YouTube Red has inked a deal with a creative team best known for their work on another SVOD service. It has given a pilot order to Widow, a dark comedy whose writer and executive producers previously joined forces for the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet.

Widow will tell the story of a woman whose husband “dies while they’re in the middle of a rough patch,” according to Deadline. Its scribe, Leila Cohan-Miccio (pictured above) was also the writer for Santa Clarita Diet. Widow executive producers Tracy Katsky and Aaron Kaplan previously produced the Netflix dark comedy, where premiered earlier this year to generally positive reviews.

Though YouTube Red’s first slate of original programs all had ties to the YouTube community, some recent projects released through the subscription platform have more closely resembled the typical Hollywood model. As YouTube Red shifts its strategy, it is giving plenty of opportunities to young female writers. In addition to Widow, its upcoming slate also includes Origin, from writer Mika Watkins.

A release date for the Widow pilot has not yet been announced.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News, YouTube Red by Sam Gutelle
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A new Snapchat update can recognize objects within a Snap photograph and then furnish pertinent filter options related to the image.

The new filters, which first began rolling out last week, according to Mashable, appear in the bottom carousel. The filters automatically recognize certain categories of objects and scenes — including concerts, beaches, pets, sports, and food — and offer border animations and stickers pertaining to the image at hand. A photo of a dog generated an “It’s A Pawty!” sticker, according to Mashable (see screenshots below), while an image of the beach generated a sticker that reads “Ocean View.”

The new filters arrive as Snapchat is in the midst of a complete redesign, following longstanding complaints that it is too difficult to use.

Filters are also a revenue generator for Snapchat, in that marketers can pay to offer branded filters based on users’ locations and interests. Mashable notes that the new contextual filters could be branded in the future — given that Snap filed a patent for an ad system using precisely this technology back in 2015. Snapchat also employs image recognition tech in other features throughout the app, including, for instance, the ability for users to search through public Stories or past Snaps with keywords.

Filed under: Snapchat by Geoff Weiss
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Like many other media companies, Group Nine Media has recently placed a priority on video content. The owner of brands like NowThis, Thrillist, and The Dodo has laid off employees as it reorganizes around video production and has devoted ample resources to its digital channels. Its latest source of funding for its video efforts is a $40 million raise whose participants include Discovery Communications, Axel Springer, and Lerer Hippeau Ventures, all of which have previously invested in Group Nine or its subsidiary brands.

Group Nine will use its fresh influx of capital to continue its video push across its brands. “We founded Group Nine with the strongly held belief that the media industry was at the beginning of a massive and definitive shift to digital video, and that the next generation of great brands would be built on top of the leading social platforms,” said Group Nine CEO Ben Lerer, who is also a managing partner at Lerer Hippeau. “In addition, we believed that scale would rule and be imperative for success, and that quality content and original IP would be key to building out a truly successful digital footprint. We are very pleased to see all this come together this past year. This vote of confidence from our partners in both our vision and trajectory will allow us to lean in and grow faster and smarter.”

In the year since Group Nine launched out of a $100 million partnership between Discovery and Lerer Hippeau, it has launched a number of initiatives in the online video world. After cutting ties with YouTube star Philip DeFranco and his SourceFed Studios, it unsuccessfully attempted to rebrand the SourceFed YouTube channel under the banner of NowThis. NowThis Nerd has since moved to its own channel and gained a healthy following of more than 56,000 subscribers.

Group Nine’s other online video efforts include its acquisition of the comedy brand Jash and its production of a slate of original programs, which it discussed during the most recent NewFronts. With its pockets deepened, it will be able to continue advancing its roster of shows.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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Many musicians rely on their labels to manage videos on platforms like YouTube, but Alan Walker is taking a different approach. The 20-year-old DJ, who hails from Bergen, Norway, has joined United Screens, the Stockholm-based MCN known for its work with Nordic creators.

In 2015, Walker emerged as a rising star in the EDM world when he released “Faded,” his most popular song to date. Its accompanying music video has been viewed more than 1.2 billion times and has attracted Walker’s fans to his YouTube channel. He currently counts more than ten million subscribers, and his videos have received close to three billion YouTube views in all.

By inking a deal with a traditional MCN, Walker will be able to better control the distribution of his music on YouTube. A press release from United Screens states that Walker owes much of his success to the use of his music within the online video gaming community. His songs are often used as the soundtrack for gameplay highlights and streams.

United Screens possesses the tools to help Walker manage the rights of his content across the internet. In 2013, the MCN launched the United Screens Music Network, which lets users extract revenue from the reuse of their intellectual property.

Beyond the music videos it houses, Walker’s YouTube channel is also home to some narrative content. In May, the DJ shared “Unmasked,” a documentary series that connects his personal life to his career.

United Screens claims to be the largest MCN in the Nordic region. It counts 550 partners among its network.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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Following the departure of bass vocalist Avi Kaplan from YouTube supergroup Pentatonix in May, fans of the a cappella quintet were treated to their first glimpse at new member Matt Sallee in action yesterday with the official music video for a “Deck The Halls” cover.

‘Deck The Halls,” which has already amassed more than one million views and is currently sitting at No. 9 atop YouTube’s trending feed, also served to celebrate the group’s NBC special yesterday evening, A Very Pentatonix Christmas. Additionally, the track is featured on A Pentatonix Christmas Album Deluxe — a re-release of the 2016 album in which the group performs holiday classics with their signature spin. While Sallee, who is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, has previously performed with Pentatonix at live gigs, “Deck The Halls” marks his official debut on the group’s YouTube channel, which counts 14 million subscribers.

Check it out here:

In addition to the “Deck The Halls” cover, Pentatonix also released a clip on YouTube from the Christmas special in which the group sings “How Great Thou Art” live with Jennifer Hudson (and Sallee). A Very Pentatonix Christmas also featured guest appearances from America’s Got Talent winner Darci Lynne Farmer, singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge, and Jay Leno. You can watch the special in full right here.

Following his YouTube debut, Sallee will be hitting the road with Pentatonix on their A Pentatonix Christmas Tour, which is set to make 16 stops this winter. Tickets are available here.

Filed under: Pentatonix by Geoff Weiss
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Natalie Alzate, a lifestyle vlogger better known to her 4.9 million YouTube subscribers as Natalie’s Outlet, has signed with United Talent Agency and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Alzate’s content typically features DIY and life hack videos, as well as beauty and fashion advice clips. Her most popular video, 11 Pranks For Back To School, counts a whopping 44 million views. The 23-year-old also operates a second Spanish language channel called Natalie’s Outlet Dos, which has roughly 441,000 subscribers. Both UTA and Brillstein will work with Alzate to continue to build her digital presence, as well as on offline ventures including licensing, touring, books, producing, and acting.

Alzate, who married her longtime boyfriend and vlogging co-star Hey It’s Dennis over the weekend, also counts a sizable audience on Instagram and Twitter, where she has 351,000 and 144,000 followers, respectively.

Filed under: UTA by Geoff Weiss
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For more than a decade, Rob Czar and Corinne Leigh have shared their DIY experiments, Pinterest adventures, and other crafts projects on the ThreadBanger YouTube channel. Now, they’re undertaking what is arguably their biggest initiative yet: They have purchased a 100-year-old house, and as they refurbish it, they will document their steps in a web series called Man Vs. House.

Much like Mr. Kate‘s OMG We Bought A House, Man Vs. House begins with the purchase of an aged residence in serious need of a face lift. As they walk around their new digs, Czar and Leigh show the crumbling floorboards, grimy surfaces, and vermin-infested nooks they will need to shape up. In the second half of the video, they begin the cathartic process of gutting their new interior.

Czar and Leigh have long served as one of YouTube’s most reliable duos, and their new series figures to be quality entertainment as well. Its first episode has received more than 1.2 million views in its first two days of activity.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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OK Go has been churning out mind-bending YouTube videos for more than a decade, and its latest effort shows it’s still capable of thinking up and executing grand creative concepts. The band’s music video for itssong “Obsession,” shot in front of a backdrop of 567 printers, arrived over the Thanksgiving holiday and received more than six million YouTube views in its first four days of activity.

The typical OK Go music video plays around with concepts like spatial orientation and perspective, and “Obsession” is no different. The printers spit out sheets of Double A paper that feature various colors, patterns, and shapes. Throughout the clip’s three-minute runtime, the members of OK Go are superimposed on the backdrop, sucked into some kind of paper vortex, and placed in many other fascinating positions.

As for the video’s environmental impact, OK Go has assured its fans not to worry. All of the paper from the printers was recycled, a disclaimer tells us, and proceeds from the video will be shared with Greenpeace.

[Editor’s note: OK Go has marked this video with an epilepsy warning.]

OK Go vaulted to international prominence after its music video for the song “Here It Goes Again” went viral in 2006. Its 2014 album Hungry Ghosts has inspired much of its YouTube work since then. Its tracks have been used, in chronological order, for a vehicular dance routine, a zero-gravity party, and the busiest 4.2 seconds ever put to film. A trip though the band’s music video archives is always a fun time; now, we can add “Obsession” to OK Go’s audovisual collection of greatest hits.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News, OK Go by Sam Gutelle
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The holiday season requires brands to devise their cleverest bits of marketing, and in response to that challenge, Yoox has figured out a unique way to sell its goods online. The high-end fashion retailer has teamed up with Stink Studios and Google to launch YouTube pre-roll ads that offer exclusive deals that last for the duration of each spot’s 15-second runtime (and not a second more).

Yoox sells clothes from luxury brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, and Givenchy, and in each of its new pre-rolls, it offers up what Adweek refers to as a “one-of-a-kind item.” Once the deal is introduced, viewers have 15 seconds to click through and claim it. If they skip the ad or let it reach the end of its runtime, they’ll miss out on the deal entirely. Should they later look for the item on the Yoox website or try to find the ad on YouTube, they’ll have no luck.

At least one YouTube user has uploaded one of Yoox’s new ads, albeit without the offer in place. If you’re curious about the design of the spot, take a look:

“The aesthetics and the concept of the animations [are reminiscent] of childhood cartoons, in which the narration is deployed very rapidly and the climax immediately reached,” Yoox creative director Filippo Vezzali told Adweek. “However, behind the simplicity of the video is an innovative technology which we have explored together with Google, which allowed us to obtain a truly captivating format.”

Yoox’s ad campaign fits its specific needs as a high-end retailer. Its pre-roll placements, owing to their exclusivity, won’t reach a huge number of consumers, but if they drive even a few sales, they’ll result in significant revenue. By targeting impulsive shoppers, Yoox may just achieve that goal.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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Though YouTube is home to many transgender creators who have helped increase the community’s visibility in recent years, perhaps one of the site’s biggest transgender stars, Gigi Gorgeous, announced a major life milestone over the weekend: she is now a mother.

Gigi, whose real last name is Lazzarato — and her girlfriend of two years, Nats Getty — welcomed a baby boy named Enzo via a surrogate, the couple shared yesterday on Instagram. “Thank you so much to our beautiful surrogate,” wrote Lazzarato, who is 25. Getty, 24 — a fashion designer, model, artist, and Getty family heiress — shared photos of Enzo’s customized onesies on Snapchat, reports NewNowNext. Aside from the posts, the new mothers have remained relatively mum on the subject.

Lazzarato, who came out as transgender in 2013 and then came out as a lesbian last year, also starred in a critically-acclaimed YouTube Red documentary chronicling her transition titled This Is Everything. In addition to charity work for trans youth, Lazzarato was also recently tapped to serve as a social media correspondent for MTV’s rebooted TRL.

Filed under: News by Geoff Weiss
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The holiday shopping has quickly descended upon us and Cyber Monday, arguably the biggest online shopping day of the year, is today. Last year, Cyber Monday accounted for more than $3.39 billion in sales, and this year, analysts estimate sales to increase by 13.8%. Brands everywhere will be scrambling to capitalize on the consumer frenzy and ensure that they capture those consumer dollars. One tactic that most brands should be utilizing as part of their marketing mix is digital influencer engagement.

Digital influencers are the triple threat of the marketing world; they are talent, production, and media all rolled into one. Not to mention the fact that their credibility drives real results: 49% of people rely on influencer recommendations when making a purchase. So how can brands use digital influencers successfully? An influencer activation isn’t a success unless three things happen:

1. The audience is happy and gets the type of content it knows and loves.
2. The influencer has a great experience.
3. The brand gets its message out to the world and sees the results it wants.

The best way to accomplish this is to keep three things in mind: relevancy is more important than reach; collaborate with influencers and don’t dictate the creative; and lastly, amplify influencer content and make it part of the integrated campaign.

Relevancy Over Reach

I’ve seen it time and time again. An influencer gets some sort of industry recognition (i.e., they grace the covers of trade publications and get a lot of mainstream press) and then every single marketer who works on a brand even remotely relevant to that influencer wants to work with him or her.

It’s easy to get caught up in wanting to work with top-tier digital influencers, but just because someone is famous and has a massive following doesn’t mean that he or she is the ideal fit for your brand. Instead, it is far more important to focus on influencers who have rabid fanbases most relevant to your target market and your brand category. So, to avoid having your biases impact your decision making, develop influencer criteria before you even begin flagging any influencer names. Ask yourself “What demographic am I trying to reach?”, “What platforms matter most to me?”, “How important is engagement vs scale?”, “What aesthetic should the influencer(s) I want to work with have?”

Once you’ve done that, then begin your research and think about who you’d want to work with. This ensures that you’re not getting caught up in the hype.

Collaborate Don’t Dictate

Influencers have built their audiences by developing a very specific style, tone, and format that their audiences have grown to love. As marketers, we’re often used to any production being dictated by us.

Unlike traditional video productions, you should never go into working with an influencer expect to write a script for him or her, and then have it read and produced verbatim. Instead, distill the message you want your brand to get out there and work with the creators to have it fit within their existing content formats. That way they aren’t disrupting what their audiences have come to appreciate from them.

The relationship that creators have with their audiences is akin to friendship. Creators interact with their fans via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube comments. If the way they speak changes, their fans will know and feel alienated. As a result, it is critical to embrace the influencer’s style, while making sure he or she understands and is interpreting your brand message properly.

Amplify & Integrate

Most influencer campaigns tend to be siloed and independent from the larger brand ad campaigns. A typical influencer deal isn’t supported with paid media, nor does it live anywhere beyond the influencer’s owned channels. This is a huge missed opportunity. Organic reach on social platforms generally results in only a small fraction of the overall subscribers, followers, and fans seeing the brand content.

In my own experience, campaigns that have incorporated influencers and then amplified content with paid media have seen more than two times the returns on performance over traditional campaigns. This is because influencer audiences tend to trust their endorsements, and paid media ensures that you reach fans who would otherwise be missed if the content was only distributed organically. On YouTube alone there are more than 4,000 creators with at least one million subscribers. There’s an abundance of creators to work with regardless of your product, category, or consumer.

As competition ramps up this holiday season, brands would be wise to go the extra mile and invest in collaborating with influencers. However, in doing any influencer activation (holiday or otherwise), it’s again important to ask oneself the right questions: “Am I working with influencers most relevant to my audience?”, “Am I allowing them to bring the brand to life in their own voice?”, “Is there more I could do to integrate them into the campaign instead of keeping them siloed?”

If you invest the time and money to make sure you’re working with the right influencers and integrating them into an overarching campaign, you’re far more likely to generate strong returns and come out ahead of the pack.

Brendan Gahan is Founder of EpicSignal, a social media agency which works with Fortune 500 brands with their YouTube influencer and community building campaigns. You can read more of his thoughts on his blog.

Filed under: Articles, News, VidCon, YouTube by Brendan Gahan
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As Facebook looks to the future of its three-month-old Watch tab, it is fine-tuning both its selection of shows and the formats it prefers. The tech giant has begun to renew certain shows within its premium content lineup, and in doing so, it has reportedly shied away from partially-funded programs in favor of those it owns. The Hollywood Reporter, citing Facebook sources, claims the latter group is known internally as “hero shows.”

The programs that will get second seasons on Watch include two of the first long-form series Facebook ever picked up. Ball in the Family, which stars basketball dad and Trump agitator LaVar Ball, will get new episodes, as will Mike Rowe‘s Returning the Favor. Strangers, a scripted comedy, has also earned a renewal, as has Nicole Byer‘s Loosely Exactly Nicole.

All of these shows are owned by Facebook, as are high-profile pickups like Five Points and Skam. When the tech giant entered the premium programming space, it adopted a strategy that blended those properties with content from partners like ATTN and Group Nine Media, which have well-established presences on Facebook. It is that latter bucket, THR‘s sources say, that is losing support from Facebook, which wants to drive strong patterns user engagement rather than focusing on one-off viral phenomena.

Even as Facebook hones its programming strategy, there are still plenty of questions to ask about the shows it has settled on. Will they be able to build the sort of audiences needed to justify the billion-dollar budget Facebook is reportedly committing to its original series through 2018? Will any upcoming projects catapult the Watch tab to a new level of consumer recognition, as The Handmaid’s Tale has for Hulu? Answers to these queries cannot yet be provided.

Filed under: Articles, Facebook, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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