NewTube or Old Model?

[Editor’s Note: When YouTube went live with its redesign in early December, it was the online video industry equivalent to the launch of a new iPhone. In other words, a very big deal. The following guest post was written by Doug Scott, President of OgilvyEntertainment, who shares his thoughts on how design changes to a site that delivers 88.2 billion videos a month will or won’t affect the online video industry. You can follow him on Twitter @DougScottOgilvy.]

Many people have recently asked me what I think of the YouTube redesign and if this will change the online video industry. Well, I have to say that although I find the design easy to use and intuitive, I am not sure that this is going to have much impact on the industry (it should however have a positive impact on YouTubes ad inventory and Googles stock price).

We are at a very interesting point in the history of video consumption. If you look at it through a programmer’s lens, there is an over-supply of content with a limited amount of time that we have to consume it. If you look at it from a consumer’s perspective, we are able to view content on a multitude of screens, when and how we want to but, for the most part, programmers are still offering us a linear viewing experience. And lastly, for the brand, there is the ability to not only target one’s audience but also tailor the message. But neither of those promises have been truly delivered, at least not to the extent that the brand is getting greater efficiency from their media, leading to an an increase in sales/leads.

In my point of view, the big opportunity for YouTube and other content distributors is to use technology as an enabler, to address the needs of all three parties involved in the entertainment transaction. If done properly, consumers will receive a richer, more meaningful experience, being delivered when, how and where they want it, brands will get a decicated, engaged audience, and distributors will be able to capture valuable data, which in the digital economy is the new currency.

Doug Scott is the President of OgilvyEntertainment, where he has, since June 2006, been developing and producing brand funded entertainment for clients, including The Business of Innovation for IBM, Digital Cribs for Cisco, The Invested Life for TD Ameritrade, and an animated series for Capri Sun. Before Ogilvy, Doug was co-founder of MATTER, where he developed and produced high visibility integrated marketing programs including Diddy Runs the City for Sean Combs, the Lohas Conference for Ford Motor Company and Blender Sessions concert series. Prior to MATTER, Doug was Executive Vice President, Marketing and Branded Entertainment Creative Director at Hypnotic where he developed the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival for Daimler Chrysler as well as programs for Reebok, Nintendo and Toyota. 

8-Bit YouTube Logo by Graham Smith.