In December, MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, announced the formation of Digital Fusion, a specialized unit focused on developing customized ad content. The unit can create marketing programs for the company’s vast network of 300 sites in the entertainment field. Its first project was developing a site for T-Mobile that ran customized video content with characters that reflect MTV viewers with product integration elements. Jason Witt, Digital Fusion’s senior VP and general manager, discusses the new unit and the T-Mobile campaign.
iSPOT: MTV is a big company. Who’s involved in Digital Fusion?
Witt: We have a team that I’m heading. We report in through the digital ad sales group and we integrate with our ad operations team, our product development team and the brands, our music, entertainment and kids in the family groups, which is the portfolio of MTV, VH1, Nick, Comedy Central, TV Land and others.
iSPOT: 300 different sites can be involved?
Witt: That’s right.
iSPOT: What are the major sites?
Witt: The biggest sites are MTV.com, Nick.com, Addicting Games, Shockwave, Spike/IFILM and Comedy Central.
iSPOT: How will Digital Fusion create customized ad content?
Witt: Digital Fusion was launched internally in August and since then we’ve developed four campaigns in which we worked with advertisers to build unique creative that ran across MTV ranging from banners to motion ads to in banner games. We did a study on one campaign and it significantly outpeformed a standard campaign. The T-Mobile program is an aggressive example of branded content and creating depth around a branded content franchise. My goal is to spend more time figuring out how we use our brands and our assets and our franchise to start having those kinds of conversations, using original content creation online.
iSPOT: Can you discuss the T-Mobile program?
Witt: The T-Mobile program covers a few of the capabilities I’ve discussed, it’s an interesting example of things advertisers want to do more of. We created a site, www.t-mobileconnected.com. Within that site you’ll see original content that was created with the oversight of a MTV production team. It’s a website underlying the content with photo flip books and opportunities for user participation. It’s a website similar to what we have for our existing franchises like MTV. We’ve taken original content built on our infrastructure; it has about 150 unique urls, 20 different videos and 200 different photos. We have branded content with product integration, you put it together and get something that’s interesting. It’s a way media companies can participate with advertisers that goes beyond traditional inventory relationships.
iSPOT: What kind of video content is available and how is T-Mobile inserted in it?
Witt: It’s original content co-created with T-Mobile, Optimedia and Publicis, their agencies, MTV Productions and Render Films, the company that we hired to help out. There were four folks at the party. We’re trying to create something that appeals to the demos we’re focusing on, teens and young adults to the early 30s. In addition, the more interesting MTV network piece is promotions that drove back to the site that didn’t use any standard media like banners. We have integration points. The characters in the content were based off of more traditional paradigms of consumers from VH1 or MTV; there is a corresponding character in these webisodes that relates back to music loving or an aspiring comedian or filmmaker. Those personalities are highlighted in promotions across Atom Films, MTV, VH1, etc. You have a more relevant character that is integrated into a more contextually relevant website that drives folks in here. If you look at the site you, can navigate by characters and episodes–they reflect on the core interest of the brand.
iSPOT: How long are the webisodes?
Witt: Two to four minutes each.
iSPOT: How are T-Mobile products involved?
Witt: They’re integrated into the webisodes. The theme of the original content is there’s an agent who’s a nexus point for other characters which relates back to the connected theme for T-Mobile’s products. You see product placement within the webisodes.
iSPOT: Does this type of work only run on company websites or can it run on the MTV sites as well?
Witt: We would have promotions running from our sites that direct people to the microsite.
iSPOT: How much of the Digital Fusion advertising material is video related?
Witt: I don’t know the answer to that. Is it an interactive video game or is it video. You’ll see pure video segments and a lot more interactivity. Video content that becomes interactive and social is a more interesting vehicle for advertisers to play with. Those are the vehicles that are the most powerful for us and advertisers. There is content that can be watched passively and content that can be engaged in. It’s all broadband.
iSPOT: Will there be any mobile executions?
Witt: Yes.
iSPOT: Do these new capabilities lead to new advertisers or more work from existing advertisers or both?
Witt: Across TV brands, MTV Networks reaches most of the advertising community now. I believe it will create more opportunities for them in digital and at some point as we work with the brands it’s going to create more interesting opportunities for cross platform relations. We’ll create immersive experiences and more interesting online experiences that can integrate with TV as well, that’s where the really exciting future is.
Copyright © 2008 DCA Business Media LLC. All rights reserved. All text, photos, graphics, artwork, and other material on the SHOOTonline.com site are copyrighted. All copying, reposting or reproduction, especially for commercial publicity use or resale in any manner, form, or medium, requires explicit, prior, permission from the publisher. If you have any questions regarding copyright or use of the materials on this site, are interested in article linking, reposting, pdf creation, or any form of article re-distribution contact permissions@shootonline.com, we will try to address your needs and concerns. SHOOTonline.com may, in appropriate circumstances and at its discretion, terminate the accounts of users who infringe the intellectual property rights of others.
