Joost signs major advertising deal with 31 big companies.
Joost, the new project of Skype founders-who now want to revolutionize the way we watch TV, has signed three month contracts with a group of 31 brand advertisers including Procter & Gamble, Coca Cola, Nike, General Motors, and Visa.
This is a big coup for
Joost; it consolidates their service even before they are fully operational. Read this excellent article about Joost by
David how it will revolutionize user's viewing experience. Joost will offer advertising spots like one sees in TV. The advertisers include big names such as Microsoft, Nestle, IBM, LÓreal Paris, Nokia, Kraft, Lionsgate Films, Electronic Arts, HP, and Intel. Some will advertise locally in the US, others in Europe or on a global scale like Coca Cola, HP and Intel.
Joost will also create advertiser’s animated logos in every clip similar to the station IDs in traditional cable and broadcast TV. Joost calls it Ad Bug. Other ads will be either images, video spots, overlays and widgets, so the clients can choose from these options.
Joost is also working with research firm Frank N. Magid Associates to test new ad formats, and measure their effectiveness by analyzing user consumption habits and other such metrics. The company also has a year-long strategic partnership with Emerging Media Lab of Interpublic Group to develop and sell advertising on its platform.
Joost is a downloadable application, still in private beta available only for few users at the moment. It will offer greater interactivity and sharing of videos between users; will be left to their disposal to pick and choose the programs.
With so many companies joining advertising in Joost it gives instant credibility for this service. Wonder why others didn’t join YouTube in a similar manner.
Joost is already partnering with CBS and Viacom to share many of its shows in this new service. Joost will create some kind of behavioral profiles of the users based on their viewing habits, their ratings of the clips etc., from which Joost will be able to target specific ads for the users.
I hope Joost doesn’t add too much of ads otherwise it will be a big turnoff. Joost will be great for the users and the advertisers can reach the whole world with their products, and artists can show case their talents to everyone.
