While online advertising fell overall in 2009, ad spend on online videos grew 41%.

And, with good reason.  Nielsen Research has recently released a report based on 14,000 surveys to measure the impact of video advertising online vs. video advertising on television. 

The patterns they uncovered were consistent:  video ads run during online full-episode TV programs yield deeper brand impact than corresponding on-air TV ads, with the difference most pronounced among younger viewers age 13-34.

"What accounts for this variation in impact between online video and traditional TV? Data shows that web video viewers are more engaged and attentive to the programs they are watching, which is likely a function of the viewing environment and the oft-required active mouse-clicking to initiate and continue content. Online video is also still a relative novelty compared to traditional forms of media.  Further, and most significantly, reduced ad clutter and the inability to easily skip ads are considerable recall-enhancing factors."

Another conclusion - "online video ads help to reinforce and strengthen the impact of a traditional TV campaign."

More data and analysis here.

Lunch was "butlered" no less.

This FOOA conference really has a great line up of speakers.  There's almost too much to digest, but I've been busy making mind maps for each of the speakers to help me remember the salient points.  And my MacBook Pro has been performing flawlessly.

Chas Edwards of Federated Media kicked off the afternoon focused on the emergence of conversational media.  For businesses, the key is finding out what your customers are discussing and then try to enter into that conversation.  He noted that Business Week says its blogs are now more influential than its magazine.

Ted Murphy of PayPerPost talked about connecting advertisers to bloggers.  I'm not too big on the idea of bloggers selling ads and I think the number of organizations who can benefit from blog advertising are limited.  But, PayPerPost is a good resource for those interested.

Henry Copeland, founder of BlogAds, was up next.  Blogs could be locations where your customers are carrying on those conversations. 

If you are involved in any area of digital content production then you should take 36:34 of your time and view this talk by Jeff Jarvis (Buzzmachine) at the Video on the Net Conference.

Link to video

Link to Jeff's notes

You will understand better what is meant by "mass media is losing its mass."  You will also glean some great nuggets as to why video on the net is causing an explosion in television. 

Big media is no longer in control of the conversation.  For you, giving up control means gaining influence.  It's important you understand how to adapt to this dynamic cultural change.

Brilliant stuff, Jeff.

Thanks to Hugh at gapingvoid for the point.

Today's examination of the accelerating cultural shift takes us internationally, into the past, and into the future.  This video is one of the better compilations of interesting facts about our changing world.

That is a lot of content to consider.  If you believe it is accurate,  are you going to make any changes in your life as a result?  If the answer is "No", is that because you believe it's really irrelevant, or you're afraid that it really is true?  Or, are we just being carried on this wave of change to the degree that anything we do is insignificant?

Your box...my box...already figments.

Shift Happens.

Deal with it.
 

Mark Cuban has an interesting post over at Blog Maverick on the differences between online video and television.

Snack or Meal?

There has been a near hysteria about online video since the YouTube phenomenon and the merger with Google.  It seems that ultimately the internet will become the repository of the majority of digital content.  There will be a convergence of screens as new devices allow people to access content on their computers and view it on their wall mounted flat screens.

There is continuing fragmentation of the video viewing audience.  Downloads to video iPods, YouTube, Google Video... but, there is not yet a mass movement of people who are watching traditional television programming online. More people  are watching video online, but as Cuban says, it's snacks and not meals.

Keep this in mind if you produce video for the web.  Shorter is generally better.  People online tend to go into Attention Deficit Syndrome and usually don't have the mindset to watch a 30-minute or longer program.  Produce for the medium.  Don't expect one edit of content to work across all platforms.  Good digital content producers must understand the medium and produce content that is friendly to the users of that medium.

I foresee a great need for video editors and online video producers who understand the differences between browser-based video and television.

I found this video fascinating.  The world of communication is morphing quickly and we are just now in the early stages of the impact on our culture.  I wonder what higher education will look like in ten years.  How are high-priced institutions of learning going to stay relevant and needed when there are much less expensive ways of delivering information and instruction?  Why pay $179 for a textbook when there is so much information available online for free? 

Will the classroom of tomorrow be a room?  Will a diploma have the same weight as it does today?  The institutions of education are no longer such exclusive repositories of knowledge.  What will keep colleges relevant?  Perhaps it will be having professors who can actually teach.  Most of us have had professors who had knowledge, but were inept in conveying it.  Now, a brilliant professor who can actually teach and communicate might be able to instruct thousands of students instead of dozens.  And the primary beneficiary would be the students (customers).

Think about the other areas of society.  How will this shift of power from institutions to people affect your kernel of existence?

TechCrunch points to a new online video conversion service.

Be sure to read the comments and be aware of any copyright, etc. issues.