NBC Mishandles Gemini Division: Ad Overload

In my post, “Gemini Division Preview” I said that even if I had a way to remove the integrated ads, I wouldn't want to. Not so with NBC's abuse of banner ads.

Upon page load, NBC’s Gemini Division site begins the ad bombardment onslaught.

There are more ads for Intel than there appears to be Gemini Division content. At the top of the page is a large Intel banner ad. To the right, there is the same large intel ad. In the middle of the screen an Intel pre-roll ad commences. And, if you missed it, to the right of the title Gemini Division is another “powered by intel ad”.



NBC redefines the concept of banner ad and takes it to a whole new level. Here, NBC takes Gemini Division, the supposed content of the site, and features it much less prominently than Intel. Gemini Division becomes the “banner ad” for the content that is Intel. In fact, Intel is featured more prominently at geminidivision.com than it is even at Intel’s own website.

This further evidences that NBC still doesn’t understand: today’s viewer, new media content, ad integration, Electric Farm Entertainment, or the companies who buy ads.

NBC needs to learn to listen, adapt, and change, or they will lose out. For instance, Electric Farm Entertainment could have made money by including car/battery ads alongside AW, however they chose not too as it would have taken away from that content as Brent Friedman explained in the video “How to Monetize Web Video”.

Likewise, EFE may make money by selling distribution rights to NBC, but when doing so negates the ad integration concept that EFE was trying to accomplish in the first place, it isn’t worth it. NBC’s mishandling of Gemini Division negatively affects that content and I don’t think Electric Farm Entertainment will take this lightly.

On a positive note, this may be one case where geoblocking (though still a practice to be avoided when possible) works to the advantage of those who have to wait. International customer's may actually get a better experience than US early adopters. Sony would do well to learn from NBC's faltering blunders(i.e. don't brand ARG components, don't mislabel recap video segments as viral, don't preroll ads with ad integrated content, make sure basic html links work, etc., etc., etc., ).

So far it appears that Electric Farm Entertainment was much better off when NBC wasn’t a part of the picture. For instance, consider Afterworld’s main portal site.



Here, the content receives the focus and the ads do not disrupt it.

Not so with NBC. In addition to what has already been pointed out, NBC’s pre-roll ads for 3-5 minute of content is beyond overkill, particularly so when the content has already been ad integrated, especially so considering that viewers have options, and even more so when there is a growing resistance to blatant ad practices.

Ad branding and advertisement in general should be subtle, it should add to the content, it should not take away from that content, and it definitely should not be featured more prominently than the content itself!

[Update: 10/14/08 - [The below is no longer recommended. It appears that NBC has tightened up their ad enforcement and I don't think you can double-click the video anymore to get it to start. (This article must have caught their attention I guess).]

For those viewers who want to watch Gemini Division the way it was meant to be watched by Electric Farm Entertainment, you may want to add the following line at the end of your “hosts” file located at c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.

127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net

Then you can view Gemini Division like this:



Without the protection of that little line, NBC’s site makes me feel as if Intel has been painfully seared/branded into my ethos, into my being.

When you are at NBC’s streaming site, this line does cause the following to appear. “We are having trouble connecting to our server. If you have any ad blocking software running please disable it.”

If you see that, just double-click the video you want (this starts up the video), and advance the progress bar just a little bit. Then you can watch NBC content without pre-roll or banner ads.

I am enjoying Gemini Division in spite of NBC’s disconnect. Unfortunately again it is in such a way that I fly under the radar, without being noticed by NBC. It appears that once again, NBC can’t gauge or account for the new consumer, or the new viewer. Hopefully this will change.

Gemini Division, NBC, and Alternate Reality Gaming and Viral Marketing gone wrong.

Wednesday, August 27th saw the release of the alternate reality game and immersive interaction content for Gemini Division, the new online-only series distributed by NBC Universal Digital Studios. Entertainment bloggers/reporters, fans, and entire ARG communities have been eagerly awaiting this release as this series is the first web only property produced by a Hollywood studio and distributed by a major network. With a production budget of just over $2 million dollars Gemini has received favorable reviews and is a smart, well filmed vehicle featuring an all star cast headed by Rosario Dawson.

In the media preview, series creator and Executive Producer Brent Friedman discussed the ARG portion of Gemini. NBC’s alternate reality immersive experience would be led by the creator of the Heroes ARG. Viewers who participated would join Rosario's character, NYPD Detective Anna Diaz, in becoming Gemini Division agents; sometimes researching for Anna, and sometimes working alongside her on missions. This was exciting news. In another first of its kind, this alternate reality type of game would provide what sounded like the first run of active immersive content in combination with a live, Hollywood created web/mobile series

In the Prime Time for Change post on July 26th we discussed the "corporate viewpoint" to illustrate the challenges facing both traditional broadcasters and program viewers as entertainment media corporations attempt to leverage the internet to increase their market share The concerns about corporate cultural impact were realized this week. With the premiere of Gemini Division on NBC.com viewers are able to sign up to participate in additional content, including text messages. This was to drive the alternate reality game that was to accompany the series.

In the Prime Time For Change articles, Looking Beyond the Box and Through Someone Else’s Eyes, both written in July, two primary points of concern were stated:

1) There is a disconnect between the ‘corporate think’ of primetime networks and the viewers who watch their content.

2) Major corporations don’t understand how to look beyond the immediate need of today and as such limit their ability to provide a viable product.

As entertainment media corporations attempt to leverage the internet to increase their market share, we believe that it is vitally important for major networks to:

1) Engage in active listening.

2) Think beyond today and be committed toward the rollout of a robust product.

Here you can see our concerns as well as our hopes for the progression of new media.

This week we waited in hope that our concerns would be laid to rest and looked forward to the imminent release of the interactive experience. With the premiere of Gemini Division on NBC.com, viewers are able to sign up to participate in additional content, including text messages. This was to drive the alternate reality game that was to accompany the series.

On Wednesday participants received a text message from Gemini character Pete Vacarella, Anna Diaz's partner, titled "Gemini What?". The message follows:

"What up? Listen, I need you to check out my MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/petevacarella. Dug up some dirt on Anna's new boyfriend, and I don't think you're gonna like it. She's in Paris with the guy right now, and when our girl gets back, I think we better knock some sense into our girl.

Later, Pete "

This was followed by the legally required unsubscribe disclaimer that is also found on the Heroes ARG emails ...a bit of normal, but vital in our overly litigious society. Based on our fan research, first impressions of the Pete Vacarella profile range from "adequate" to "good". Not over done, the profile contains character information, pictures, and blog posts structured to replicate a real world MySpace page. Some of the photos and posts establish the character background while others tie directly to Gemini Division meeting the basics of the ARG 'this is not a game' [TINAG] tenant.

Readers progressing through the blog posts, oldest to newest, reported that NBC had done an adequate job of building this alternate reality character's persona. The blog on the Character Nick Korda included passport photos and travel itineraries. When readers switched between the blog and photo albums additional information about Korda was provided, as well as a tie from a newspaper article that doesn't appear to have a direct connection to the episodes that aired thus far.

However, the last most recent blog post and the separate awkward release of two branded “viral” videos saw the burgeoning realization of our previously stated concerns. Consequently, these events are causing a considerable amount of controversy among ARG fans.

Pete’s branded/subtitle video blog entry

Fan feedback about this game component ranges from moderate disappointment to irrational fury over the series logo, "episode title", and summary. Part of the joy in alternate reality gaming, especially when it is combined as immersive content, is the TINAG, or This Is Not A Game aspect. ARG fans feel that branding invalidates the game as there is no way that the ARG player can suspend disbelief which is necessary to build an attachment to the alternate universe where character Pete Vacarella lives.

Most reference sources agree that Alternate Reality Games are interactive narratives using the real world as a platform. They nvolve multiple media and game elements with clues embedded in everyday life, the most important concepts behind the ARG are the 'archaeological storytelling' and the 'Non-hoax' or 'This is not a game [TINAG]' atmospheres. Game designers provide only portions of the story, distributed across multiple platforms, allowing players to assemble and supply the connective points and determination of meaning. By the game's lack of acknowledgement that it is a game players experience the foibles of a real-world experience; websites may either be real or game related, phone numbers or email address shown on game websites work, and the game is played real-time. Players are forced to advance through the game using their own analysis, deductive reasoning, and speculative skills.

Opinions vary greatly on the driver for "the game", though most agree that ARGs have become a tool for additional marketing of an entertainment property. An excellent example of this is the recent Dark Knight ARG where players worked through numerous websites leading up to a special six minute opening preview of the movie provided as "live coverage" on the Gotham News Network website. GNN provides a cross of real world news and DK characters in 'live' interviews driving the storyline. While players understood that they were participating in a game, the real world components made the game, and the movie, much more personal and believable. Dark Knight took the additional steps to stage live election campaign rallies in major cities and a live scavenger hunt that ended with the participants receiving one-of-a-kind swag.

While we agree that a comparison of the Dark Knight ARG and Gemini Division's is apples to oranges, the same basic gaming 'rules' apply. This can be best illustrated by a comparison of two ARGs that are similar in scope and managed by the same administration: Heroes and Gemini Division.

The Heroes experience started with the same fan sign-up at NBC. Fans who chose to participate received text messages and cell phone calls from show Characters. The kickoff ARG on MySpace also found fans logging in to view a character profile, Samantha48616e61, which directed them to her ARG blog, which provides additional links to other ARG websites as well as multiple puzzles and videos.

Here the delta between Heroes and Gemini becomes evident: While the Samantha blog has multiple videos the TINAG concept is maintained. No branding on the Heroes vids, nor is there a direct branded link back to a broadcast site. Further exacerbating this divergence are the two additional 'viral' videos also released on Gemini Division on Wednesday. Beyond the issues of the videos being labeled viral they were also preceeded by the standard generic advertisement that leads the regular series videos.

Fans were again baffled and upset that these self-titled 'viral' videos were posted on the main production website instead of being buried on the web, "to find as one would expect in an ARG". Feedback we received in our research for this article ranges from the simple, "NBC just don't get it..."[Powerdog], to the succinct, "Today we learned about how the term 'viral' can fail miserably and create apathy and distrust in viewers"[DaJackal]. What driving factors cause the Heroes game to be successful and the Gemini game to have such a poor launch?

As a long time Gary Larson fans, the Far Side cartoon of army generals hunched over a table with the caption "But gentleman, what if we had a war and everybody came!" sprang to mind as soon as we reviewed this week's NBC Universal Digital Studios release of the Gemini Division immersive content alternate reality game. The following is our updated version of that cartoon:

Touching back on our post of July 26th and contrasting that corporate culture against the release of this new ARG it is evident that a disconnect exists somewhere in the system. We expected to see an experience similar to Heroes and were both concerned and surprised when it was released with the issues that we've reported in this article. With the buzz importance placed on this series, the first of it's kind, allowing such an obviously controversial ARG launch is not in the best business interest of NBC. That it may be intentionally designed to create this controversy could harm more than help this fledgling form of entertainment as fan apathy for the game may be taken as apathy for the program content.

We encourage everyone, even the apathetic, to continue the Gemini experience. It may be that a disaffected employee wanted to harm the show, or possibly mutant deaf ninja hacker penguins broke the ARG ...whatever disappointment you experienced this week give it a little longer; remember, this series is the first of it's kind and there are bound to be oppses.

Geoblocking, Sony, Gemini Division, and You

Geoblocking or at least the concept of it is nothing new though it is becoming more prevalent. Video streaming and the Olympics made this abundantly clear. Jack Kapica of Globe Technology online wrote,

"If the Internet represents instant global communications, watching the Olympics online is still based on a pre-Internet mindset. Yes, you can watch the Olympics in streaming video, but you can do so only from a very limited number of sources, each chosen by geography."

I agree with Jack Kapica's statement. The broadcast of TV and new media content is still utilizing a pre-Internet mindset in many ways and there is definitely room for change. It appears that there is both a growing implementation of geoblocking as well as discontent over its use.

For the Olympics it was all about protecting and maximizing ad revenue and this is one of the central issues in the matter. It does ultimately come down to money and companies like Sony appear to be convinced that they can make more money with a pre-internet mindset than without. So far they haven't been shown different.

While geoblocking or geodistribution can be generalized as being about return on investment or even more succinctly as being about money, it is more complex than it appears to be on the surface. This is particularly so with the distribution of multi-platform content.

For those of us who like the Final Fantasy video game franchise, we still have to wait for each release. The games are released in Japan first and then separately to other territories, the upcoming release in 2009 being no exception.

It is important to keep in mind that multi-platform content is not just digital, web distributed video and it encompasses more than a video game. Instead, it also consists of alternate reality gaming websites, graphic novels, mobile and ARG interaction, etc. This content spans mediums and technologies and therefore is much more complex to distribute than a game like Final Fantasy. It has more moving pieces, involves different technologies, and may even feature a video game as part of the content.

That being said, I don't think we can fault producers like Electric Farm Entertainment from seeking to push the new media edge and make a profit in doing so. When there are companies like Sony who offer big money for international distribution rights, production companies will continue to sell distribution rights to them. Even if we put that aside, production companies simply don't have the distribution clout and resources needed to distribute multi-platform content globally. At the moment they still need larger companies like Sony.

The distribution plan for Gemini Division is as follows: Electric Farm Entertainment is the main content producer for Gemini Division, NBC has purchased the rights to distribute in the US, and Sony has the international distribution rights as detailed in this press release. Gemini Division is currently being released in the US and should be released to other territories pretty quickly (Sony did pretty well in distributing Afterworld globally last year). Sony realizes that there is money to be made in distributing good content to a global audience and they are willing to put up money to do so.

I do think that we should be using the Internet to move towards a global community and not to build more walls through geoblocking and territory release of content as mentioned by Modern Geekery. However, I believe that this will require new thinking, new infrastructure, and innovative ideas. We need to rethink how to do media in a digital media age.

I don't think that the current divide is the result of erecting new walls, but instead I think the structure we see today is built upon the walls of yesterday. Further, I think these walls exist due to real world distribution capacity and matters of scale, particularly when it comes to translating and adapting multiplatform content to other territories. For change to happen I think we need a competitive alternative to drive and bring about change.

For instance, consider traditional broadcast TV. What worked in the past, isn't working like it used to. The traditional ad arrangement, where broadcast tv provided free tv and the viewer watched their ads is breaking down. Vcrs, DVD's, DVR's, cable, satelite, Netflix, etc have changed the landscape. This competition is driving broadcast networks to emphasize new ways of doing media (albeit sometimes slowly). Advertising is shifting increasingly away from tv and moving toward online markets. They are beginning to change because there are competitive alternatives.

Another good example is Blockbuster and the local video store in comparison to Netflix. We used to have to go to the store for our movies and we used to have to pay late fees for them. If it wasn't for a competitive alternative this would still be the case. However, Netflix acquired distribution channels and capacity and leveraged the internet to change the landscape dramatically. Amazon in response ended up trying to start up a similar online service, but it simply hasn't been able to keep pace with Netflix.

We need the "Netflix of multi-platform content distribution" to shake up "Sony-type Blockbuster's". Sony may want to consider taking the initiative before someone else does it for them. Hopefully they see this need and are already making steps toward change. It is a prime time.

We also need shows like Gemini Division and companies like Electric Farm Entertainment to push the edge and to create new content as well as to make a profit (which they have already accomplished with Gemini Division and Afterworld). It is a particularly important time not to "shoot the messenger" and not to cut out production companies who are trying to bring us new media.

It is a transitional time and unfortunately sometimes we have to wait. Perhaps while we do, someone will start up the "NetFlix of multi-platform distributed content". Maybe it will be you!

Immersive viewing illustrated

I’d like to start my post this week by thanking everyone who drudged through the ‘corporate view’ post from last week.  I felt it was important to illustrate the perception of those managing the networks that are canceling our favorite programs.  After some comparisons I am going to talk about some profitable alternatives available for shows being seen beyond just television broadcast.  If you are less interested in the business market please jump to Media Moving Forward, or skip straight to to the immersive viewing experience example.

Market Comparison

 I know that I have touched on this point previously, but I wanted to further describe the correlation between the American Auto industry and the American Broadcast Industry. General Motors was once the largest corporation on Earth {now replaced by Wal-Mart}.   $54.00 a share in 2003, however, as of this writing, GM stock has bottomed at $10.00 a share, the lowest price since 1974.  That is an astronomical market and profit loss, especially when you do a comparative dollar valuation and see that after conversion today’s stock price it is actually less than the lowest value reported in 1974.

While I concede that the current higher cost of fuel is a contributing factor I disagree that it is the major driver behind the $15.5 Billion dollar loss reported for Q3 by GM.  A comparative analysis between GM and import auto makers shows that while GM has tanked, import corporations like Honda have seen a steady progressive increase in stock value over the same period.  [As of this writing BMW $27.50 per Share, Honda $32.00 per Share, Toyota $86.00 per Share]

In 2003, around the same time that GM began to bleed market share, Toyota created a division called Scion.  What followed was a truly unique vision for marketing that we interweb peeps would consider viral marketing.  In the hard copy world of 2003 it was known as guerrilla marketing.  Toyota moved beyond the traditional hard copy advertising to embrace the digital medium with resounding success ($86.00 a share).

Broadcast television would do well to heed the lesson illustrated above, especially with the drive for convergence between media outlets.  A quick look at their stock performance over the last seven years displays the same loss trend experienced by the US auto makers (like GM).

Company	Stock Value per Share Aug 2000	Stock Value per Share Aug 2008	% Value Lost
ABC	$54.43	$31.02	-43.01%
CBS	$84.00	$16.10	-80.83%
FOX	$26.09	$13.49	-48.29%
NBC	$56.90	$28.70	-49.56%

With the recent announcement of News Corp (FOX) [August 5] losses on domestic television revenue we continue to see local and national market loss.

Media Moving Forward
Today I can place a phone call to a single vendor and purchase mobile service, FiOS (Fiber Optic) mega-fast-speed internet, cable television, and a land line phone…all connected to one account.  Add to that the HDDVR and you have a one stop shop for all your media needs.

With this type of converged service infrastructure and the current and soon-to-be-released mobile technology platforms, I have the ability to read my email through my TV, phone, or laptop.  Soon I will be able to DVR my favorite TV show and view that DVR on my mobile or laptop…all courtesy of that FiOS broadband connection.

As someone who spends two hours a day commuting by train that type of service model strongly appeals to me.  Beyond having a way to catch up on my favorite series while I ride the train, this model also speaks directly to the bleeding edge vision of companies like Electric Farm Entertainment, Mutant Enemy Productions, and NBC Universal.

Speaking of bleeding edge entertainment, be sure to check out an excellent example of web based entertainment at Gemini Division (EFE/NBC) or, for those Joss Whedon fans among us, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog. Whedon’s master plan was to produce a short series with limited budget [read non-existent budget by normal Hollywood standards] that would find a following.  It did, but then Joss tends to do that.

Note that unlike the traditional ‘webisode’ produced by independents these two vehicles are developed and distributed by established Hollywood production companies; as such they are prime examples of how Broadcast Television can migrate some of the cancelled 2007 schedule to the web and still drive revenue.  Not to leave the independent’s feeling disparaged, productions like Ask a Ninja and Chad Vader have risen to become pop-culture icons without the financial backing of “Hollywood”.

As we continue forward, broadcast television will have to delve more deeply into the immersive user experience or fall by the wayside, much as broadcast radio did in the late 50’s.

Current and future technology is leading toward media availability 24/7 wherever you can receive a signal.  As someone that lives in the ‘outback’ of Washington State, this is vital to me on my Saturday morning fishing trips.  While sitting on the lake awaiting a nibble, I can still cruise the web on my BlackBerry, make phone calls, or download and watch video, albeit not as much cool video as is available on my fishing’ buddies iPhone.  Often I check the real-time online fishing reports to help me in finding the best place to drop line.  Having that connectivity is something that wouldn’t have been possible even a few years ago.

Take that same experience and port it over to the viewing of your favorite dramatic show.  Weekly episodes on TV with additional ‘sub-episodes’ (5-7 minute webisodes) released daily could fill in plot points or provide additional information between the weekly television releases. This would work well for a series like October Road.  Expanded immersion could include additional three to five minute ‘episodes’ distributed by mobile.  Beyond that, there is also the ability to release a full season straight to DVD and OnDemand.

Dramatic shows are limited in leveraging tools that science fiction vehicles have in place.  An already alternative reality show such as Moonlight is able to make full use of the internet’s alternate reality game base for additional supplemental immersive content beyond the examples provided above for a dramatic series.  ARG websites in combination with the afore mentioned television, webisode, mobisode toolset would allow for that all encompassing experience the industry gives lip service too.

Sci-fi shows could also incorporate both mobile and PC/platform based video games to compliment the show. There is also the option of releasing straight to DVD or On Demand, another very viable profit driver.

Immersive Viewing: An executive summary using the cancelled CBS series Moonlight as an example.  This type of science fiction vehicle is able to utilize all avenues of distribution.   Note:  an additional value add for advertiser marketing can be built in to any of the elements below.

• Television Spots




• Weekly episodes – 16 per season, 41 minutes in length.


• Broadcast prime time, one day per week.




• Web Spots:  Daily webisodes – 110 per season, 5 minutes in length




• Released once per week day through the season


• This equates to five additional television weekly episodes, bringing the entire season to the 21 episode level.  These episodes could be shot in conjunction with the regular shooting schedule then edited to include additional content as a supplement to the plot of the 16 episodes edited for television broadcast


• Supplemental information discovered should add to the plot of the broadcast television show.




• Mobile Spots: 27 per season, 90 seconds in length.




• Released once per week, the day after broadcast of Prime Time


• These 27 mobile spots equate to one 41 minute television episode and could be shot in conjunction with the regular shooting schedule then edited to include additional content as a supplement to the plot of the 16 episodes edited for television broadcast.


• Supplemental information discovered should add to the plot of the broadcast television show.


• Additional five spots could be shown after the season finale as additional driver for the following season




• RPG Mobile Game:  Role playing game developed to lead the user through a series of tasks providing additional back story or plot information in conjunction with the season plot line.




• Released the week after the broadcast television premiere.


• Number of levels should equal approx. one hour of game play.


• Supplemental information discovered should add to the plot of the broadcast television season.




• RTSRPG Video Game:  Real time strategy role playing game developed to lead the user through a series of tasks providing additional back story or plot information in conjunction with the season plot line.




• Released in conjunction with the mid-season climax


• Should be multi-platform: Online, PC, and Console based release.


• Number of levels should equal approx. two hours of game play.


• Supplemental information discovered should add to the plot of the broadcast television season.




• ARG Online Game: Alternate reality online game.




• Released in conjunction with the season premiere


• Number of ‘levels’ should equal approx. two hours of game play.




• Users will be led through a series of websites that offer tasks, clues, and solvable puzzles


• Some websites will be difficult to find requiring ‘hard core’ fan research.  These websites will offer the most supplemental plot information.


• Direct tie to advertisers websites providing viable click through revenue:




• Example: Show sponsor Dell places a link on their “Home Computer” page.  When a user looks at a specific product there is a disguised link out to an ARG website for the season.


• Supplemental information discovered should add to the plot of the broadcast television season.


• Users may choose to subscribe to ARG communications such as emails, mobile texts, or mobile messages.


• Additional ‘real’ sources may play in to the ARG universe.  Example, contracting a link from the local news website in Los Angeles to a false ‘news’ section related to the season.  To prevent confusion users would be required to enter a user name and password gained from one of the other tools, such as either the mobile or video game.




• Can be multilayered: Entering the password from the mobile game will only get you to “X”.  To go beyond “X” you have to enter the password found in the Video Game.  Once that content has been viewed you need a password found in one of the ARG websites, then one leaked on the fan community, ect.


• Fan Communities:  Social networking to drive fan enthusiasm about the season.




• Social Networking profiles on sites such as Facebook and MySpace


• Preview, interview, and teaser video should be made available on SN sites like Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube.


• Official and unofficial fan community websites.




• Official sites will list additional information, approved spoilers, additional behind the scenes video, interviews, and live fan/talent/crew interaction (chat/BlogSpot)


• Unofficial fan sites may also be managed by the distribution or production company and offer ‘leaked’ photo or videos in a viral manner.


• Additional online resources:  additional resources that can be used to drive enthusiasm for the season.




• Exclusive content agreements




• Exclusive content supplementing the season could be released on websites like E, AOL, MySpace, Facebook, and other entertainment web sites.




• Additional information




• Sites such as IMDB and Wiki can be utilized to provide additional information to drive fan enthusiasm.

There are many other ways to continue this model to add additional levels of immersive participation by the viewer.  This executive summary is meant to provide the highest level view without focusing on the granular details.

As we see in this model there are a large number of tools not being utilized by broadcast television, though we do have to note that NBC is making large advances in tool utilization with Heroes and their new web series Gemini Division.

At this point, using the model above, I’d like to hear your feedback.  If television shows were offered with these supplemental elements how do you think it would impact your viewing?  Would you be more or less likely to watch the show?  Would you be more or less likely to participate in the other non-television options?
Comment and let us know!

Finding Forrester

This post is Part I of a series examining the TV executive viewpoint outlined in Doug’s last post. This series should make it clear that the reports and analysis he presented do not support the assertion that online use hasn’t changed all that much. Rather, it will reveal that the landscape has changed, is changing, and will continue to change.

I believe that the corporate broadcasting executive view (as presented by Doug) is out of step with Forrester, with Gartner, and with present reality. Cancellations drive apathy, not enthusiasm. Instead of winning viewers back they push them away.

Broadcast networks appear to be resistant toward realizing that the landscape has changed and instead have a tendency to cling to an antiquated position forged from the anvil of entrenched historical practice. I think they would be wise to continue to move away from the sand that still engulfs their view (think of a large bird that likes sand) and take advantage of the opportunities that exist in a new digital media age.

This view appears to be maintained:

1. Through the inaccurate analysis of reports not directly or centrally related to the position in question.

2. By filtering recent and unprecedented phenomena through a rigid mesh of incongruent historical categories.

This post primarily examines the Forrester report titled, “Social Technographics”. This report advises companies to adapt and change to this socially transformed world. Further, it encourages them to adopt a more coherent approach toward social computing.

It is interesting and pertinent to note that this initial report was later expanded into a book titled, “Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies” with a publish date of April 21, 2008.

Groundswell is described in part by one of the authors as, “a book about a very powerful trend that is happening right now, the trend of people connecting with and drawing power from each other online, and how that threatens corporations" (You can see this here).

In contrast, it appears that the corporate executive would have us believe that the book should be titled, “Status Quo: Doing Business in a World That Hasn’t Changed All That Much”.

Advertising Age, in an article dated June 2nd, 2008 gives background information about Charlene Li (the author of the Forrester report) which provides additional insight.

“‘Charlene is a pivotal force in helping marketers navigate tectonic disruptions heralded in by social media,’ says Max Kalehoff, VP-marketing at Clickable.

‘She has an uncanny ability to instill calm and real understanding of the threats and opportunities inherent in a world composed of savvy, connected consumers.’

Asked to grade how marketers are facing up to those changes, Ms. Li gives them a C.

‘They're treating it more like a marketing channel than a relationship-building opportunity,’ she says, adding that a big roadblock is corporate cultures that aren't built to handle the lack of control over brand or message or even product development in a consumer-controlled environment.

‘Marketers are horrible at getting close to customers,’ she says. ‘They say they want it, but they don't.’”

At the bedrock level, both the Forrester report and the subsequent book maintain that the landscape has changed and that businesses need to adapt.

Ms. Li gives such an excellent summation of the divide between a corporate culture that still pines for the way it used to be and the ever increasingly consumer-controlled environment.

And now the kicker.

Intrepid reader, you may want to strap on your seatbelt and brace yourself. The next stop is the Forrester report, “Consumer’s Behavior Online: A Deep Dive”.

Are you ready to dive in…?

Here is the summary:

“Forrester tracks more than 150 activities, diving deep into 38 common and emerging media, shopping, communications, entertainment, and social networking online activities. The results are sometimes surprising. For example, shopping is only an occasional activity; receiving photos via email is the fastest-growing activity; instant messaging use is growing only among younger consumers; and PC time has surpassed TV time, even among Gen Xers. But the real value of tracking online behavior is that it helps interactive marketers and tech product marketers identify and target the best consumer segments”.

Houston, hold the horses, I think we just discovered the true Forrester.

Wow! PC time has surpassed…? TV? How can this be? And this report is dated January 2007?

It must be that… that… aberrant youthful generation. But wait…
This is true… even among Gen Xers?! According to Forrester, it is (and they aren’t alone).

Stay tuned for the next post in this series… “Category Confusion: Gartner, the Federal Census Bureau, and You!”

Cancellation Fallout

I want to thank Doug for the great post and for joining this discussion. I appreciate the opportunity we have to interact with each other and with our readers.

Doug is correct when he states that this year’s network cancellations were not a result of the Writer’s strike. I believe that cancellations in general highlight the need for continued adaptation and change in this digital media age.

Previously broadcast networks decided when and what viewers could watch. Viewers were limited to the television set, and had a limited number of channels to choose from. Consequently, networks attracted a very large viewing base and advertisements were displayed for the majority of viewers.

This is no longer the case. Cable increased channel and content selection. VCR’s and later DVR’s allowed viewers to skip commercials. Personal computers, internet, youtube, myspace, torrent sites, and mobile devices all further diversified the market.

Suddenly, media consumers can choose what they watch, when they want to watch it, and can do so wherever they choose. The viewer is now free to spend their limited time on what interests them most. As a result, niche audiences and communities develop.

Ivan D. Askwith, in his excellent thesis Television 2.0: Reconceptualizing TV as an Engagement Medium writes,

“Time-shifting and location-shifting technologies make traditional assumptions about the television viewer impossible, since network executives no longer have the power to control when, where, or how audiences consume their programming. Competition for audience attention is more intense than ever, as television shows compete not only with each other, but also with video games, DVDs, and the near-infinite supply of information and entertainment options accessible on the internet.

Thus, if the television industry hopes to survive in a digital, Internet-enabled era, the existing models and practices that govern the television business will require some dramatic change. Even more important, if television executives hope to effect meaningful change, the industry will have to accept that everyone – executives, advertisers, and audiences alike – needs to rethink not only the role of the television business, but the nature of television itself.”

Increased competition in this digital media age necessitates adaptation. The broadcast networks do see this need for change and are continuing to place more and more priority toward “engaging” their viewing audience. However, if the networks are seeking to engage viewers in active participation, I believe they need to rethink cancellations.

Doug is correct in stating that the primary reason networks give for deciding to cancel a show is “A lack of X where X equals advertising dollars or Nielsen stats”. I would further agree that the primary reason cancellations exist is related to underperformance. But I believe that this underperformance is on the part of the networks, not the canceled shows. Networks must perform better in order to remain competitive.

I believe that cancellations exist for at least three main reasons:

1. A failure to realize that it is much more difficult to draw the mass audience of the past.

2. A failure to expand and extend traditional content in a manner that actually brings about active participation and also increases the marketability of that content.

3. A failure to consider the fallout of cancellations in a digital media age (this is the primary topic of this post).

Content which attracts a loyal viewing base is a key opportunity for engagement as well as for advertisement. I believe that the cancellation of this content not only evidences the divide that exists, it actually increases that distance. Rather than networks winning viewers back, they push them further away.

As viewers participate and interact within a story they become immersed into that reality, and they identify with it. The viewer personally identifies with the experience and they have a stake in how the story plays out.

The deeper a viewer is immersed into a show, the more invested they become. The more invested they become, the more they will react negatively to the cancellation of their experience. At that point, it isn't just a show that is being canceled, it is part of their life.

Take for instance someone who immerses themselves into a video game. They spend hours investing themselves into the game and come to have a stake in what happens. They talk about the game with their friends, blog about it, and even make a video remix. They post the remix on youtube and receive primarily positive affirmation for their work.

The gamer loads up the game and eagerly jumps back into the action. After finishing a major subplot they are rewarded with a nice cut scene. Multiple story lines converge together, the plot deepens, and their enthusiasm builds. At this point, the screen fades to black and a message pops up. It reads,

“Sorry, due to factors related to underperformance, your game has been canceled.”

A second message takes its place,

“On the positive side, do you want to try this new game we just developed, but may not finish?”

A third message appears,

“Oh, and by the way, we really want to win you back. We know that there are other game companies who finish the games they start, but really, try out this new game that we might not finish.”

It becomes evident that cancellations have more fallout with active engagement.

This is a fundamental principle that I believe networks would do well to consider. Video game production companies finish and provide adequate closure for the games/stories they start. Cable networks also have a tendency to finish the stories they start. Broadcasting networks need to remember who they are now competing with and who they are competing for. The landscape has changed and they need to rethink cancellations.

On one end of the spectrum is cancellation fallout, at the other end is something I refer to as network loyalty ROI (Return on Investment).

Network loyalty ROI is the idea that active participation and network loyalty will create and foster commitment from viewers. If convergence leads to immersion and product identification and the viewer knows that the network is committed to finish the stories it starts, networks won't have to promote their shows, their viewers will do it for them (Oh, the irony). :)

Network loyalty and commitment to viewers will inevitably lead to profit loss for some shows, no doubt about it. I believe that the networks that will succeed, are those that can provide a long term approach to account for these short term losses and be absolutely committed to finish the stories they start.

This year's cancellations provide a great opportunity for a network to invest in network loyalty ROI. A network could bring back one of the shows they decided to cancel or a network could save one of the canceled shows. My picks are October Road and Moonlight.

Engage the viewers by expanding the media and perhaps even, take a loss in the short term. What you gain is reputation, commitment, loyalty, and fans. This would also draw viewers from other networks. Viewers who want to get behind a company that listens, is committed to its viewers, and is committed to finish out and provide adequate closure to the shows they start.

When networks engage viewers in active participation, loyalty and commitment go hand in hand. Brand/network loyalty will be key. Otherwise, viewers are left with an Ovaltine commercial!

Cancellation fallout and network loyalty ROI are polar opposites. One pushes people away, the other draws them in. Viewers now choose what, when, and where they watch content, will they choose your network or will they go somewhere else (Video game, books, youtube, myspace, Gemini Division, etc., etc., etc.)?

P.S.
Thank you all for the comments. This interaction adds an amount of depth that blog posts alone simply cannot bring about. Engaging in conversation involves us all in the process of bringing about change. As you share your opinions, your insight, and your feelings you are an active participant engaged in a larger community. Whether the reader is a network executive, a writer, a producer, a CEO of an ad company, or a viewer it is our hope that by engaging in this discussion together we can improve our media experience.

Looking Beyond The Box

First I would like to thank Tim for asking me to join in contributing to this blog; with that being said let’s quit dipping that toe in the water and jump in the darn pool.

Favorite TV shows are being canceled, negating the emotional bond built with beloved characters and leaving holes in weekday evenings. These gaping voids are then replaced with banal filler.  Fury over these cancellations has filled fan blog and forum alike and the plaintive cries of “Why!” echo through cyberspace for the good and bad of Prime Time.

Let’s be honest: who really understands the truth of cancellation?  Spend some time reading trade blogs and publications and you’ll find as many reasons as there are shows.  Basically it all relates to underperformance.   A lack of X where X equals advertising dollars or Nielsen stats.

Some shows, like Jericho, Moonlight, and October Road have developed a significant fan base over their limited runs.  Others, like Canterbury’s Law, Chuck, Life, or Men in Trees, didn’t have a chance to really get off the ground before being scrapped for the 2007-2008 Season.  Jericho specifically speaks directly to non-cable networks being out of touch with viewers, especially after the peanuts incident.  At least Chuck and Life will be back for the 2008-2009 season…we hope.

Why are shows with dedicated fans numbering in the millions being removed from the air for pilots that drive as much enthusiasm as a root canal?

The American Auto Industry had a lesson pounded into them in the late 90s: Adapt or lose the market.  If you think I’m incorrect I’d invite you to run down to your local Oldsmobile dealer and check out their 2008 line.”  Broadcast television, or The Big Four [and the CW], are learning that lesson now, but slowly.  I disagree with Tim in this being a case of the Writer’s Strike killing off our favorite shows: it is convergence.  Let me quantify that I loathe buzz-speak so we're not going to path walk a root cause analysis illustrating the paradigm shift between traditional and new entertainment technologies driven by a lack of synergy....blech.

Tim is correct in his postulate that October Road would be well suited for webisode life; but that doesn’t speak directly to how distributors gain ROI [return on investment] for funding these shows.

Using the aforementioned Electric Farm Entertainment property Afterworld as discussed by creator and executive producer Brent V. Friedman, we can see that even the bleeding edge is not without potential profit loss.  All advances usually have limited return on investment at inception, no matter what industry example is used: “Swiffer” didn’t take off until almost a year after product release and that puppy is now one of Proctor and Gamble's major revenue drivers. 

Convergence speaks to a coalescence of tools used to bring entertainment to viewers which drives potential revenue gain.  Anyone who has spent some time talking to oldsters raised in the Golden Days of Radio or has seen A Christmas Story should understand the basic concept of convergence. 

For those who haven’t seen this classic film: Ralphie eagerly awaits Little Orphan Annie’s secret decoding ring message to arrive in his mailbox.  Once the ring has been received he can barely contain himself as he sits through the next Little Orphan Annie radio episode waiting for the “secret decoder message”.  As the announcer reads the encrypted message our protagonist is quivering in excitement only to learn it’s an Ovaltine commercial:  The message reads, “Be sure to drink your Ovaltine.”

First, disbelief, then dark anger cloud Ralphie’s face as he realizes that his secret decoder ring is nothing more than an advertising gimmick.  Having awaited similar items ordered from cereal boxes the disappointment shown in the film rang true to my childhood memories…one of many the things that makes this film a must see. You may be asking yourself, “where is the point?” 

Ralphie’s enthusiasm for that simple plastic decoder ring speaks volumes about the viewer’s emotional need to be a part of the story, no matter how small in part.  We have seen excellent illustrations of this as the internet made Alternate Reality Gaming [ARG] prevalent in the mid-nineties through today. Combined with ARG, viral marketing has become an invaluable tool when combined with television and film properties. So much so that it was a prevalent topic at the 2008 O’Reilly Conference.  Elan Lee’s (Fourth Wall Studios) presentation, “Designing Magnets: Connecting with Audiences in the Wired Age” illustrated this with his “Push, Pull, and Charge, magnet theory.  [Unfortunately no online transcript of that talk exists, so no link folks.]

Combined with viral marketing, ARG has successfully promoted everything from Halo 3 to Year Zero from Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails.  Traditional broadcasting has been slow off the mark in leveraging this new toolset to drive viewer participation and increase the marketability of properties.

One example of the impact of non-utilization is the CBS show Moonlight.  With the prolific amount of vampire ARG games Moonlight had the potential to vault to the Buffy or Angel of this decade yet CBS dropped the ball.  With no additional viral or ARG Moonlight has been taken off the schedule. Not to compare Moonlight directly with anything by Joss Whedon.  Whedon’s television vehicles are usually fan drivers, with the exception of Firefly.  An excellent show with a very loyal fan-base Firefly experienced the same lack of programming care from Sci-Fi that Moonlight received from CBS.

With that being stated we need to quantify that ARG/Viral isn’t a magic bullet.  Most organizations don’t dedicate adequate resources to the online experience which leads to failure. An excellent example of this is the CBS Jericho ARG launched in January of 2008.  Poor design and limited scope left more than the most dedicated fans with too-little-too-late. Bad Robot productions, has done a better job with the combination of entertainment, alternate reality, and viral with Cloverfield and Lost.  NBC Universal’s Heroes series also has a fairly convergent web/reality combination.

Electric Farms blew them out of the water with the ARG for the Webbie-nominated property Afterworld, which combined both real world and ARG as supplements to the daily webisodes.  Clicking through an AW site could lead you to either an ARG information set…or a real world website that was a red herring complimenting the overall storyline of the series.  It was pure genius that drove fans crazy…in a good way.

Modern entertainment requires active participation.  With 500 channels, 100 HD channels, a DVR, and the Web, formulaic sit-and-watch shows aren’t cutting it.  To truly drive return on investment shows have to be supplemented by additional content, be it ARG or real world, and be liquid in scalability.

Non-traditional forms of distribution allow for direct partnering with advertisers and more integrated communication with viewers.  Why just watch when you can participate.  Electric Farm Entertainment’s Afterworld demonstrated a uniqueness in that fan interactions were combined in to the story and ARG lines; something that causes all shows to thrive.  If networks are unable to adapt to the technology and synergy of multi-platform and scalable properties they will continue to lose market share.  In addition, if the Big Four [and the CW] continue to ignore viewers wishes, those viewers will migrate to media outlets that provide both entertainment and active participation instead of the customary couch-potato viewing Prime Time television drives today.

Recently I attended a conference where the Keynote Speaker illustrated the disconnect between ‘corporate think’ and the consumer that applies perfectly to the current environment.  Paraphrasing an excellent lesson, “We thought we knew what the consumer wanted so we stopped listening… [as a result] our market share plummeted in areas we had led the industry in for over twenty years.  Truly a case of believing we knew what was best for the consumer instead of using active listening”.



Networks have to look beyond the box, literally.  Television is now more than something that sits in your living room and it’s a prime time for change.