Discovery + Revision3 = Biggest Non-Fiction Video Company Across All Screens

Jim Louderback, the CEO of new media studio and distribution network Revision3 (which is also the object of Discovery Channel’s recent affections), was in New York this week and swung by our Multi-Screen Mix-Up for a casual Q&A with an excellent facilitator of compelling conversations about the online video industry. (Editor’s Note: That facilitator was me.)

We discussed the genesis of Revision3, what kind of programming the company creates, how it works with a wide variety of uber-popular YouTube stars (from Epic Meal Time to Phil DeFranco), the amazing response online video viewers have to its advertising techniques, and why Discovery makes for a great partner. Here’s a trio of key takeaways:

• Revision3’s advertising has crazy recall rates. 99% of individuals who watch Revision3 programming are able to name a Revision3 sponsor. And what’s more, over 50% of those individuals who watch Revision3 programming are consumers of Revision3’s sponsors’ goods.

• Howard Stern is really good at advertising. The way Revision3 gets those crazy recall rates is by employing an advertising technique with which anyone who’s seen Private Parts will be familiar. It’s the one where the host of the
  show is given a list of key points the advertiser wants him or her to mention. Then the host conceives of his or her own spiel in his or her own words about the brand, product, good, or service that he or she is advertising. This ensures the ad is endemic to the program and not only inoffensive to the viewers, but something fans of the show may actually enjoy.

• Discovery and Revision3 makes for a better partnership than you may initially think. Louderback noted that Discovery is the biggest non-fiction television company. He also said Revision3 is the biggest non-fiction web original video company. Together, he explained, Discovery and Revision3 are building the biggest non-fiction video company across all screens.

Louderback also reinforced what he told us earlier in respect to the acquisition not changing a whole lot of anything at Revision3 for the near future. But there’s still no word yet on if those Epic Meal Time guys are going to appear on Shark Week, or vice versa.