Social Media - digital nukkad

One of the first comments on the 'wall' of my Facebook profile was that i must have been bullied into doing this, creating a facebook profile that is, by my wife!! it would have been really annoying if it did'nt come from one of my closest friends who i'd lost touch with since she moved to Washington (U.S). The Social networks of today really are the 'nukkads' or local colony hangouts that we loafed around after a game of cricket or football. the language has changes but the palyfullness of the environment remains. i'm regualrly rated on sexiness, past life re-incarnations and if i had a real drink for every 10 virtual ones sent to me, well, it would be one long weekend if not week!!

obviously this 'nukkad' is of interest to marketeers, brand message purveyors and such. i mean, what are people talking about? what are they sharing? what are the next trends? what type of content are they consuming? which applications do they install? all of this is the stuff of a market / brand analysts' wet dreams. unfortunately it leads to a complete annihilation of the sanctity of this space. very often when a friend wants to compare his, well, sex quotient with me an annoying pop up for a brand kills the mood. even worse, sometimes random people add one as a friend and scrap the living daylights out of the public posts area, one of the prime reasons to get out of Orkut, unless of course, you are looking for attention and action!!

One good strategy that we're seeing work is CHARACTERS who inhabit this world, have a clear mandate and do not infringe on the privacy of a social network netizen. a good example is imedix.com which has a host of people you can connect with on various aspects of health. they do not email you after you leave the network, nor do they bug you with overt marketing ploys.

while we're still learning from the consumers, (the best way there is), i recently uninstalled all applications from my facebook profile as they started filling my inbox with junk. and yes, i did feel bullied into it :)

DRM / Content protection

A white paper by Saurabh Gupta, Phonethics

As content creators with a focus on new and emerging media we understand the challenges surrounding the monetization ability of digital content. In this light the debate around protecting content from ‘unauthorised’ downloads / usage has intrigued me right from the beginning both as a consumer as well as a creator. While iTunes and more recently even sections of Bollywood have been able to sell DRM protected content and reaped moderate benefits, introducing the idea of ‘paid’ digital media to consumers, DRM implementation is still hobbled by lack of universal standards, high costs and overstated efficacy.
As a pioneer in the Short Form Content business in India, we have evaluated DRM specifically in our context (SFC) as opposed to the holy grail of digital content.

First, what kind of content are talking about here?

Short form

The proliferation of content and specifically SFC on New media platforms hinges on four value propositions for the end user –

a) anywhere, anytime

b) low or no cost

c) viral – lightweight, easy to share, mash up - personalise

d) freedom of choice - search

A new medium needs a new idiom. The success of the quirky creative endeavors has been fuelled by a viral internet platform. The content creators allow users to viral (embed) their content and share it with the rest of the cyber world. For content creators like Will Ferrell (funnyordie.com) and the team behind Lonelygirl15, this scale up comes at very little cost in terms of marketing dollars and even better allows them to do what know best – create quality content. The marketing takes care of itself. Over time this massive viewer traffic and organized distribution has created new markets and made it easier to access the old ones. Today a serialized, well managed amateur video-series can evolve into a brand (lonelygirl15).

Add to this the power of social media and you have a potential one to one connect with all manners of niche audiences. So how does DRM play out in the context of such a democratic media landscape?

DRM, SFC & the New Consumer

• Never 100% protected

Given the well entrenched grey market (especially in countries like India) and the easy availability of technology resources, it is a fair assumption that a certain amount of threat from piracy cannot be mitigated using technology. We feel that the problem is further exacerbated by implementing disparate technologies that impact the paying customer’s user experience negatively.

• Digital content production is already encumbered by multiple platforms, operating systems and hardware protocols. A typical production cycle involves digitization (transfer from shooting tape to hard disk), post production (editing, special effects etc.) and publishing (preparation of broadcast masters or web formats). DRM solutions do not plug into this pipeline at the operational stage. Typically a DRM wrapper is a separate component at the end this cycle (although popular editing softwares like Final Cut Pro do have DM features, they are not efficient). This further prolongs the time to market and often leads to a downgrade in the overall quality of the product (especially in the case of Video).

• Since there is no single DRM protocol across devices / operating systems, a DRM wrapper around the content restricts the content and the customer to proprietary platforms (e.g. sa re ga ma, an Indian music label recently launched their DRM protected online store that has content (songs) compatible only with Microsoft platforms). This limits portability of media across devices (customer wants his content on the move, esp SFC where the purchase is more impulse driven) – contradicts the ESSENCE of SFC – viralability.
  

• Limits / stunts virability of content, good for superbrands like spiderman and big ticket Hollywood productions but prevents an organic growth and online community-based seeding: a cost-effective and democratic manner of propagating the characters / brands / content series.

For example, the free version of a content piece

1. can be made difficult to obtain

2. may corrupt / crash user’s device

3. needs the user to request a friend / contact to pass along a song/media file they have

4. the quality of the media file itself may not be up to the mark

In summary, protected short form content does result in some degree of negative impact on customer delight (and therefore uptake)

Phonethics and DRM

Being an early-stage content creator, Phoenthics’ goal is to make content consumption really easy and intuitive., while reminding consumers, that there is a social and sometimes a direct financial cost to the consumption of pirated content.

We believe that the mantras of SFC monetization are –

• low cost of production
• diversified revenue streams
• Innovation - Character / icon based content production

DM becomes critical for a range of content producers partially because of the high cost around producing branded content especially when above the line costs like actors fees add to the budget. The Producer / Label is forced to look at multiple markets and long tail to drive profitability, revenue sources that are obviously impacted negatively by free availability of their products in the digital world.

SFC is a disciplined approach to content production. At Phonethics, our content portfolio is built around characters that we own the IP for. This is much more easily protected than digital media. It allows us to build value in the form of the character and not just a single video or audio piece. As the characters find traction we find interesting licensing deals being offered by traditional media as well as advertisers looking to break the clutter. Phonethics recently licensed one of its characters to a leading TV channel as a cyberhost for a television show (mianfekoo.com). The videos for this character were already available across various video platforms with a sizeable viewership. This made the proposition even more attractive for the channel as it got intervention in an ongoing dialogue and ecosystem.

The Internet is a beautiful medium to help content travel to various markets and demographics. Instead of locking it down be prepared to re-purpose / re-orient your product to any distribution channel, such as Mobile or even Print. Let’s make content available via easy, well-priced and simple interfaces that allows a consumer to purchase/download any version of the desired content suitable for their device at a rational cost.

article - mobile content

Early in 2006, I had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting where a determined twenty something boy was pitching his business idea for a mobile application to a bunch of ‘suits’ (Funder types).

When one of the suits asked him why he wanted to wait for an year to launch his product, he replied “What’s an year? It passes in a day!”

It does and it did. 2006 whizzed by.

The saliency of 2006 for the mobile sector lay in the twin mantras that I observed in the meeting mentioned above – innovation and persistence.

Mobile Application Developers, Telcos, Aggregators, Content owners and all the other parties of this myriad circus showed tremendous aggression in launching cutting edge applications and content. From booking Cinema tickets on the mobile (PVR Cinemas) to selling branded games, Fun cards (Hutch) to Songcatcher (Airtel) the year saw one cool application after the other. VAS revenues soared as TV programming seamlessly integrated SMS as the tool of choice to involve viewers in the numerous reality shows and contests. Almost all of these were well thought out and well executed products. Considering that SMS is still the largest component of Value Added Services the marriage of text Message and Reality Television was the biggest money spinner of 2006.

With Millions of direct investment by Venture capitalists, Foreign Equity Funds and other investors in the sector, 2006 was a good year.

A ‘hit’ or what is known as the ‘killer app’ (the suits!!) however, remained elusive in 2006. No game, application or content type achieved a cult status to match, leave alone outsell mobile versions of Cinema or cricket content. In fact a marketing manager (another suit!!) with a Telco recently put Dhoom 2 as the biggest mobile downloads blockbuster ever.

The Terrapinn Mobile Content Forum (2006) Singapore was attended by companies from across the world. This is the Asia forum, I thought, what the hell are all these Americans and Australians and Canadians and Mayans (not really, but perhaps the only ones missing) doing here? Over the next few days I realized that they wanted to sell or buy in Asia because it boosted not just the bottomlines but also (and more importantly) their content libraries back home. With a huge migrant population, Asians represents a sizeable chunk of the consumers in almost every developed nation across the world. Even though everyone cribbed about the shoddy margins and lack of transparency amongst the Telocs in Asia, it didn’t stop them from acquiring more Videos, Animations, Ringtones and Wallpapers in 14 different languages.

Apart from their worldwide presence what makes these guys successful is that they have redefined the words ‘Mobile content’. They sell to any Device that’s mobile. To the device not the medium.

In 2007, Mobile content will mean not just content on the Mobile phone but content that’s Portable, Personal, and available on the move on the device of your choice. This means more power to the copyright holders of original content. Increased distribution and non-exclusive rights sharing allow a creator to make money many times over from a single product.

Let’s connect some crucial dots between the Mobile Phone and Portable Content.

In 2007:

1. This will be the biggest mobile news of 2007 – Money on Mobile.

Payment gateways on Mobiles and Payment facilitation applications are currently being tested and deployed in a phased manner. Trials at restaurants and cinema halls have shown encouraging response from the consumers.

2. Ad on mobile. Traditional media guys in T.V and Advertising have begun using short codes (SMS) for marketing as a regular and natural extension of branding activity. Though tentative this acceptance and embracing of this nascent sector bodes well for the more adventurous stuff to follow.
3. 3G remained a puzzle and a prayer for most of 2006, so my money is on a good if not very good 2.5G application that will bring all manners of content to GPRS enabled phones.
4. Over the counter content will appear as the portable devices become more sophisticated and affordable. Bluetooth, USB, MMC and SD cards will become the delivery mechanisms of choice.
5. Content companies looking at regional content will mushroom and flourish though watch out for some serious mobile gaming and content action from Bollywood guys plush with the 2006 loot.
6. Learning, Travel and Healthcare will see some of the coolest content and applications. Peer 2 Application (P2A) solutions from hospitals, hotels, hostels and your neighbourhood doctor.
7. As people grow familiar with the capability of the funky tech gadgets they own, they are going to devise ingenious ways to use the tech at their disposal to Create, Share and Store. Combine this with connectivity and we should expect another Youtube if not Google.

In India the mobile phone is definitely going to see the convergence of essential services like GPS, TV, BANKING within the same device sooner than later. The big ideas for this did not happen in 2006. There is no guarantee that they will in 2007.

But, then..

Tinfo Mobile developed an award winning application that teaches people how to read and write. The young boy (at the beginning of this piece) got the money he wanted. Probably the few things about 2006 that are likely to make 2007 interesting.

Portable content

Content Portability means purchase and consumption of media at a whim and the phone becomes an always On gateway to music, images, audio-video; fun. The key here is the exponential growth of consumers coming up the tech curve. Sumit Shaw, Writer, BBCwst mentioned “ the absence of basics like water and electricity but solid mobile users in the interiors of Bihar” while shooting a documentary there recently.

With voice revenues stabilizing the Telcos will likely emulate the NTTDoCoMo strategy and spawn ‘i-mode’ style content marries service plus communication mutants.

PICO p a projection company unveiled a small projector this year that fits into a mobile and projects the screen of the mobile over an area as large as a normal computer screen. Siemens has already unveiled prototype phones that can project images. It hopes to launch a full projection phone by 2008. The image will comprise 256 million colours. Good enough to watch a movie.

What does this have to do with movie business? Well only the business is going to change, you, the audience is not going to change habits. Hindi cinema will continue to be the most sought after and bought content over any device or disrtribution channel .

The biggest gain will be for original content producers companies that have libraries of copyright owned content that they can license.

WHY SHORT FORM CONTENT- a backgrounder
The most significant events in the Indian entertainment industry,
over the last few years, have been -
· Launch of satellite television
· Establishment of Multiscreen theatres
· Emergence of an international (primarily NRI!) audience
interested in Indian content
· Recognition of Cinema as an industry by Government of India
(FICCI FRAMES, 2002, Bombay)
These developments have shaped the style, approach and format adopted
by filmmakers as well as others assosciated with the audio-visual
media.
In theory it is more possible today, than ever, to find support for
producing and avenues for showcasing, strong, independent content
with an alternative theme.
While the avenues for showcasing intelligent and thought provoking
content have multiplied, in practice cinema has remained a business.
The sheer economics of producing a full-length feature film
often hinder the privilege of portrayal (of the subject, story,
truth) that the filmmaker enjoys. As a result Indian Cinema today
is more or less an audio-visual circus designed to entertain a
paying audience.
The surge in demand for new age content combined with the shift
taking place in the entertainment industry (emergence of new media
such as DVDs, gaming software, games and ring tones on cellular
phones etc.) signal the arrival of a discerning audience well
versed with technology. A consumer not interested in dumb soaps
broadcasted free but willing to pay to download a well designed
game on the mobile. Given the fast pace at which content delivery
systems are evolving it is not difficult to imagine a scenario
where short form entertainment is accessible ‘on demand’.
GET SHORTY
We believe that a film should entertain, inspire and amaze but also
probe, explore and mirror its audience.
Short films, a much ignored art house/student genre, present an
opportunity to free the process of filmmaking from the burden of
mammoth commercial considerations and represent an intriguing genre
to the viewer.
‘The first thing you need to ask yourself if you want to make a film is “Do I have anything to
say?”..’ - Martin Scorsese
The first films of Louis Lumière were also short.
And then came the feature film.
LIKE a VIRGIN
Over the last few years many Indian filmmakers have
adopted the short film as a viable way to tell a story.
Some [like Manish Jha - Matrubhoomi] have even won
international awards and recognition, though their films
remain confined to limited screenings at festivals and
inaccessible to the general consumer due to an absence of a formal marketing / acquisition
structure.
As the market for content delivery matures, short form
entertainment and integrated film promotions will be
as commonplace as the ring tone downloads today. A new
market place is evolving where the ultimate buyer and
the creator of content will interact in a space free
of conventional intermediaries.
content creators will have to collaborate with hardware and software producers
to introduce sustainable models of ‘direct to
viewer’, ‘single download’ or ‘pay per view’ audiovisual
entertainment.

Hello people
beginning again