We have been dying to share this with you but until now, have been sworn to secrecy. But, we’ve been given the green flag, so off we go!

Mattel challenged us to create an interactive, choose your own adventure video experience for a new Hot Wheels product. The response was…well…to say we were excited would be a huge understatement.

We have been producing interactive, non-linear videos for a while now. Heck, we even worked with Pointroll back in 2005 to create an industry nomenclature for interactive video: Pause-to-Play; Relational Hotspotting; Choose Your Interactive Adventure; and, of course, Green Screen Overlay (see it here ). However, the Hot Wheels challenge was different. We set out to produce this entire experience using stop motion photography. Best of all, the video was produced to live on YouTube’s Annotation Platform (NOTE: YouTube is also a client).

The experience has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Filmed on location in our DotLot studios, we produced the videos using three cameras, capturing more than 9,000 still frames, used 85 pounds of sugar (how else can we make it snow on Whiteout Mountain?!) and 100 pounds of sand. Our motion graphics team created explosions, avalanches and crashes that all help feed play-time imaginations. The custom sound design enhances the users’ immersion into the thrilling racing experience.

The video showcases the new line of Hot Wheels Custom Motors toys by enticing users into a series of Custom Motors Cup racing circuits. Players compete as Pit Crew Chief and race three courses in a chase for the Cup. After selecting one of two cool new Custom Motors vehicles, the key to victory then lies in choosing the right vehicle configuration for each of the three different tracks. The tracks start with a traditional racetrack and then progress to more treacherous off-road tracks. The game’s many permutations make it fun and challenging, so users want to play again and again in an effort to lead their team to victory.

We couldn’t be more proud of the end result. And because we know you are probably just as geeky about the “how to” as we are, look for a making-of video in the coming weeks to see how it all came together.

To get hooked on the Hot Wheels Custom Motors Cup game, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/HOTWHEELS.

by Bryan Boettger, Chief Creative Officer

Increasingly, businesses and corporations are seeking to create viral videos. However, true viral videos are not typically “created,” rather they “happen.” So, in order to better “create” a viral video, we sought to better understand how these videos in fact “happened.” The outcome was The Buddy Group’s Viral Barometer, a tool to help gauge a video’s viral potential. In this post, we break down the Viral Barometer’s methodology so you can better understand and use the tool.

(You might wish to visit the Viral Barometer at ViralBarometer.com before continuing.)

SOURCES
In order to reverse engineer viral videos, we first needed a set of viral videos to analyze. Searching online for Top Online Videos and Top Viral Videos lists, two rose to the top as both comprehensive and somewhat objective in their selection process:
Mashable’s Top YouTube Videos All Time — May 25, 2009
Videogum’s Top Videos 2009 — Dec. 25, 2009

These two lists provided a total of 39 videos from which to gain insights. After (re)watching, analyzing, breaking down and comparing the 39 videos, a combination of 10 traits emerged as indicators for a video’s viral potential. These 10 traits fuel the calculations for the Viral Barometer.

BEFORE YOU START
There are four important facts that are imperative for properly using the Viral Barometer.

1) Accurate assessments require divesting yourself from the video.
It takes a personal investment of passion and energy to make a compelling video, but it takes a personal divestment to properly assess the video. Think of it like home movies of your kids — you find them so amazing you can watch for hours, but an honest assessment tells you your neighbors are likely to gnaw a limb off to escape more than 15 minutes.

2) Like a true virus, viral videos need good hosts to spread.
You might have the funniest, most unique video in the world. But, if it only sits on your own blog and you don’t actively share the video, get others to share the video and put it on sites where people can discover it… (more…)

We’re so happy to be loved for our content. And this month, when REELZCHANNEL approached us wanting to buy the rights to one of our digital productions, we couldn’t be more proud. Another one of our babies has made it! HollywoodPressTV.com has arrived!

When we developed HollywoodPressTV.com with our client in 2007, the idea was to create a unique comedic and satirical site for Hollywood movies, TV and events. The host, Steve Patterson, would interview A-list celebrities on the red carpet and on-location. The result is entertaining; the spots are unique—and needless to say, HollywoodPressTV.com has become a hot ticket item, drawing a huge and growing fan base of more than 2 million followers.

At the end of the day, we couldn’t be happier about getting our clients’ content to the masses. We’ve got a lot more “big” projects in the works. Stay tuned for more news about The Buddy Group digital productions.

by Pete Deutschman, Chief Buddy

My wedding anniversary. My children and wife’s birthday. CES (Consumer Electronic Show).

Answer: Top 3 things I look forward to each year.

January 1st is always very difficult for me. Not because I am recovering from a few too many toasts the night before (although that might or might not be a reality) but because of the anticipation of what this year’s CES will present. Who is going to “bring it”? Which innovator has answered my plea from the year before?

CES 2009 brought us 82” HD LED displays, blacker blacks and the first major proliferation of accessories for mobile phones by almost every exhibitor. (see last year’s post http://blog.thebuddygroup.com/2009/01/24/ces-tbg-plays-a-small-part-in-a-great-conference/) Fraught with budget cuts and layoffs, attendance was low and the floor lacked energy and optimism.

Fast forward one year to CES 2010. The techonomics pendulum has swung in the opposite direction boosting energy, optimism and buyer outlook.

Here are a few observations, based on what I saw and the conversations with friends old and new, as well as some of the highlights (in my humble opinion).

  • Smart phone will rapidly be referred to as a connected device…with a phone. What connected device you carry will depend on your ability to connect to stay connected to the internet 24/7  and form factor. All devices are quickly becoming app ready, web-services connected and multi-purposed.
  • Integrated and connectedness between devices will create amazing efficiencies for consumers but also complications for manufacturers as content and integration “deals” have be made at break neck speed.
  • Refinement of product features and improvement of use cases over big swell innovation for a few more years ahead
  • 3D content creation tools are here but I still need stupid glasses to view them (for good quality).

My favorite innovation this year was found at a small little booth in the North Hall by a company called ThinkOptics, Inc. Manned with a table, an iphone and a 42” display their iWavit hardware and software turns your smart phone into the “ultimate remote control”. What is so compelling about this product is the ease of use and infinitive possibilities. In just 5 minutes, I watched founder and CTS Anders Grunnet-Jespen, Ph.D. effortlessly setup the device to control his TV, media center AND computer. That is all fine and dandy, but when the device allowed him to change channels on the TV and then switch over (with one click) to the PC and point and move the mouse (like a Wii remote) and control his computer screen, I knew I found the device for me. Too bad it is not for sale yet…I hope some of my other favorite connected devices  take note. This is going to be huge.

Click here to watch the video
Wavit.com- my best of

3D hardware continues to be all the rage. For me, its cool, but I can’t see it becoming mass in each home unless the user can “switch” between 3D and standard 1080p. Even then, for good quality you have to wear those stupid glasses and let me tell you, with two kids in the house and two dogs, I have a hard enough time keeping my regular glasses from getting broken or lost. Nonetheless, for 3D to take off, it has to be easier to create that content. Panasonic showed off their new camera with a live display. I shot a quick video to show what the camera looks like.

Click here to watch the video
Panasonic 3D Camera: Retail price aprox. $32,000

Where should we mount this flat panel? Well, if it is truly flat then it really doesn’t matter. Introducing the world slimmest full LED by LG. No words needed…just watch the video

Click here to watch the video
Life is Good with LG…that is for sure.

Intel made quite an impact on me as they do every year. Their new ATOM processor is about the size of 5 grains of rice. But what was really cool was their interactive cube display. The presenter had a laptop that allowed her to control the search and display parameters real time. Little sliders on her display changed what we as an interactive user saw as options for searching and interacting. What was really impressive was that there did not to seem to be a limit on the amount of people who could touch and click on the screens at once. I suppose that was the point…thanks Intel.

Click here to watch the video
Intel Interactive out of home display

I also found a fun little product called Beamz. Beamz is a professional interactive instrument. Each laser beam controls a different instrument, rhythm or sound effect. I watched the DJ go back and forth between scratching vinyl and using the Beamz and must say, Beamz is much more interesting to watch. It is a real art form. Click here to watch the video Beamz- each laser mean controls a different instrument, rhythem or sound effect

All in all a great trip. There was not enough time to catch up with everyone but it was good to connect with those we rand into on the floor and in suites. We even enjoyed an evening out to see Cirque’s Love (@cirque) along with a backstage tour. Truly a great experience.

Engage

29 December 2009

A New Year, New Buddies

2009 has come and gone with the blink of our eyes, and we are beginning to gear up for the opportunities that 2010 has brought our way. As we prepare for these new adventures we are very excited to announce the new additions to our TBG camp. Our new buddies go together like peas & carrots, peanut butter & jelly (grape not strawberry) or even better My Buddy & me!

We’ve gathered a few things we thought were funny or special about each buddy to share with you as to why our new buddies are so great!

Tricia “Hazel” Bouzigard

Account Services Director

There is a new kid on the block and she is rockin’ her stuff! We give a warm welcome to Tricia who has chosen to call The Buddy Group her new home. With over 10 years of experience and a proven record of successful customer acquisition, retention and brand integration in consumer products and wireless, she has been a great asset to our team. Here’s a few things Tricia, (digital marketing guru by day and avid blogger-tweeter-shopping enthusiast by night), felt you might want to know:

Thgume Buddy Group: What’s something that not a lot of people know about you but you wish more people could know?

Tricia Bouzigard: I am addicted to chewing gum, but I only chew it for a min and then get a new piece.  I can go thru a pack in a matter of minutes.

TBG: What’s your favorite movie? You can only pick one!

TB: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby — “You’re either first or you’re last.”

TBG: What does “Buddy Up!” mean to you?

TB: Two people are better than one

Michael “Pops” Todd

Account Manager

Michael Todds bday Now we had no idea we would be hiring such a genius when we interviewed Michael, but when said he “told Al Gore to invent the Internet,” we knew we had a winner! Michael has over 19 years in advertising & marketing, specializing in interactive campaigns, so all jokes a side, we knew he would be a great addition to TBG. One thing we didn’t know is we would be getting a 2-for-1 deal because Michael Todd is quite the comedian! So scroll on down and enjoy a few jokes on Michael.

The Buddy Group: So Michael, Three words that describe you?

Michael Todd: Forgetful, and..uh…uh redundant and repetitious

*Now if you have ever worked with Michael Todd you may disagree!

TBG: Who is your favorite 80’s Performer?

MT: I thought I would be, but I tapered off in the mid-90s.

*We found out at our Christmas party this year that Michael, back when he still wore acid washed jeans, was jamming out to his own 80’s music and taking over any stage he could. Ask him for his single… we think he has a few tapes lying around.

TBG: How do you like your eggs?

MT: Colored.

*We know that Easter must be Michael’s favorite holiday. We will have to make this year’s Easter egg hunt super hard!

Tim “Tim” Henager

Associate Director of Development

timTim’s true love is Flash design, but don’t tell his wife! He loves making things interactive, creating engaging movement and pushing the envelope as far as it can go with interesting user experiences. This was one of the many reasons we felt he was a great fit for our development team. No Tim, it has nothing to do with all the amazing baked goods your wife has you bring in – honest! So what makes Tim so special? Is it his tiger-like 3-year-old that he counts as both his son and his pet? Or maybe it’s the fact that home is where his heart is because “nothing beats taking a vacation [at home] and having absolutely NOTHING to do.” It could be the fact that he truly knows the meaning of Buddy Up, making him a team player and perfect fit with our campers. Either way we are glad to have Tim aboard!

Jae “Nickename in the works” Lee

Mr. Jae Lee came to us from Disney where he was a Senior Producer for their online department. Not only is he focused, relentless, and easy going, but he doesn’t have a computernickname! Yup, you read right. Mr. Jae Lee does not have a nickname, so it became our job to come together and give him that everlasting tag name that some wish would go away! So far we have Thundercat, (TBG has no comment as to how this came about at this time,) but are still open to any other suggestions. Here are a few other things about Jae that you may not know:

  • Favorite Animal: tiger
  • Favorite Snack Food: nachos
  • Favorite Color: beige


And he also likes long walks on the beach, nap time and legos (even his desk is made of legos)!

We are thrilled to have our new buddies on board! You may have already met some of them. If not you’ll be introduced soon, as they’re here and eager to help with your digital marketing needs!

Buddy up and enjoy the holidays!

-The Buddy Group

Create

15 December 2009

And…Action!

Last week we had a very special stage rental! A group of students from Chapman University in Orange, California rented the DotLot studios to produce “Gone South”, their graduate thesis for their film class. This film class is for a junior level course and it’s the capstone of the master’s program for all of the disciplines. We had the pleasure of chatting up Rachel Skidmore, the Line Producer of “Gone South”, and picked her mind about the class, project and the weather. See what she had to say…

gone south on our fridge

The Buddy Group: Are all the crew members and production staff in the program or was it more a “come one come all” type mentality when picking your talent for this project?

Rachel Skidmore: “We have to team up in the spring, the year before our thesis year, with a producer, director, cinematographer, editor, sound designer, and production designer. We get the team together and then start finding all the other crew positions. A lot of the times, the way we find crew is just working on someone else’s film; you trade the labor since it’s free work.”

TBG: What’s “Gone South” about?

RS: “It’s science fiction. It’s basically exploring the idea that the world ran out of water, and what would happen if a corporation controlled it and how that affects one guy who’s working for the corporation, trying to escape with his wife to see what the world’s like outside of that because they’re in a very controlled environment. And then what happens to him afterwards.”

TBG: We’ve heard a lot of construction going on down there. Tell us more about your stage set up and props?

RS: “Here [at DotLot] has been a breeze other than the fact that building the set was a lot more ambitious than we expected. We’ve only been building with about two people and that took some time that we needed to shoot but that’s ok. Last weekend however, we were in Palm Desert, Riverside Country, Salton Sea, Bombay Beach, all over the place, taking about 32 people around the desert for four days, staying in tiny hotels. We survived, it was intense!”

TBG: Glad you enjoyed our buddies at DotLot and good luck. Hopefully we can catch a VIP glimpse of the finished product!

by Pete Deutschman, Chief Buddy

How you refer to yourself has everything to do what how others perceive you and your abilities. Self referral has to be founded in reality, be proven and most important, be honest. I am an entrepreneur. I have started and run several companies starting with a DJ business in High School and I am most happy when I can see the impact of decisions made real time.

This week’s Business Week article titled “Beware Social Media Snake Oil”, is spot on. Let’s call these snake oil sales people the “Harold Hills” of our time (see the video below for reference).

Since entering the digital marketing and communications world 13 years ago (wow), I have seen a lot of smart people who call themselves experts, gurus or evangelists. These self proclaimed heroes see an opportunity to capitalize on market opportunity and pounce.

As an entrepreneur I can appreciate the desire to generate new revenue channels and get excited by opportunities. However, good entrepreneurs (Note: I didn’t say successful, I said good) posses a secret sauce that allows them to detect BS and see through smoke and mirrors.
It is not a skill you learn in business school. It is not a skill you learn from your parents (even if they were entrepreneurs). It is a skill you are born with. Like @GregGrunberg’s character Matt Parkmen, you need to unleash the innate gift and use it for good. (Note: I am a HEROES geek).

In the article they call out some of the self-made “Gurus” who collect thousands of dollars to show up and speak to organizations looking for the silver bullet. Most of us have attended these events. It’s true that many of the speakers are not teaching anything new to the audience, but rather being dynamic individuals who know how to read a room. Like Harold Hill, they found the pain point and capitalized on the situation.

I am more in the camp of approaching Social as just another channel, albeit a wonderfully dynamic and exciting one, in need of utilization as part of a larger strategy. We (those of us who practice digital communications) need to be responsible about how we are presenting ourselves and sharing information. In new client meetings at The Buddy Group, we often tell clients there are no “experts” in social media..it is too new to be an expert. However, we are experts in online, in communication, in brand building. So, that makes us ideally suited to shepherd their brand in the ever changing social media space.

Without responsible communication, we as an industry run the risk of being characterized, much as Harold Hill, as nothing better than snake oil salesmen.

by Bryan Boettger, Chief Creative Officer

Anyone that knows me knows I’m a big Clint Eastwood fan. By far, a favorite movie quote of mine is from Magnum Force: “A man’s got to know his limitations.” It’s an important quote in marketing because a brand has to both stretch its potential and also know its limitations. I love to push clients to try new things and take a chance, but you also have to be realistic about who/what your brand is, who your clients are and the perception equation between the two.

As an example, iTunes has the soundtrack for The Hangover (Yes, the quality movie where Ed Helms loses his tooth and a baby is found in a closet) available for sale — But, only for sale as a complete album. Consumers cannot purchase individual songs.

Apple knows the limitations of this soundtrack. Frankly, it’s not that good. But, it has some quality tracks on it from the movie. Songs custom from the movie that you can’t get anywhere else. Chances are fans of the movie will go ahead and drop the $9.99 to get the full album. However, if the individual tracks were available, it’s virtually guaranteed those same fans would only buy a couple tracks.

That’s smart marketing due to knowing the limitations of the product. Ideally, if you recognize the limitations, you try to better the product. If that’s not an option though, a business needs to make the best with what they have and not fool themselves by putting on blinders about their product(s). In the end, working with your limitations is always better than ignoring them.

People love their James Hardie Siding. But, home siding isn’t usually a trending topic on Facebook, Twitter or typical conversation. So, The Buddy Group and our promotions Buddies Vertical Marketing Network teamed up to help James Hardie build a little conversational buzz via the “Why I Love My Hardie Home” Video Contest.

The contest invited James Hardie customers to submit a YouTube video completing the phrase “I love my Hardie home because…” for a chance to win three months mortgage paid by James Hardie! The contest lived on the TBG designed microsite MyHardieHome.com and was publicized via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, online advertising, press releases and blog outreach.

Dozens of entries came in. But our favorites were from: quirky Bill, Cathy, Mike and the octuplets; Bob, who wears a fantastic t-shirt; Mccallfilms incredibly touching story; and, of course, the winner, Karla!

We are proud to say the promotion was a success on many fronts. Entrants shared their videos with thousands via social media and email. James Hardie employees gained better insights into their customers and how their actions help those customers. Not to mention, the contest resulted in press mentions that spread the word about James Hardie even further.

Best of all was seeing the photos from and hearing the story of Karla receiving her check for three months mortgage! We see successful analytics all the time, but there’s nothing like seeing the smile on the winner’s face!

So, thank you and congrats, Karla!

 
by Bryan Boettger, Chief Creative Officer

They weren’t “350 million” — as in the number of people currently using Facebook worldwide. Neither were they “50 percent” (number of users who are regional network members) or “remove…completely” (Facebook’s plan to entirely get rid of networks).

No, the two most important words were: “or everyone.”

As in, you can choose to share your info and updates with only your friends, friends of your friends, “or everyone.”

Mark Zuckerberg’s letter is positioned as an update on how Facebook is dealing with its expanding user base and protecting the privacy of that user base. However, couple the two words “or everyone” with the recent news about Facebook’s impending homepage redesign, and you can start to see that these two feature changes make Facebook more competitive with Twitter’s feature sets.

Here’s how it will work: 1) Users can share their content with everyone, 2) Other users can search this treasure trove of status updates, link sharing, etc., and 3) Everyone starts to be able to share and find content more broadly, much as is being done on Twitter. No doubt Facebook will open up additional APIs so other sites can tap into this content as well.

How does it work now? Do a search via the Facebook search for the term “Zuckerberg Open Letter.” There will be results for Groups and, at the bottom, Posts by Friends where you will find Zuckerberg’s open letter. Now, go to Twitter and do the same search for “Zuckerberg Open Letter” via the Twitter search. Your results are filled with all the commentary people are making about the open letter, links to the open letter, etc.

Imagine the Twitter level of search results, but fueled by the level of activity going on in Facebook. Keep in mind Facebook has 350 million users and Twitter is estimated to have approximately 35 million…

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