IBM’s Mike Moran on Web Video That Work: Think Infomercial!

Making a successful Web video for about business is not easy.  The medium is different.

We’ve been working away at this for the past 18 months and some 400 clips.  We’ve tried to  find a balance between quality production without the hype and gloss of broadcast news.  We try to make the clips that are informational and direct, using the one-to-one sensibility of the Web. 

Helping us figure out what works is Mike Moran, IBM Distinguished Engineer and Product Manager of IBM’s OmniFind.  He dropped by the Beet.TV studio recently to talk about the aesthetics of successful Web video.  He likens the winning formula of Web video to infomercials. 

OK, so we’re not selling knife sets here, but his point about production values coupled with a cause to action is what will make this medium work. 

Next week, IBM will publish Mike’s new marketing book "Do It Wrong Quickly, How the Web Changes the Old Marketing Rules."  He explains in the book — and in our chat, how marketing solutions have to be carefully customized.

– Andy Plesser

Posted on 10/05/2007 at 5:28 PM by Andy Plesser

RECENT VIDEOS
AAA
Twitter Is Now The #5 Digital Ad Platform

CANNES – Now that it has turned advertisers on to its marketing tools, Twitter is snapping at the heels of the biggest online ad gorillas, according to industry data. “When you’re talking about the digital landscape, there are four dominant players that everyone knows – Google, Yahoo, ...

Posted on 06/19/2013 at 7:30 AM by Robert Andrews

AAA
IPG Mediabrands Shifts Pay Structure to “Pay For Performance”

MOUGINS, France  – About half of IPG Mediabrands clients now pay the media agency on a pay-for-performance rather than commission basis, says Matt Seiler, Global CEO, IPG Mediabrands in an interview with Beet.TV. He contends that commission-based fees that incentivize agencies to spend as much of the ...

Posted on 06/18/2013 at 6:55 PM by Daisy Whitney

AAA
AOL’s Cahn on AOL On’s Resurgence of Original Content

CANNES – AOL has been supporting their variety of premium original content this week at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Beet.TV spoke with Karen Cahn, GM of AOL On Original Video for AOL, about their recent developments during the event. As the first content company on the Internet, ...

Posted on 06/18/2013 at 6:51 PM by Katy Charles

AAA
AOL Makers Tops 40 Million Views in First Year

CANNES – Since its launch 13 months ago, AOL has grown its “Makers” series to 40 million video views, with the number of views rising month over month, says Maureen Sullivan, Senior VP and General Manager Lifestyle Brands and Women’s Content at AOL during an interview with Beet.TV. ...

Posted on 06/18/2013 at 6:35 PM by Daisy Whitney

AAA
Microsoft Touts ’100% Always-On’ Xbox One To Advertisers

CANNES — Microsoft believes its Xbox game console can take marketers’ messages to consumers beyond gaming’s traditional hardcore audience. “The fastest-growing demographic on Xbox today is females aged 18 to 39, who happen to be the chief decision-makers on purchases in most ...

Posted on 06/18/2013 at 1:21 PM by Robert Andrews

AAA
Adobe Finds Tablets Racing Ahead For Retailers

CANNES – Time was, the term “mobile” could be used to describe a swathe of devices. But now the market is so rich with portable gadgets, it’s time to get more granular, according to Adobe digital marketing SVP and GM  Brad Rencher. “A lot of people are still lumping smartphones ...

Posted on 06/18/2013 at 1:20 PM by Robert Andrews

AAA
Data-Hungry Mail Online Mulls Original-Video Move

CANNES – Look out, world. Having quickly become the planet’s most-visited newspaper website, Mail Online plans to ramp up its digital video offering beyond its core categories of entertainment, lifestyle and breaking world news. “We’ll continue to expand the types of video programming ...

Posted on 06/18/2013 at 10:08 AM by Robert Andrews

AAA
AOL Adds Biometric Tracking to Video Ad Measurement

CANNES – Using biometric tracking, AOL has begun testing emotional reactions to ads via a partnership with technology firm Realeyes, says Mihkel Jäätma, Managing Director of Realeyes during an interview with Beet.TV at Cannes. The company’s facial recognition software can measure the level of ...

Posted on 06/17/2013 at 5:20 PM by Daisy Whitney

AAA
AOL Tests Emotional Response to Video Ads

CANNES – AOL is working with brands such as LG and Heineken on its new neuromarketing platform that aims to measure emotional reaction to video ads, says Rene Rechtman, SVP of AOL International. This sort of measurement can help brands better understand whether their creative is actually connecting ...

Posted on 06/17/2013 at 5:20 PM by Daisy Whitney

AAA
Mariane Pearl to Launch Global News Site for Women, Next Week

CANNES – Mariane Pearl,  who is spearheading a global advocacy group for woman called Chime for Change, will launch a global news site about women with correspondents from locations around the globe, she says in this interview with Beet.TV.  She will serve as managing editor. She says that the ...

Posted on 06/17/2013 at 1:11 PM by Andy Plesser

AAA
Gloria Steinem on Digital as a Medium for Women’s Stories

CANNES – “Women around the world really are making huge use of digital media in every way,”  says feminist activist Gloria Steinem. With the growth of digital media, the message of the women’s movement is able to be spread more and more, particularly with the creation of MAKERS.com – ...

Posted on 06/17/2013 at 1:02 PM by Katy Charles

AAA
Women’s Stories Hub MAKERS.com Sees 1.5M Monthly Viewers

CANNES – Launched in February 2012, MAKERS.com – a digital platform dedicating to telling the stories of the “trailblazing women” and a joint initiative by AOL and PBS – sees 1.5 million visitors a month, and 48 percent are men, says executive producer and founder of MAKERS.com Dyllan ...

Posted on 06/17/2013 at 1:01 PM by Katy Charles