Branded Video Content Engine ‘Zefr’ Crushes comScore Rankings

Zefr, the Los Angeles based software platform for brand management, has become the second most popular channel on YouTube and has hit the top-ten most popular contents sources, according to the January comScore video rankings. In January at CES, we spoke with Jason Kirk, head of business development for Zefr about the opportunities for brands […]

 
 

Seattle Startup iSpot.tv Tracks Online Engagement with TV Ads

Consumers search for TV ads online more than 1 million times a day, and those searches can provide useful insight for TV marketers, says Sean Muller, CEO and Founder of iSpot.tv in an interview conducted at CES as part of the Mindshare Client Huddle. iSpot.tv is a Seattle-based startup that tracks TV ad viewing and the interaction with those ads, […]

 
 

Zefr’s Kirk: Brands Should Tap The Power Of Fans

Many people think consumers hate it when brands advertise to them. In fact, some consumers often tend to love brands, says social video marketing insight outlet Zefr‘s Jason Kirk. “The fans and their power and their passion is something that’s undeniable,” Kirk tells Beet.TV. “If you aren’t able to tap in to that… you’re missing out. […]

 
 

Brand Watch CEO: Marketers Must Act Right Here, Right Now

Oreos may have been dunked in the dark in 2013, but does “real-time marketing” have a real future in 2014? Sebastian Hempstead, CEO of social media marketing monitor service Brandwatch, says immediacy is vital. “The content we put in to conversations can turn up a day later… if it’s not in the right moment… when we want […]

 
 

Google’s Waze Serves Drivers ‘Third-Screen’ Local Ads

In the movie Speed, Keanu Reeves risked his bus exploding if it stopped. In real-life, some drivers will now see digital ads if their car stops for more than three seconds. That is the one strand in the advertising proposition for Waze, the crowd-powered drivers’ sat-nav aid that also has marketing ambitions. “We give brands the […]

 
 

‘ShareThis’ Founder: Real-Time Key To Social Marketing

We’re hearing a lot about “real-time” marketing. But, beyond the hype, it’s not all about dunking in the dark. “You have to be really in real-time,” says Tim Schigel, founder of ShareThis, whose near-ubiquitous green button lets users share content through umpteen online services. “People are interested a given topic maybe for just a few […]

 
 

Mobile Pizza Orders Growing Quickly, Domino’s Says

Mobile ecommerce is growing rapidly for pizza company Domino’s, says Dennis Maloney, VP of Multimedia Marketing at Dominos, in an interview with Beet.TV at the Consumer Electronics Show. Digital channels already account for 40% of the brand’s pizza orders, with one-third of those coming through mobile venues. “It’s our biggest area of growth,” he says. “It’s […]

 
 

AT&T’s Monteferrante: Digital Has Raised Bar For TV Ads

Many in TV and marketing look forward to a future of “addressable advertising”. AT&T is executing on a version of that today – with its TV Blueprint offering, the cable company is helping advertisers reach specific subscribers from its customer base. We’re able to pull in data from over 15 million set-top boxes that are […]

 
 

Mindshare Exec: Online Videos Becoming Shorter

LAS VEGAS  —  Long-form video is alive and well, but online videos in general are becoming shorter, says Jordan Bitterman, Chief Strategy Officer, North America at Mindshare in an interview with Beet.TV at CES. The trend stems from the proliferation of six-second Vine videos and fifteen-second Instagram clips, coupled with the effectiveness of shorter ads, he tells […]

 
 

Chirpify Lets Viewers Buy With Hashtags

Marketers now use social media expertly to “engage” audiences? But, whilst such schemes are good top-of-funnel branding mechanisms, what about sealing the deal with an actual purchase? Chirpify is a start-up hoping to close that circle, by letting consumers buy or otherwise express interest in products using just hashtags in social media they already frequent. […]

 
 

Spotify’s Free Mobile Change Courts Brands To ‘Speak Music’

One month ago, music streamer Spotify made a change which lets mobile and tablet users listen to more music for free. Previously, off-PC usage required a premium subscription. But Spotify’s change is not just a goodwill gift to users – it points to the growing part advertisers play in a business that has always relied […]

 
 

Mindshare NA CEO: Adaptive Marketing Key Focus for Agency

LAS VEGAS — As part of its focus on “adaptive marketing,” Mindshare has been on the hunt for technology firms to pair up with that can help it deliver content in real time for brands, says Colin Kinsella, CEO of Mindshare North America, in an interview with Beet.TV at CES. “We are investing in technology to […]

 
 

Foursquare Eyes Wearables, Autos as Next Platforms

LAS VEGAS – The emergence or wearable digital devices, connected cars and new devices will provide Foursquare new platforms beyond the mobile,   expanding its offering to its users and advertisers, says Steven Rosenblatt, Chief Revenue Officer, in this video interview. We spoke with him during CES at the Mindshare Client Huddle event.  

 
 

Yahoo Takes Steps to Integrate Tumblr into Content, Ad Platform

LAS VEGAS — As Yahoo integrates Tumblr via the acquisition, Tumblr’s sponsored posts will now be powered by Yahoo ads, says Lee Brown, Global Head of Brand Partnerships at Tumblr, during an interview with Beet.TV at the Consumer Electronics Show. “That lets us accelerate our ad technology by leveraging the technology Yahoo has already built,” he […]

 
 

Twitter Sees High Engagement in Video Tweets; Offers Real-Time Tips for Brands

LAS VEGAS — Twitter is focusing on a number of initiatives with marketers to link brands more closely to the real-time opportunities in the daily tweet stream of users, says Melissa Barnes, head of agency and brand advocacy at Twitter in an interview with Beet.TV at the Consumer Electronics Show. “The best brands [in real-time] are the ones […]

 
 

Mobile Rewards Tech Service Kiip Expands to Fitness, Health, To-Do Apps

LAS VEGAS — Mobile gaming is expanding into fitness, casual health, to-do apps and other areas of gaming that are ripe for brand integration, says Brian Wong, Founder and CEO of Kiip, a mobile gaming service, in an interview with Beet.TV at the Consumer Electronics Show. “It’s reflective of people living their lives. You are using […]