David Versus Goliath

I moderated a panel discussion yesterday at MediaPost‘s Omma Video Conference.

David Versus Goliath

Do indie Web producers stand a chance against the big guys? Can an Indy Mogul compete against ABC.com? Can DadLabs win ads, or will Hulu get them all?

Moderator: Jamison Tilsner, Founder, Tilzy TV

TS Kelly, SVP, Media Contacts

Randy Kilgore, CRO, Tremor Media

Kevin McGurn, Vice President National Sales, Hulu

Peter Naylor, SVP, Digital Media Sales, NBC Universal

Tim Shey, Co-founder, Head of Network Development, Next New Networks

The panelists had a lot of interesting insights, primarily about the state of online video advertising, which has barely scratched the surface of its potential, but one point spoke directly to the crux of our discussion.  From my  perspective, the biggest barrier to success faced by most video producers is access to visibility through marketing.  Hulu has emerged as the preeminent destination for professionally produced video on the internet, and Kevin McGurn acknowledged the power of its editorial voice.

I still wonder, can independent players gain access to the relationships that will get them on Hulu’s radar?  Josh once asked, Does Being Featured Matter?, and the consensus was an overwhelming yes.  We’ve seen Hayden Black and Gary Vaynerchuck achieve success despite their independence, but for most others, partnering with bigger players might be the best bet.

A paraphrased transcript of the entire  talk is available at Online Video Watch.

Thanks to conference programmer Daisy Whitney and MediaPost for the oppportunity.