Media Execs: 3 tips on the importance of Bullet subtitle

As a media executive, it is important to know that variable online video services offer online videos for audiences to watch, such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and etc, and it is becoming harder for these companies to attract audiences in the market. As a graduate student in the Northwestern Medill Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program with an interest in media management and digital marketing. I have found two articles on festivals you will find interesting. 

According to Weijing Zhu’s article, "BULLET TO THE HEAD: INTRO TO‘BULLET SUBTITLES," the interactive feature is called Dan Mu in China, which literally translates to “bullet subtitles”. It basically refers to the commentaries shooting across the screen, in the style of an arcade shooting game. This “Bullet Subtitle” feature has been adopted by the biggest online video services in China such as Tudou and iQiyi. Besides online video services, the “Bullet Subtitle” was even appeared during a theater screening of a movie, Tiny Times 3. 

                        (source:  www.iqiyi.com)

According to another article "Bullet Comments of Bilibili",which is written by October 4, 2014, Bilibili is a China-based video sharing website, which its core feature is a real-time commentary subtitle system-- The “Bullet Subtitle.” If people have an interesting thought when they are watching a video, then they can pause the video and type the comment to share with others. The other audience can read these comments directly on the screen when the video is played till the same time. Instead of discussion in a chat room or fan page, this real-time commentary subtitle system gets audiences involved in “video sharing.” This feature will enhance streamers’ word-of-mouth effect and encourage them to engage with video services. 

After reading these two articles and from my studies in the Northwestern Medill IMC program, I have three action items you should consider in your next:

1. Understand it Role - you might never hear of this feature, so you can try it first to experience how people engage with Bullet subtitle. Understanding Bullet subtitle technology and function is a important step to use it in future. 
2. Test Bullets -  you can offer this Bullet subtitle to some target audiences.  It could help you understand whether audiences will enjoy this new features.
3. Collect Feedback -  based on target audiences' response of Bullet subtitle, you can determine whether you can apply this features to all audiences in future.

The Bullet subtitle is quiet popular in China now, and many audiences enjoy this feature to share comments with others. It is worth to try it in U.S. market. Since there is no video services add this feature in U.S., it is a great opportunity to differentiate its services by using this feature.

  

Fuyuan Yao is a graduate student at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and major in Integrated Marketing Communication. She is interested in marketing analytic, media management and digital marketing. If you have any feedbacks, please contact her by @FuyuanY and LinkedIn.

3 Easy Tips For CMOs To Improve Brand Marketing With Video

There’s tremendous upside for CMOs that can build a solid video presence into their branding, but without a background in video production, getting started can feel overwhelming. As both an experienced video producer and graduate student in Northwestern’s Integrated Marketing Communications Master’s program at the Medill School of Journalism, I can confidently tell you that the potential impressions and engagement you can get from a smart video campaign are too good to pass up, and that producing video can be a lot simpler than you think.

What can you gain from branded video content? In a blog post, Video Brewery CEO Andrew Follett compiled several shocking statistics about the efficacy of online video. Most notable is a survey of online shoppers where 90% said they found video useful when making a purchasing decision, and that on average, the presence of video in an email blast increased click through rates by 200%.

This simple video campaign was produced in an afternoon, but increased engagement by over 120% (courtesy of Sugo Media LLC)

With a little focus, your brand can benefit from a branded video campaign. Social media strategist Starr Hall suggests keeping each video brief and with a singular focus to help your message reach viewers. The most important suggestion Hall gives, though, is this: every piece of video content you produce should offer value to the viewer. Answer a question they might have about your product. Show them something new that might interest or surprise them. Entertain them!

This may seem like a tall order for a CMO to tackle without hiring an expensive contractor, however, I can tell you from my experience working as one of those expensive contractors that you can be successful on your own. Here’s a few things to keep in mind:

• Get to the point and be authentic - If you’re a small business, don’t try to produce a polished Super Bowl-caliber ad. Be real - viewers respond to authenticity. Also, tailor your messaging to the platform you publish on - there’s lots of video platforms available (YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, Vine) with different strengths and weaknesses that marketers can use to share an authentic message. Do you want to be informative in 4 minute bursts? Host your videos on YouTube. If being rapid fire and goofy matches your brand, look to Vine or Instagram instead.

• Don’t be afraid to do it on the cheap - if you have a phone, it can film 1080p video. Load it up to YouTube, and you can edit the clips, add a soundtrack, and do a color grade entirely on the site before making your video live. GoPro cameras are another inexpensive option for high quality and low cost video - cameras can be purchased for as little as $200.

• Produce several videos at once - if you’re taking the time to produce a single video, you could probably use the resources to make several at the same time. The only thing better for a business than one video is four videos. You’ll be shocked at how much leverage you get out of an afternoon’s work.

With all the tools now available to marketers, and all the potential benefits a strong video component can have for brand marketing, you have no excuse to leave those impressions and engagements on the table. Grab a camera, and press record.

Joe Filipas is an advertising specialist and video producer in Minneapolis, and is currently earning an Integrated Marketing Communications Master’s degree from Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeFilipas, or connect with him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/josephmfilipas or on his website at www.joefilipas.com.

The Future of Television: How Netflix is Changing the Distribution Game

Image courtesy HotHardware.com

TV Networks are a Dinosaur!

Traditional television networks are quickly becoming a thing of the past as digital streaming services like Netflix gain viewers. Producers are quickly adopting these new distribution channels for their new series.

Adios Content Censorship!

Image courtesy money.cnn.com

Stop pandering to traditional distributors and their advertisers by going online to distribute without fear or advertiser pullout or censorship. With no interference from outside sources, producers are free to explore new areas of entertainment, some riskier than others, and can do so without worrying about being called into a network executive’s office for a rewrite to remove “offending” content.

Stay Alive!

Reach new demographics and viewers that are heavily invested into streaming media like Netflix to ensure longevity of a television series. Netflix has recently gained more viewers than many other traditional networks, and the numbers are projected to grow as more people dump their expensive cable systems for instant, online streaming.

Reference articles related to this blog:

http://hothardware.com/News/Netflix-Lands-Another-Major-Original-Content-Production/

http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/21/technology/netflix-earnings-preview/

Here are my recommendations:
1.  I would change the title.  You are trying to reach executives so the title about netflix is too narrow.  The reader might think they know the Netflix story and not open your.  I would recommend a title like "CEOs - New Tech is Changing Television Forever.   Or The TV model is changing - don't be left behind.  or something like that.
2.  You need to have an involving first paragraph to get their attention and to establish your expertise.  Sentence 1 should directly talk to the targeted reader.  Something like "As a CEO, it is vital you monitor and take advantage of key changes in the way media is distributed to your customers and prospects.  or something like that.  The second sentence should establish your expertise and focus on the topic.  Something like As a student in Northwestern's Medill IMC marketing program, I have been monitoring the changes Netflix and similar companies are using to revolutionize television.  This will focus them on the subject and on your research.
3.  Paragraphs 2 and 3 were supposed to cover two articles.  I don't see two but there is one at the end of the blog.  You need to have one paragraph on the article.  Cite it and the authos and summarize that it says.  When you cite it, make the citation an active link opening to a new window.  Use the link icon in blogger to embed it.
4.  AFTER the two analysis paragraphs, you need to give them 3 bullet points.  These are action items they can implement immediately.  Start it with "From my analysis of these articles and my marketing work at Northwestern, here are three action items you need to implement immediately.
5.  After that, you need a short, concise summary paragraph reminding them to take action.
6.  THEN you need a paragraph, in italics, which summarizes who you are.  Tell them you current position at Northwestern, your career aspirations, and give them your twitter handle.

Labels look good.

Make these changes ASAP

Google's Big Plans for YouTube

YouTube is going Hollywood! The king of user-generated content is now developing its own original content, spending in excess of $100 million to bring in big names like Jay-Z and Ashton Kutcher. It’s a bold move that raises some fascinating questions about the future of YouTube’s ever-evolving business model. As a marketer in the TV industry and integrated marketing communications grad student, I have taken a long look at the ongoing development of streaming content. And while some sites have developed a strong user base and business model, the jury is still out on monetization in most cases.

For years YouTube has struggled to figure out the best way to monetize its massive audience. User-created videos just haven’t been a big draw for advertisers, and the bigwigs at Google must think that the answer will come (at least in part) in the form of Hollywood-caliber content on dozens of new channels. However, it’s worth noting that loads of high-quality content hasn’t turned Hulu into a reliable money-maker.

The truth is that this move is likely only the beginning of a major shift. Google is pushing internet-connected TV in a major way, and YouTube could be a part of a larger strategy to challenge everything we know about content distribution. If our TVs can get content online, why do we need cable?

A big question is whether or not YouTube is the right vehicle for such a change. Users have come to love the site for the way it gives everyone the chance to participate and be seen. Democratization is what puts the “You” in YouTube; this announcement could send the site in the opposite direction. Will content from elite Hollywood producers push the little guy out of the picture, or will Google find a way to maintain some level of user input and interactivity?


Mike Severson | Medill IMC
@MikeSeversonIMC
michaelseverson2011@u.northwestern.edu

Targeting TV, How Google and Apple Changed Everything

Advertising on television has remained relatively unchanged forever, but the idea of a connected television has opened the door to so many new possibilites. Viewers have not only trained their minds to ignore irrelevant marketing, but DVR devices empower them further. This is a look at what the world of television could look like in the near future and the marketing potential it is soon to unlock.

It is hard to believe that only five years ago, Google and Apple’s entrance into the world of television was considered a hobby and the idea of a flexible display was still show and tell. A major turning point took place when Apple began developing televisions and Google started pumping high-speed internet into every corner of the country. The words throttling and bandwidth capping were prehistoric before they ever became mainstream.

So where does that take us to today (in the year 2016)?

Television producers now develop content that we subscribe to, circumventing many of the major broadcast networks and putting an emphasis on quality content that matches the lifestyles of the individual consumers. Instead of changing channels to piece together the entertainment that fits my needs, Google and Apple now feed shows that match my interests and viewing patterns into my custom channel. I am able to watch movies and shows with my friends across the globe, sharing comments and interacting with the show’s producers. Apple eliminated the remote control with its second iteration of its voice recognition software/personal assistant Siri, now with facial recognition to recognize who is in front of the TV.

How does everyone make money?

Apple has stood by its “pay-per-series “model while Google opts for the “all-you-can-eat” subscription model, but both are swimming in a new pool of customer data that has all but removed the guessing game of the old TV ratings model. This makes way for relevant content that matches nearly perfectly with the consumer they want to reach and allows customers to drag products off the commercial, or TV show, into a shopping cart. Much like Google Ad words were ordered in 2011, TV shows are now bid on and companies have closed the marketing loop, allowing them to see the impact of their brand placements and sponsorships. Gone are the days of the annoying commercials that interrupt your enjoyment, brand placements and strategic messaging now give consumers information they are actually interested in while being seamlessly tied into the show they are watching.

So, what would I have done if I had seen this coming five years ago?  I would have waited for the release of the Apple iTV before I purchased my next HD Television and, more importantly, I would have utilized my entertainment work experience and new Integrated Marketing master's degree from Northwetsern University to pursue a career in the world of streaming video. And what can you do to prepare for this future? An understanding of customer segmentation, digital analytics, and a passionate desire to view things from a customer perspective are no longer optional, they are a requirement.

by Evan Kroft (@ekroft)

Graduate Student at Northwestern University