Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Power of YouTube Promoted Videos

YouTube launched the Promoted Videos program two years ago in an effort to boost revenue and site profitability. Although Google and YouTube keep fairly quiet on the breakdown of YouTube's revenue, the YouTube blog says the Promoted Videos program has seen a six-fold increase in viewers in the past year.

The Promoted Videos program works by promoting creator-sponsered videos in search results, on the YouTube homepage and on video pages. Advertisers get to pick their target demographics, keywords and only have to pay for people that watch their videos.

I think this showcases the strength and benefits of online advertising. Advertisers pay relatively little and get to focus on their key audiences. By having original and interesting creative their audience becomes engaged and eager to interact with the brand.

The video below showcases the OfficeMax Promoted Video Penny Pranks campaign.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Gap Goes Back to the Original Logo!



After receiving much criticism via Facebook and Twitter, Gap has reverted to its original logo.

Last week, Gap unveiled a new “more contemporary” logo. The retailer’s customers were not so thrilled about the change, sending thousands of negative tweets and Facebook status updates about its design and protesting with a fake twitter account.

Gap took the hint and decided to reverse the decision with this announcement on its Facebook Page.

“Ok. We’ve heard loud and clear that you don’t like the new logo. We’ve learned a lot from the feedback. We only want what’s best for the brand and our customers. So instead of crowdsourcing, we’re bringing back the Blue Box tonight.”

While social media wasn’t the only reason that Gap felt compelled to revert to the old logo, it definitely was a major factor. Social media mobilized and spread the word about the logo change. In this case, the company listened to its customers and worked the rapid feedback of social media to their advantage. Way to go Gap!