s “Ear Biscuits,” when they created a podcast “time capsule” for listeners in the year 2024.

From Google Glass to drones, the comedic duo contemplated contemporary technological advancements and their possible evolution. When it came to video in particular, the two, being in the business, had plenty to say.

First up on the video docket, Rhett & Link discussed the future of cinema. If you’ve ever been to Disney’s Epcot Center, you’re at least semi-familiar with the notion of movies that stimulate the senses of smell and touch in addition to sight and hearing. 3D film has been an Epcot staple for some time, now, and one can easily call it a regular at any old cinema in 2014. However, Rhett believes movies will have to step up their game even more to bring in audiences come 2024.

“My prediction is that the movie watching experience at home will be so much better or even comparable to what we would get in a theater now that people will have had to upgrade what the theater provides in 2024,” said Rhett, adding, “Smellovision, don’t laugh.” Perhaps that technology will end up in our own homes, too (3D viewing did), but people still end up paying to see 3D movies in the theater. Even with early film releases online and on demand, the theater-going experience remains unique—a more appealing first date, for example, than inviting someone over to watch a movie on your living room couch (which could also be construed as a very creepy first date).

Next, the guys turned to commercials. Link still “sits through commercials that subsidized the production of television shows.” They further noted that though they’ve found a way to subsidize their online content, they still can’t churn out shows like “Breaking Bad” (Link’s example). Of course, there are many reasons behind this, but among then lies an undeniable distinction between traditional television and shows on YouTube.

“We make YouTube videos, which people do enjoy on their television sets if they’re a little more tech savvy, but in general, we still see YouTube as a different entity from television as a different entity from internet television as a different entity from movies,” Rhett explained. Link concurred, noting that he may watch a short-form YouTube show while waiting for his wife to join him to watch a longer show on streaming video platforms like Netflix or Amazon—all on his home TV screen, of course, not his laptop.

Rhett & Link also pointed out the difference between the Emmys and the Streamys. The former considered plenty of content from Netflix this past year (none of which won in any major categories), while the latter distinctly honors YouTube creators. However, the somewhat disparate categories have further merged in at least one awards ceremony, the Teen Choice Awards. However, Rhett brought up that the ceremony refers to recipients who create content and put it online as “internet celebrities.”

On this note, Rhett made his final predication for the podcast. “While I think there will be something distinctly different about independent entertainment, like what’s on YouTube, and studio-based entertainment, it’s not going to be like, ‘Well, one is on this website and one is on my TV when I get home,’” he said. However, he does think (and hopes), that the line between independent work and network/studio-based work will remain in 2024.

For more rehashing of current trends and predictions of what’s to come 10 years from now (worth about 50 pre-internet years), listen Rhett & Link’s “time capsule” podcast on “Ear Biscuits.”

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.

Michelin’s Newest Social Campaign Gets Participants Geocaching

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Geocaching is a hot activity as smart phones enable more and more people to go on quests to find treasure and also help them share their experiences. This was the thinking behind Michelin’s latest campaign to leverage the online geocaching community with a fun scavenger hunt that enters you for a chance to win $1,000 worth of tires.

Michelin has hidden 2,000 Bibendum-shaped (the mascot’s name of course) tire gauges for the adventurous to find and then post their finding using #MichelinQuest on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

In return, Michelin gets great UGC in some awesome locations. The top 10 photos get up to $1,000 of tires and the most-liked photo gets to choose between dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant’s event or going to the Formula E electric race car series.

Source: Digiday

 

PewDiePie Teams With MLG For eSports

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PewDiePie remains one of the most successful YouTube creators to date, making millions across a large audience of viewers and subscribers alike. However, that isn’t stopping him from venturing out into new territory.

Felix Kjellberg, who operates the channel under the pseudonym, has launched a new series called BroKen that will air exclusively on MLG.TV, with the debut episode already on the channel. The series first launched last month, but with the agreement, new ones will premiere exclusively on the competitive game channel.

In the show, Kjellberg teams up with his friend Kenneth Morrison (also known as CinnamonToastKen) – and addresses all as “bros” – as he discusses a number of topics that range from the usual gaming antics to popular YouTube trends.

The show will also provide plenty of opportunities to interact with the hosts, as viewers can follow @MLG on Twitter and use the hashtag #BroKen in order to have their questions answered, or see how their opinions relate to the topics at hand.

This interactive new podcast already has a huge following with its move to the MLG Network, with the initial show being viewed over 3.8 million times on YouTube, since its debut last month.

“We’re excited to introduce PewDiePie to the MLG.tv network as we continue to deliver exclusive content from the best producers in the world,” said Ryan “Fwiz” Wyatt, MLG’s vice president of programming. “Our vision for MLG.tv is to make it the home for premium content and producers like PewDiePie and his show BroKen. This type of programming deal with PewDiePie, one of the biggest stars in digital media, is a great example of the premier talent we have joining the growing the MLG.tv line-up.”

That line-up includes a number of game leagues and players, as well as MMA fighter Scott Jorgensen. It’s grown quite a bit in popularity since its launch, available on both mobile devices and Xbox consoles.

Indeed, Kjellberg continues to be on a roll.

Source: Variety

Budweiser Creates Promotion To Send A Beer To Your Bud

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A new pilot campaign by Anheuser-Busch allows people to send beers to whoever they’d like no matter where they are using Facebook, SMS or email to digitally gift the beverages. The spot explaining a bit about the utility of the campaign below lends the age-old tradition of buying a beer for your friend a new, more mobile sheen.

Users will get a prompt on Facebook to buy their bud a beer for their birthday or some other special occasion and a voucher will be sent to the recipient which can then be used to redeem a beer at a bar or restaurant of choice. What’s more, no app is needed.

The campaign is set to target millennials and will be available nationally in Spring 2015.

https://youtu.be/FDy-4kjADXM

Source: MediaPost