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Top Quotes And Stats From The Buzzfeed, Microsoft And Yahoo NewFronts

Ginny Marvin on April 29, 2014 at 5:39 pm

Yesterday, Buzzfeed, Microsoft and Yahoo showed off their online video offerings to hundreds of advertising industry players at The Digital Newfronts in New York — digital’s answer to traditional TV’s splashy Upfronts.

We’ve reported on each event. Below is a compilation of statements from the executives that presented along with some of the stats highlighted during the events.

Buzzfeed

Buzzfeed’s first NewFront featured three brand representatives sharing their experiences of working with the viral pioneer to create sharable branded videos. The company is ramping its video production studio in LA, but don’t expect any long-form content to come out of them. Executives made clear they’ll remain close to their roots as they develop editorial and branded video content.

Since September 2012, Buzzfeed has created 1,600 videos, amassed 4.5 million YouTube subscribers and just passed 1 billion views of its video content.
“We are still babies in understanding what drives sharable content,” Ze Frank, EVP of Video, who discussing his editorial viewpoint on what makes people share content with others.

Buzzfeed NewFronts Ze Frank On What Makes Content Sharable

“People misunderstand the value of animals. They help people connect with people. Animals allow us to connect in a really easy way,” Ze Frank.
Clean & Clear’s Vivian Nasamu-Odior on why the brand chose to work with Buzzfeed: Millennials are hard to reach. We’re celebrating the 25 percent of teen girls who are comfortable with who they are to help the 75 percent who say they aren’t.

Clean & Clear’s Vivian Nasamu-Odior on why the brand is working with Buzzfeed

“People think that when the internet grows up it will be with consumable content. I think that’s totally wrong,” Jonah Peretti, Buzzfeed founder and CEO.

Microsoft

Microsoft is aiming to bring Hollywood-quality video content online, complete with studio sized budgets. For now, the company’s target audience is current Xbox gamers with brand extensions from existing Xbox games such as Halo. What separates much of the content on deck from traditional TV shows are the interactive elements built into many of the offerings.

“Let’s all get soft. I’m talking Microsoft ladies and gentlemen,” comedian Craig Ferguson while hosting the Microsoft event.
Microsoft reaches 1.3 billion people every day across it’s platforms, said Stephen Kim, VP, Global Agencies & Accounts.
“This is a new day for Microsoft, and our commitment to advertising is clear,” declared Kim.
“Building something substantial is going to take time. We are charged with making premium TV experiences a reality.” Nancy Tellem, President Xbox Entertainment Studios.
“Audiences are taking control of what they watch and where and how they watch it,” Nancy Tellem.

Nancy Tellem, President of XBOX Entertainment Studios

“We are not interested in a race to the bottom,” Jordan Levin, Executive Vice President, XBOX Entertainment Studios, on developing premium content that isn’t dumbed-down.

Yahoo

Yahoo is also hoping to ride Hollywood’s coattails even as it aims to adapt its video efforts to today’s consumer habits that revolve around mobile devices. Yahoo introduced new video ad units and announced new programming available through Yahoo Screen along with extensions of its digital magazine lineup.

“We check our phones an avg. of 150 times day,” Marissa Mayer, CEO on mobile and why the company is focusing on habits that build daily active users.

CEO Marissa Mayer discussing mobile at Yahoo’s NewFront

“We’ve finally bridged the gap between TV and the web,” Yahoo’s Ned Brody, Head Of the Americas, who said that Yahoo has enabled 2 million TVs with proprietary software for Smart TV ad targeting and adds that it will have 4 million units enabled by year-end. The service allows brands to retarget TV viewers with ads online. Brody said Yahoo has been able to “link back on an 80 percent basis to our cookie pools.”
“Traditional TV viewing decreased, online video viewing has increased,” Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer.
“Consumers are becoming their own programmers,” Kathy Savitt, Yahoo CMO, echoing statements from Microsoft and others about how their companies are aiming to meet users where and how they’re consuming media.
Yahoo’s native ads have shown to have a 223 percent lift on branded search, Kathy Savitt while sharing other branding metrics.

Yahoo CMO Kathy Savitt on Yahoo’s Native Ad Impact

Check out more coverage from the NewFronts here.

About The Author

Ginny Marvin

Ginny Marvin is Third Door Media's Editor-in-Chief, managing day-to-day editorial operations across all of our publications. Ginny writes about paid online marketing topics including paid search, paid social, display and retargeting for Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and MarTech Today. With more than 15 years of marketing experience, she has held both in-house and agency management positions. She can be found on Twitter as @ginnymarvin.