This time on [a]listdaily Weekly, we’re talking new media, New York and NewFronts. For digital brands, this week, it’s showtime, and for good reason. Over the past two years, both advertisers and media buyers have invested 114 percent more in original digital video programming, or roughly, a bajillion dollars in brand-love. Media companies would love to swan-dive into that Scrooge McDuck money bin, so it’s no wonder they’re breaking out the synchronized swimming routines.
Refinery29, a lifestyle publication geared to women, is exploring virtual reality storytelling and even The New York Times is stepping into 3D and virtual reality journalism.
If NewFronts was a fashion show, Snapchat would be “so hot right now,” and they know it. With users consuming 8 billion videos daily—matching Facebook video stats—Snapchat just did their little dance on the catwalk and doubled the costs to advertise, to around $40 CPM. Face-swapping with a taco for Cinco de Mayo was just the beginning, folks.
Captain America IMAXed-out American eyeballs this weekend with a $182 million gross, taking the #5 slot on the all-time openings list thanks to a $200 million ad campaign. Brand-placement has reached an all-time high and with Coca-Cola, Google, Samsung, Wrigley, and more signing up to be partners with Marvel, it seems like everybody wants to join The Avengers. With the power of money. (Hey, it worked for Tony Stark.) Audi has seen a 30 percent increase in brand awareness since the first Iron Man film, so the strategy is definitely working.
Speaking of cars, next time you’re at the car dealership, you could very well be strapping on a VR headset that, to quote 2 Live Crew, has you like, “Whooooooooaaaa… Sally.” Rather than host every vehicle color and option in the showroom, potential customers can literally visualize them all.
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