Stranger Things: Millennials Love Television
Antenna say what? Here's what went down this week in the world of digital natives. That means Silicon Valley, Gen Zers/Millennials, digital content/series, innovative entertainment and all cross-platform, social-first happenings.With everyone tuned-into Facebook's testimonials and Q3 earnings, the big blue F made a few announcements: transparency features will go live next month, they're still enthusiastically funding Watch, and, by the way, longer-form (over 90 seconds...) content is performing quite well on FB, with viewership on the rise. Still not ready to give Zuck a thumbs up? Neither are the Stranger Things kids.But don't lose sleep-- Millennials still love TV the most. A new VAB report finds that 89% of Millennials enjoy TV more than streaming on other devices-- they're more satisfied with TV, recall TV ads better, and are more emotionally attached to TV than videos on phones or tablets. Millennials Care More About TV (and Its Ads) Than YouTube [Adweek]89% of viewers “highly enjoy” watching content on TV, far higher than those satisfied by watching via tablets (63 percent), computers (54 percent) or mobile (53 percent). In any given night, YouTube is being fueled by TV content. According to the VAB report, 85% of consumer purchases are driven by emotional attachment, and someone who is attached is 3X more likely to engage with a brand. These 14 Digital Publishers Are the Hottest Voices on the Internet. Here’s What They’re Doing [Adweek]Website of the Year: Teen Vogue: Under the leadership of digital editorial director Phillip Picardi, Teen Vogue’s attention to politics and inclusion (see: Lauren Duca’s much-cited story about President Donald Trump’s “gaslighting” from early this year), combined with its youthful point-of-view, has made it a go-to digital resource for Gen Z while proving to readers of all ages that teens are looking to be actively engaged in the world around them. All told, the brand has seen its web audience grow an impressive 66 percent YOY—and its mobile audience an even more staggering 118 percent. IN 2017, THE WEB SERIES MAY BE THE NEW TV PILOT [The Verge]So why are we seeing so many web series getting adapted for television lately? Creators can design and shoot their own series, then serve as their own agents and manage their own online star power. But they have to meet the approval of TV executives, so they can wind up with more Hollywood-friendly, sensationalized, or stereotypical elements. Networks want ratings. Q&A: The Stranger Things Kids on Their Social, Streaming and Gaming Obsessions [Adweek]Who better to represent Gen Z than the stars of Netflix’s Stranger Things? We called Finn Wolfhard (14), Gaten Matarazzo (15), Caleb McLaughlin (16) and Noah Schnapp (13) to find out what they think about social media, YouTube, TV and more…. Instagram is in, Facebook is out. CAA Launches Start-Up Studio With $12.5 Million In Funding [Deadline]CAA says the goal is “to ideate new businesses in such areas as OTT, VR/AR, gaming, and AI/messaging, in addition to digital consumer brands in ecommerce, mobile, social, and publishing.” In announcing Creative Labs, CAA pointed to its “proven incubation track record” on such venture-based companies as FunnyorDie and WhoSay for which the agency has collectively raised more than $100 million in third-party funding. Spotify is reportedly canceling its current slate of original TV shows [The Verge]Spotify is pulling the plug on its original video efforts and heading back to the drawing board, according to a report today from Bloomberg. The company isn’t leaving video altogether; Spotify plans to reboot the initiative, marking just the latest shake-up in a meandering, and at times uncertain, gamble on original content. Current original video series won’t release new episodes, and unreleased shows currently in the works are being scrapped. Going forward, Spotify plans to work on crafting video formats that are unique to the music streaming service’s platform, Bloomberg reports. New Data Shows Facebook’s Emphasis on Longer Video Clips Is Working [Variety]Facebook’s attempts to boost longer video clips on its platform are working, according to new data from social video publishing specialist Wochit. The data is based on an analysis of videos from over 200 publishers, including big names like CBS, NBC News and USA Today. Videos that are longer than 90 seconds already see close to twice as much engagement as shorter videos, according to Wochit’s new Q3 Social Index Report. AS AD REVENUE HITS A NEW HIGH, FACEBOOK POURS MONEY INTO WATCH [Ad Age]"We're going to continue investing heavily in video content for Watch," Zuckerberg said during the earnings call with analysts. But the end goal is for its programming to be supported by ad revenue, to be split between programmers and Facebook. Facebook says its ad transparency features will go live next month [TechCrunch]Now it’s releasing a few more details about its plans, like the fact that the new transparency features are expected to go live next month. Once they do, when you’re looking at a Facebook Page, you should be able to click “View Ads” and bring up all the ads that Page is currently running. YouTube TV is rolling out on Apple TV, Roku, Xbox One, and more [The Verge]YouTube TV started out on Google’s living room hardware, the Chromecast. In the next few days it will be available in the app store for any Android TV and Xbox One devices. In the coming weeks, it will be rolling out to the Apple TV, Roku, and smart TVs from Samsung, Sony, and LG; the one notable exception is Amazon, where YouTube has no rollout plans to share. This is a continuation of an ongoing dispute between the two companies that saw YouTube programming pulled from the Echo Show. YouTube aims to improve monetization for creators [Business Insider]YouTube has made an update to its automated content classification system, which will result in 30% fewer videos on the platform being classified as not eligible for monetization through ads. Jason Blum-backed Crypt TV thinks the next Freddy Krueger will be launched on mobile phones [Business Insider]But the company is much less focused on hoping Facebook pays off in advertising revenue.Instead, Crypt TV is licensing original shows to digital-media distributors and selling merchandise. "People get too focused early on, on monetizing while they're building an audience."[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS8UgWEpXAM[/embed]Lionsgate Exits Comic-Con HQ Niche Subscription Service, Transitions to Licensing Model [Variety]Comic-Con HQ is just the latest in a number of exits or pivots among niche subscription video services. In recent months, NBC shut down its paid comedy service Seeso, Vessel sold and shuttered its short-form video service, and Verizon gave up on plans to launch a standalone paid AwesomenessTV service. That being said, there are still more than 100 such niche services vying for consumers’ eyeballs and dollars. HOW JUKIN MEDIA IS LEVERAGING ORIGINAL VIDEO CONTENT AFTER VIRAL SUCCESS [Tubular Insights]Jukin Media, a publisher known for its viral video licensing and distribution business model, has launched its own production studio and announced its intentions to delve into original content. What will that look like when the brand is so closely tied to user-generated content and popular YouTube channels like FailArmy and The Pet Collective? Well, the viewing public just got a taste as Jukin has teamed up with Verizon’s go90 streaming service on a brand new Docuseries called ‘This Is Happening’. The user-generated documentaries will focus on some of the most talked about topics of our generation. WITH BALL IN THE FAMILY, FACEBOOK WATCH FINDS A NEW USE: COUNTER-PROGRAMMING [WIRED]How do modern social tools help to warp or rectify our understanding of another? When Facebook Watch debuted in August, it did so with the promise that it would deliver a more substantial reach to the shows it hosted, well beyond traditional TV or streaming sites (Facebook ranks second only to YouTube for internet video). According to Gil Goldschein, CEO and Chairman of Bunim/Murray, the production company behind the show, Facebook Watch has allowed them to remain at the forefront of storytelling. “Watch has enabled us to engage the entertainment, sports and Facebook communities and bring them together around the unique Ball family,” Rotten Tomatoes Teams With Facebook Watch For A New Weekly Discussion Show [Forbes]According to Variety, each episode will also inject the site's trademark "Tomatometer Score" and apply a new rating to a buzzing film or TV show. Following the debut, "See It/Skip It" will begin to stream new episodes every Thursday (also airing at 12:01 a.m. ET), Making its debut on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 12:01 a.m. Elizabeth Banks, YouTube Team On Global Program To Support Women In Comedy [Deadline]YouTube Space, Elizabeth Banks and her WhoHaHa digital media company are teaming on an initiative designed to empower women around the world through comedy.
