What does the iPad mean for content delivery?

January 28th, 2010

As I’m sure you already know, yesterday, Apple CEO and nerd king Steve Jobs revealed the iPad. The reviews are mixed, but the thing looks effin’ sweet. If you haven’t seen SI editor Terry McDonnell demo the way his magazine is going to look on the tablet, you need to watch it. Like, now. Go on. Click. I’ll wait here.

But you can find iPad news/specs/whatever all over the internet; my question is, what does it mean for us? For Skadaddle. For content producers everywhere.

Look, the thing is far from perfect. I wish it had a camera. I wish it ran Flash. I wish it wasn’t exclusive to AT&T. But the iPod had its flaws too. So did the iPhone. Neither of those are perfect yet either, but they’re damn near ubiquitous. Obviously, it’s way too early to tell (the iPad comes out in April), but yesterday’s demo shed some light on a few ways the new technology could impact what we do.

Interactivity

The way all of the iPad’s functions interacted with each other in the demo was absolutely awesome. It could open up all kinds of doors, for both entertainment purposes and product placement. What if you were watching an episode of your favorite show that Domino’s is a featured sponsor of, and you could click right in the episode to order a pizza online? Or vote for your Pro Bowl picks right on the screen while watching an NFL game live? Pretty cool, huh? Although why you’d want to order a pizza from Domino’s, I’m not really sure, but I digress.

A New Medium

Let’s face it, while it’s cool that phones play video now, that 4 inch screen isn’t exactly the optimal way to watch your favorite shows. The iPad has the big, easy-to-watch screen of a laptop or portable DVD player, but it runs apps like an iPhone. Soon will be the day that your Skadaddle.tv app automatically downloads all of our new content into your iTunes without you doing a thing, so that it’s good and ready for you to watch on your next flight.

Content…all the time

Being essentially a portable TV, among other things, if the iPad becomes as pervasive as the iPod or iPhone (and it could), it means that people aren’t just going to want good content during the time they’re watching TV or sitting at their computers…they’re going to want it all the frickin’ time. On the treadmill. At the airport. In the backseat of a taxi. We (content producers, all of us) better get crankin’.
So, will the iPad “change the world?” I don’t know. A lot of people seem to think so. A lot of others disagree. Only time will tell. But what’s for certain is that it looks like it will offer some very cool new opportunities for anyone making media or consuming it.

Yessiree: One Helluva Show

January 25th, 2010

The other day, PGA Tour Pro Bubba Watson tweeted about the rain delay at the Bob Hope Classic:*

Perfect. A chance to plug our new web series. Here goes…

We’re glad Bubba watched it, but his reaction caught us off-guard:

Harsh. Who spells like that? And, really, why the need to yell? Come on, Bubba, the worst thing you’ve ever seem? Please.
So, what was it that bothered Bubba about it so much? We asked and he answered:

Okay then. Gotcha. It’s not for everyone. We can certainly deal with that.

A couple hours later, however, our dear Watson posted this, a video where he recreates a scene from “Tin Cup.” Remember “Tin Cup?” You know, the one from 1996, with Kevin Costner? The one with all the cussing, gambling, and sex in it? Yep, that one.

So, Bubba didn’t like Of Course. That’s cool. We wish him well after his impressive finish at the Bob Hope Classic.

But lots of people have loved it, including Golf.com’s David Dusek, Deadspin’s A.J. Daulerio, and SportsPickle, and we think you will too. Check it out, we’d love to hear what you think!

*note: all Tweets appear in their original form and spelling

Happy New Year’s Vision

January 7th, 2010

As we launch our new site (some of which you can see now, some of which is still very much a work in progress), we also launch a new blog. With that comes this internal pressure to write the maiden post. We’re thinking it should have impact and be thought provoking. This post should be studied in B-Schools the world over. It should…f-me that’s a lot of pressure. When all is said and done, what we really want to do is just wish everyone a Happy New Year. (And maybe add a few thoughts beyond that.)

As marketers we spend the better part of our lives helping brands sell their products (or whatever it is that we do). Among other things, we create commercials, write taglines, build Web sites and, now, Tweet and Facebook. We’re constantly thinking of how to help our clients gain that advantage in the marketplace. 

But, as the end of one year and beginning of another is a natural time for reflection, do you ever take any time out to consider your brand? Your vision? I’m not talking about resolutions. I’m talking about your personal mantra for the year. Early in 2009, for example, I dedicated my year to “Family, Health & Prosperity.” I reminded myself of it, often, and I was surprised by some of the results. I’ve reconnected with so many members of my family – some long lost, some estranged and some just flat-out strange. I ran my first marathon and discovered that prosperity means so much more than just the bottom line. 

It was a hugely successful personal experiment. As a result, 2010 will be dedicated to “Optimism & Gratitude” (while maintaining what was started last year). It’s going to be a year of new discoveries, new challenges and new experiences. I can’t wait to tackle kayaking and run that second marathon. I can’t wait to teach my kid how good it feels to want to give someone a gift instead of always wanting one given to him. I really do love feeling optimistic and grateful. It’s a daily reminder to check your perspective at the door. 

So, no, while this post probably won’t be making its way to Harvard Business School, that’s fine. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be able to write it. I’m thankful for the chance to launch a new site. And, I’m undeniably optimistic about the year ahead for Skadaddle, as we imagine, develop and produce a slew of original, entertaining content. And, we truly do hope you’ll keep checking on our progress. (And, true to our marketing roots, we hope you’ll dig the work we continue to do for Mutual of Omaha.)

We hope that 2010 brings you whatever success you hope to find. We hope that the new decade is one in which you achieve your goals, big and small, and execute on the vision you’ve created for yourselves, personally and professionally. And we hope that your days are filled with that kind of mission accomplished satisfaction that leads to long, restful nights of sleep. (We like sleep.)

Welcome to our new site. We hope you like what we’re doing. We hope you love what you’re doing. Happy New Year.