CBS to Run First Video Ad to Appear In Print

As branding & communication platforms continue to merge, it looks like the US broadcast industry is heading for a first: CBS will be advertising its fall lineup with a video chip embedded in Entertainment Weekly. Major magazines and newspapers have been forced to try new ways to increase ad revenue to make up for the drop in sales. With video ads, CBS can likely charge more because the spot is more likely to catch the reader’s attention

CBS marketing president, George Schweitzer confirmed the widely speculated assignment Wednesday. The ad will be launched in partnership with PepsiCo to promote the network’s Monday prime-time lineup. The ad will appear in a magazine insert sent only to subscribers in the New York and Los Angeles areas. So if you’re not in these cities, you’ll get the video-chip free edition via newsstands.

Here’s some really rough footage of the demo.

The battery lasts for about 65 to 70 minutes, and can be recharged (believe it or not) with a mini USB cord. The product has been in development for 2 years. “It’s leadership in innovation, which we really stress at CBS in every part of our company,” Schweitzer said of the ads, which were developed with the collaboration of the Ignition Factory, a division of the Omnicom Group’s OMD media agency.

There will be natural questions about recycling/repurposing of chips and other environmental impact concerns. Some are calling the idea crazy, others applauding the ideas as a promising new revenue stream for a flatlining business.

BBC and BBC One Idents- from 55 years ago to today

Now that we’re through the majority of those clever holiday IDs, a bit of reflection is certainly in order. Can you believe it’s been over 55 years since Abram Games devised that wonderful contraption so fondly nicknamed ‘Bat Wings’ in 1953. This was the arrival of the first ident, and ever since- BBC has been creating some of the best. We know you’ve seen them, but here they are again below for some easy eye consumption.

The most recent BBC One Circle Idents, produced by our colleagues over at Red Bee. In addition, directors including Stuart Douglas (a), Howard Greenhalgh (b), Matt Losasso (c), Mike McGee (d), Charlie Mawer (e), Matthias Hoene (f), and Brand New School (g) lend their eye to the ubiquitous icon.

BBC One 'Bikes' directed by Stuart Douglas

BBC One 'Hippos' directed by Charlie Mawer and Mike McGee

BBC One 'Kites' directed by Matthias Hoene

BBC One 'Lawn Circles'

BBC One 'Moon' directed by Howard Greenhalgh

BBC One 'Neon' conceived by James Spence, Animated by BNS

BBC One 'Penguin'

BBC One 'Surfers' directed by Howard Greenhalgh

BBC One 'Windows' directed by Matthias Hoene

Nat Geo IDs first to be shot in Zero Gravity

Brothers and Sisters Creative Director Steve Shannon creates stir with first of a kind IDs for National Geographic. Admittedly, we’ll soon be running out of content if we’re now shooting spots in NASA-styled space suits.

Interestingly, Nat Geo ran a promo campaign prior titled “What would you like to see floating in Zero Gravity?”I would have suggested a hippopotamus or jellyfish, but I digress. Nice viewer interaction tie-in.

Props to the team at the London-based agency for their ingenuity. A special thanks to Fran for always responding to my emails within (what seems like) mere seconds.

Here are the idents as well as a ‘making of’ vignette.

You can read more about the production here.