March 18, 2010
FNB Notes from the Front: SXSW, Part Two
By Jessica Kantor
Two themes that carried through SXSW were how to fund content and how to monetize content online. Even the word “content” has become as played out as saying “viral.” It’s helpful to say “video” instead. Long form or short form, but still video. Technologies are being launched left and right to help producers manage and monetize their videos online. A few of these technologies, to be explored in greater depth later, are youcastr.com, Dynamo Player, Youtube Rental and IndieFlix. But financing content continues to be a mystery. When does a brand want to get involved?
Digitas held a brand matchmaking session for Miller Lite in a live, immensely fun panel. Mark Beeching of Digitas brought on stage Grant Leech, the VP of digital marketing for Miller Lite, and explained the format of its contest. There would be six different “content” creators who have the opportunity to come up and pitch for six minutes. The first 45 seconds to introduce themselves and give qualifications, three minutes to pitch their idea, two minutes for Leech to ask questions, 15 seconds for final words and 3 seconds to get off the stage. (If they don’t get off the stage they get disqualified.) The winner receives $24,000 to bring the pitch to life with additional support from Digitas, and the audience decides the runner up, who will receive $8,000 to create their idea, also with additional support from Digitas.
The pitches began. Ben Rollins, the creator of the massively popular video, “I’ve Got a Crush on Obama,” an MBA from Wharton who has an affiliation with NextNewNetworks. He started by talking about ROI (Return on Investment) and wanting to sell beer. His idea was to create a Rock Opera with his web series “Key of Awesome.” He made a case for using the show’s built in demographic to create a three episode rock opera around Miller Lite, depicting the main character’s struggle to love his girlfriend as much as he loves Miller Lite. Ben gave an incredible pitch, full of energy, with a clear distribution plan.
The second contestant, Kent Nichols of AskNinja.com, discussed the idea of creating a cinerama event of content — like in the 50′s — to show at large events to create a sensory experience around drinking Miller Lite. When Kent was asked how he’d distribute this event film, he said at Miller Lite sponsored events, concerts, etc. It seemed $24,000 might be too small a budget for this idea.
Pitch number three was a fun actress/rock cellist Kestrin Pantera. She started by stating the fact that in the next 30 years, California has a 99.9% of having a disastrous earthquake and the campaign is a funny viral video on how to prepare for the great party at the end of the world. Great energy and a fun idea, she didn’t discuss a series arc or mention Miller Lite’s integration other than, beer is essential at this party.
Then came Wendy Park, who’s produced content for Fox Searchlight, and Mike Doyle, who pitched an alignment of Miller Lite with quirky short form content based within the horror genre. They weren’t able to prove a dissemination strategy or have the built in audience. Well thought out content, but the stories were seeds of an idea rather than fully developed character.
The fifth pitch were two filmmakers, Chris Mass — who created the film “Chalk” — and Owen Egerton, who is an author and short filmmaker affiliated with Datalabs. They pitched a story for a series called “Beer Run,” about two characters: Agent Douche and Kent, his sidekick and everyman. Agent Douche sends Kent out on a beer run, but he’s mistaken for Agent Douche and uses Miller Lite to survive the attack in an action-packed journey three blocks to the store and back. It was fully developed, creatively pitched and spoke to the brands sensibilities.
The final pitch was by Greg Godfried of Eqal, the company behind LonelyGirl15 and a number of very successful series in the online space. Greg discussed a love story told on the internet. Charlie, a 22 year-old American guy goes on a college trip to Paris and meets a girl. She says to meet him the next night at a location she write on his hand. The next morning it reads “8 PM on Chat Roullete.” He logs in to the game looking for Sophie. Mean while she’s at a cafe Chateau Roullete waiting for him. The video ends asking people to go on Chat Roulette and find Charlie to tell him how to find Sophie, and they can win a trip to Paris. It’s cool, hip, relevant and speaks to the brand’s core audience using the newest emotional zeitgeist.
After recapping all of these very innovative, well-pitched ideas, Leech chose the fifth pitch, Agent Douche. He could visualize the story, clear the brand integration that speaks clearly to Miller Lite’s fans and understand the plan to build their online audience.
Each of the contestants was qualified with a track record for content and/or huge built in audiences. Making It had to choose between the different ideas and at the end of the day, it was all about the story. A well thought out journey that Grant could grab on to allowed him to make the choice and align his brand. The audience award went to Greg Godfried’s idea of helping Charlie find Sophie using hot social media trend, Chat Roulette. A transmedia concept that gave the audience an incentive to participate in the campaign in an organic, fun way.
Meant as a fun social way to engage in the next ad campaign, it confirmed much more than that. Each of these contestants not only has a track record with creating online video, but also a clear understanding of how to creatively augment a brand. The most interesting part of this contest, besides the ideas so creatively pitched, were the questions Leech asked. He seemed to want to make sure the idea was feasible in the budget restraints, spoke accurately about Miller Lite, and had the ability to reach and engage with the proper demographic. As cool, interesting and creative as branded content can be, at the end of the day it still needs to serve its purpose, which is simply augmenting the brand.
Jessica Kantor is the founder and CEO of FilmNewsBriefs. She can be reached at Jessica@filmnewsbriefs.com.
Posted in: AskNinja.com, Beer Run, Ben Rollins, Chalk, Chat Roulette, Chris Mass, Digitas, Dynamo Player, Eqal, Fox Searchlight, Grant Leech, Greg Godfried, I've Got a Crush on Obama, IndieFlix, Kent Nichols, Kestrin Pantera, Key To Awesome, LonelyGirl15, Mark Beeching, Mike Doyle, Miller Lite, NewNewNetworks, Owen Egerton, sxsw, Wendy Park, Wharton, youcastr.com, YouTube Rental