Ever since we began working on the Wilde Media Network programs, we’ ve encountered a lot of questions from traditional marketers when it comes to fully understanding what is “Brand Integration“.   For many, it traditionally meant Product Placement… but just like many other marketing applications, this has evolved, too.

Wilde Media programs enables a multi-platform viewing presence including TV, web, and new media applications.  Meaning, us, the viewing audience, does not have to be confined to one location to watch a new show.  We have developed our viewing preferences to be available when we are… not when the networks air the program.  ie:  here comes DVR, online video… like Hulu, etc., plus the fact that many TV shows are now sharing their placement.

I mean, I can watch “Family Guy” on Fox, TBS, myPHL, etc. and that’s only in the Greater Philadelphia market area.  How many other stations that I’m not even paying attention to?

SO… I found a few testimonials as to how major industry leaders are tackling branded integrated media head on…

“Vertical networks are emerging as one of the most important advertising innovations in online publishing. Pairing established media brands with high-quality long-tail content is the first thing I recommend to publishers as part of an overall ad revenue strategy.”

Greg Stuart
Author and former CEO
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)

“We recognize that vertical networks, networks that combine content from or across a complimentary group of web properties – are the next logical evolution for publishers seeking to expand their advertising solutions for customers. They are quickly becoming an important way to develop scale for our marketing clients.”

Beth Comstock
President, Integrated Media
NBC Universal

Even though these quotes focus on the producers/ publishers, it gives clear guidance as to how brands and marketers should evolve and review their strategies to avoid the viewers ability to skip their brand all together.

As we continue to develop and produce our programs, we look forward to the ability to work with your brand and develop some great synergy between the program’s format and your brand message.

Til next time,  you can reach me at emilia@beholderproductions.com or call me at 267-516-6649 to review your marketing goals and the various programs that will work well for you.

Emilia Andrews

Hey everyone,

Hope you had a pleasant and peaceful Memorial weekend?!  Mine was jam packed with 60th and 70th birthday parties, dancing my anniversary night away, a kids sleepover party, a BBQ, and a trip to the local carnival.  And with all of this, I plugged away on my cell phone a few characters at a time to let my followers know what I’ve been up to.

Best part is my twitter account is connected to my facebook… so:  cell phone text message = tweet = facebook status change… all done with a click of the send button.

I found a pretty cool blog posting on one of my twitter followers blog page.  Please check this link out:  http://mytwittertips.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/25-tips-increase-follower-twitter/

So, once we get twitter down… I ask you to click on this link and  follow me at http://twitter.com/emiliaandrews

Til next time, get to tweetin’!

Emilia

I had the pleasure to attend my first PhIMA – Philadelphia Interactive Media Association event last night.  It was jam packed with interactive designers, programmers, advertisers/ agencies and content providers.  And as for it being my first time, it made quite the impression.

The panelists included execs from PointRoll, Hulu, Digitas Health, WebMD and Tremor Media.  All of whom gave great background on their company’s situation as it stands right now in regards to online video.

Now, I’m not going to recap what happened, as it was a long evening… and you really should plan on attending one of their next meetings.

But the conversation truly surrounded the complexities of planning around a medium that was created for immediate gratification (web); however, the learning curve required by advertisers/ sponsors & agencies is missing.

Here are a few key points:

1)  Content – advertisers are looking and demanding for professional standards; not UGC – User Generated Content.  I can’t blame them… I mean, what advertiser wants to put their brand up next to “kid skateboarding and breaking his leg.”  But it’s no longer a one hit wonder either… that’s the You Tube’s of the world.  The web media networks enable the viewer to now become engaged to the point of wanting to come back to the same portal/ website and continue that experience.

2)  Storytelling – to piggyback off of #1 – the content needs to be in the lines of how the industry “used” to produce.  Tell the audience a story.  Take the time to prepare your content and think about it’s relevance to the market.  Build the brand of your programming content and even though it won’t be a 20MM hit off the bat… it will bring a following.  A following that the web can rely on, expect and in the long run, the web can be patient enough to have a “If you build it, they will come model.”  Now that doesn’t mean online media networks won’t have to do their due diligence when it comes to marketing and advertising their content – they sure do.  But with a story, comes an audience.  To have a goal in mind, which is to build that audience base… is what advertisers crave.  Longevity and recognition.

3) Traditional vs. New Advertising – the traditional web ad model – the Pay Per Click model…  is done.  Everyone on the panel agreed that it is an archaic method of building your brand.  And that’s why most advertise… to build their brand.  There are at least 50 different means to market your product or service on the web… and many more to come.  The differentiating factor is what metrics based system does your firm/ agency follow – and is it the right way to go about it.

For example,  you may have an ad right next to the online video playing.  The average length of time we find folks staying on sites with online video to be at about 22 minutes.  That’s the length of a traditional half hour program – minus the commercials.  That entire time that the viewing audience was engaged with the online video program, they had your ad sitting next to them the entire time.

Let’s break this down further… in a standard TV show – your spot may air once for 30-seconds.  No one clicked on it… they just saw it.   However, online, they saw the same program, and saw your ad on the page for the entire 22-minutes.  At the same time they watched the program.  Now… they may have NEVER clicked the ad… but they were engaged with the program… your ad was part of their EXPERIENCE… which in turns leads to the ultimate behavioral model – which is INTEGRATION.

OK… I can go on and on… and if so… give me a call and we’ll set up a time to chat.  But for now, I’m excited that our model for Beholder’s professional standard productions and the distribution and online media network we created through Wilde Media Network is on the right path… if not ahead of the curve as compared to those who were on the panel.

You see… because we create and control the content… we have the luxury of working with the brands to help create an integrated brand experience that the big boys… NBC, Fox, etc.  just can’t do.

Advertisers – be open – do what you say and truly think outside of the box.  You might find the results to go beyond your expectations.

Til next time…

Emilia Andrews

Beholder Productions is a full service integrated media production company. www.beholderproductions.com

By now, if you haven’t seen the Susan Boyle, Britian’s Got Talent video… you clearly have lost any kind of internet, television and radio connection!

I actually felt bad for this woman.  She had all the weight of the world stacked up against her, as audience members jeered, judges rolled their eyes and sarcastically asked what kind of talent did she have, and the viewing audience couldn’t help but just assume that based on her looks, she had no talent.

Well, she sure enough proved us all wrong!  Her voice was amazing and the response was even more enlightening.  Today, in a rough economy when all many have left is a dream… Susan Boyle fulfilled hers.  She sang her heart out and helped everyone across the world to stay focus and reach for theirs.

If this story tells you anything, it’s that in our global society and throughout various cultures, perception is everything.  And if you aren’t running within a certain periphery of that perception, you will be ignored.

Take the Susan Boyle story and apply it to your business.  Have you been strumming along your business life, hoping for a chance?  Or have you made steps to move forward, make a statement and crafted a presence to catapult you, your products or services to your target audience.

For businesses, we don’t have the “Britian’s / America’s Got Talent” forum.  We have to create our own strategies and solutions.  Not sure where to start?  Give us a call or visit our site at www.beholderproductions.com.

We can help you with your vision and make it come to life.

Til next time, write down your dreams, vision, and goals and see how they can become an outline to guide you to a new direction.

Best…

Emilia Andrews

www.beholderproductions.com

Beholder Productions – An integrated media production company focusing on marketing, training/ HR and broadcast solutions.

Hi there,

Next Wednesday’s session at Temple University will prove to be one knowledge filled base on “How a Website Works”.

I’ll review all aspects of Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0 .  Get a chance to learn what’s needed for your business and how to make the most of this information… right now.

Go to our menu bar up top and click on the EVENTS page.  You’ll find all the details there.

See you next week…

Emilia

I’m excited to announce this informal release…

Beholder has recently partnered with leading print services provider, M3 Printing.  It’s taken us a while to finally be comfortable enough to work with one provider in the print world.

There are many print houses available, but we wanted to be sure we worked with a team that have similar core values and great quality assurance standards.

Next time you have a graphic design job that needs to be done, you can be assured that your final deliverable will meet if not exceed your expectations.

Have a question or would like to learn more about this… give me a call at 215-674-1612 or email me at emilia@beholderproductions.com.

Til next time… be well!

Emilia

I’m in DC this weekend having a very interesting time at the AWRT Media Conference.  I’ve been to this conference at least 4 times and have to admit… this is my favorite so far.  Probably b/c of the fact that they have finally jumped to “today’s” tech age and are talking about integrated marketing strategies and platforms.

At Beholder, we’ve been evolving over the past 10 years.  Growing from a stand alone video production base to an overall strategic visual communications company.  We learned and have come to prepare our clients to recognize that it’s not enough to deliver one program, in one format and assume you’ll reach a variety of target audiences.   You have to plan, apply a strategy, be creative and diversify your efforts.

Back to the conference… that is exactly what we’ve been discussing.  How to diversify efforts, increase revenue streams, and prepare our clients for the world that awaits them… is running sprints past them.

Wake up and smell the “New Media Revolution” and the impact it makes on traditional methods!

Til next time… Have a great Spring like weekend!

Emilia

PS:  I LOVE DC in the Spring.  Coming back in a month for the Cherry Blossom festival!

Hi everyone,

I’m excited to be a part of the sessions available at Temple University SBDC.  I worked with the development team and created a Spring Series:  Survive & Thrive in 2009 – Marketing Series

Tonight’s session will be back to basics:  Marketing Plans 101

We’ll discuss an overview of traditional vs. new/ integrated marketing plans.  What’s in a plan?  What are common marketing mistakes?  And what can you do right now to make a positive shift in your marketing.  Plus answer your questions…

Check out the events page on this blog and sign up for the upcoming sessions.  If you signed up for tonight’s session, I look forward to meeting you.  And Craig will join me tonight… so you’ll have a chance to chat with him too.

Be well and let’s keep moving forward.

Best…

Emilia Andrews

“Trust has never been more relevant in today’s world, especially in such difficult economic times.  Now more than ever: the ability to establish, grow, extend, and restore trust with all stakeholders-customers, business partners, investors, and co-workers-is the key leadership competency of the new, global economy. Trust is a learnable and measurable skill that makes organizations more profitable, people more promotable, and relationships more energizing.”

-Stephen M. R. Covey, author of The Speed of Trust

Craig and I had a discussion, stemmed from the 30 other conversations we had this past week, about what is the most important element we could present to our clients, prospects, partners, etc.  And, amazingly, we came with a unanimous consensus that we own a company that can be trusted.  It’s our need to express to anyone who is interested in developing a relationship with us, as an individual or through Beholder, is that we are ethical professionals, genuinely interested in their well-being.

Now here’s the tricky and frustrating part… how do you do that without first establishing a relationship?  Well… you don’t.  I wouldn’t.

Quick story on trust – About 15-16 years ago, Craig and I set out to buy our “first” car together.  It was an exciting time.  If I recall, we walked into a Toyota dealer, one woman seated us in one area, a gentleman came in and asked us to come into another room, and then a 3^rd gentleman came in to highlight all the wonderful things about their dealership, in a completely new cubicle.  As we were being piggy-backed room to room, I became increasingly annoyed because we actually didn’t like any car there.  Why didn’t we leave then?  Because they had our car that we drove in with, in the mechanic’s area, to establish its value as a trade in.

After asking politely the first 3 times, and if you know me personally, my tone changed to that of, “You don’t want to make me angry….” expression.  We told him we were not interested and just wanted to go.  And asked what is going on back there that you can’t just give us our car back? Mind you – it’s been about 3 hours!

He said quietly and sheepishly, “What?  Don’t you trust me?”  – I hit the cubicle wall and said “I trust you about as much as I trust this tack on the wall. I don’t know you and all I know is you have my car and won’t return it.”   Needless to say, within 5 minutes of this brief tirade, for fear of driving off other customers, we had our car and headed home.

They never established any sense of trust.  The brand itself built up a perception that it would be wise for us to go into the dealership… but the team inside ruined that experience… that expectation… the deal.

Final thoughts - Be consistent.  Build the relationship. Build your brand based on what you expect to provide.  And then do what is expected… if not go beyond their expectations.

Til next time…

Emilia

Beholder saw this coming over a year ago…  And no, we don’t have any magic powers.  It’s just that when you work in our field, you can “foretell” what will happen based on trends.

And the trend that I’m talking about is integration.  Companies CANNOT continue to do business the way they’ve always done business.

In order to keep the demand flowing, you need to fully integrate your message to your target audience and utilize different distribution outlets.  Case in point with the Inquirer… they did not move swiftly with the variety of applications they could have incorporated long ago… and in the web/ new media world… 1 year IS long ago.

Right now, they are focusing on restructuring their debts and are not focusing on their operations.  Well, shame on them!  Everything has to be restructured.  Because, as we all know, advertisers rule the world.  Without a new distribution/  integration plan… including operations and production… you just run around in circles.

If you’d allow me to give my 2 cents, and IF you’d like to seriously consider my suggestions – Brian Tierney, give me a call.  215-674-1612.

Til next time… Focus on your message.  Deliver a quality product/ service.  And keep moving forward!

Emilia Andrews