One of my soapbox items for the last three years has been video advertising. Why has the Christian market not taken full advantage of the power of commercial spots delivered via the Internet? I’m really not sure. Maybe everyone is just too busy to figure out this newer area. Maybe they think it will be more expensive than it is. Maybe our market is still just 5 -10 years behind everything that happens in the world at large. I guess it doesn’t really matter why. It’s just a great opportunity for someone who can jump in and take advantage of it for their brand!
At FrontGate Media, we dove into video ad spots at the very first really good opportunity I could find to offer them. I said to myself, “Finally! With the Internet, we can now have a great outlet for video spots that will give our Christian brands equal footing for the power of the commercial.” That was 3 years ago! I’m only now starting to see the major advertisers show interest in video spots. TV spots are able to create more impact mentally and emotionally in a way less aggressive media just isn’t able to do. There is power in the full motion and audio to tell your message or story! With advances in technology, it has never been less expensive to create video ad spots. The Internet has even made it easier in that consumers are used to seeing less slick presentations and will watch so long as the story/message is good.
While the Christian market has had television outlets for years, the real catalyst for tv spots in our markets should have been/is/will be their delivery via the Internet. The simple fact that very few of my peers will debate with me is that either the television content and channels have been weak when compared to the overall television market, or the stations have been pretty much all paid preaching spots that operate under a completely different business model than traditional television. In the past, to design and produce a traditional tv spot to run in the very few places it could run was just not great stewardship for most companies. Only in the last few years have we seen stronger, true television in our market. GMC (formerly Gospel Music Channel) is a good example of television for Christians done right, and frankly that’s why I picked them to be part of the FrontGate Media family. I’m always looking for great value for marketers who want to reach the Christian audience, and without a doubt GMC fits my standards. They are a (if not the) leader in what they do. TBN, the largest religious broadcaster, has also expanded their network to include the JCTV and Smile of a Child channels. Both GMC and TBN are expanding their programming offerings. Christian television is getting better, but frankly you don’t need to go on television to get the benefits of a commercial spot. Internet outlets provide a much more affordable way to create, generate and measure impact from a simple commercial spot.
Do you need a place to help you figure out the faith market and tv/digital media? Plan now to attend the Biola Media Conference in April. My personal favorite event of the year, The Biola Media Conference is the #1 event in the U.S. for film/tv/digital media professionals who are Christians. Things happen there that can’t happen anywhere else in the convention circuit. The keynote speaker for 2011 is Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired Magazine.
Why this today? A great article on web video popped up on my radar this week and led me to write. See Brands Missing the Boat on Web Video Users on BrandWeek.
The consumption of online video is on the rise, and trending to increase even more as the year progresses. Nearly 50% of respondents to a recent study by Frank N. Magid Associates claimed that watching web video is a part of their daily routine, and among these, 70% say their consumption of online video is on the rise. What does this mean for marketers? If you’re not taking advantage of web video, such as Eagle’s Uncommon Knowledge, RedState Townhall series, GMC online , or our many other opportunities, then you’re missing out on a prime opportunity.