Happy Friday! Welcome to Issue 81 of Rerun by Axonista!
This week's Top Pick is Snapchat's bizarre new Spectacles, and hidden behind them a really interesting new circular video format.
We also look at a new subscription-based app by Legendary for their niche shows; potshots taken at Facebook after last week's metrics admission; how Google Analytics may have ruined digital marketing; Brown Bag's meteoric but humble rise in the animation industry; and Rock Band in VR.
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Let's get to it!
Top Pick
Everything you need to know about Snapchat’s new Spectacles
Snapchat, sorry, Snap Inc., launched a pair of $130 Spectacles that record circular videos.* Unlike Google Glass, which in trying to hide its technology ended up awkwardly doing the exact opposite, the Spectacles are unashamedly big and attention-grabbing. The thick, colorful frames actually work to remove the geekiness. Or maybe it's all a joke to prove that teens will buy anything?
*Circular video? It's not what you think, check out this gif on Twitter. What it really means is that the video will play and stay still no matter what orientation your phone is in. It removes that awkward landscape vs portrait rotation.
Future of TV
Movie studio Legendary is branching out with a subscription app
A new $5-per-month app, called Alpha, will serve as a “membership” hub for fans of two Legendary-owned digital publishers, Nerdist and Geek & Sundry. Starting November 3, the app will air 15 to 20 hours of new programming every week from both publishers.
It's Legendary aiming to sustainably support its niche shows that have a big and passionate fanbase but aren't a huge draw for advertisers. Rather than rely on fundraising platforms like Kickstarter or Patreon for every new show idea, they're asking fans to put their money towards becoming regular subscribers instead.
In the shadow of Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter take potshots
Snapchat and Twitter have been taking potshots at Facebook's video platform, keen to capitalise on Facebook's admission last week that they had overestimated a key video metric for two years. Snapchat's is particularly ouch.
“In my humble opinion, a video ad that plays without sound is not a video. I like to call it a moving banner.” - Imran Khan, Snapchat's chief strategy officer
“We’re trying to open [our platform] and show as much as we possibly can. It’s one of the reasons why Twitter breaks out the average audience per minute, which no-one else does. They just give the audience number without any transparency behind it.” - Adam Bain, Twitter's chief operating officer
Storytelling
How Google Analytics ruined marketing
A lengthy and thorough lament of the explosive rise of digital marketing channels and direct-response metrics, which places Google Analytics squarely as chief villain. The author Samuel Scott asks marketers to consider 'How would you market yourself if the Internet didn't exist?'
A really interesting and refreshing read.
Why is this important? The terms that we use reflect the assumptions that underlie our approaches to marketing — and bad assumptions lead to bad marketing at best, and spam at worst.
'If you let an Oscar nomination get to your head, you'll never build on it - take it with a pinch of salt'
The award-winning Irish animation studio Brown Bag talk to Fora about their acquisition, hiring, being picky, and the future of children's TV. Yet despite all these changes in their company and the industry, at the end of the day their mission is still the same...
“We make great characters and great stories because kids nowadays are able to decide what they want, so if you don’t make something that really engages them, they’re just going to watch something else.” - Darragh O’Connell, Brown Bag co-founder
Virtual Reality
How Harmonix put Rock Band into a virtual reality world
The Verge's Adi Robertson tries out the upcoming Rock Band game developed by Harmonix for Oculus Rift. If you've never played guitar on stage, this updated version of Rock Band provides a very immersive and fun experience (complete with booing crowds if you suck). However, the isolation of the VR headset runs the risk of removing the social play context of Rock Band, which makes it so much fun to play in groups.
Its virtual world adds a whole new answer to the eternal question: why don’t you just learn guitar? Because no matter how good you get, few people will ever get so close to the adulation of a real crowd.
Briefs
- Disney is in talks with bankers about possible Twitter acquisition
- ESPN upgrades its drone coverage with new race season starting October 23rd
- EsportsTV expands 24/7 coverage across multiple European platforms
- YouTube Go is a new app for offline viewing and sharing
- Palmer Luckey’s Trump fund has been a kick in the teeth for VR
Luke Cage's take on black power in America makes it must-see TV
Marvel's newest superhero series Luke Cage is out today.
Well what are you waiting for? Go binge watch it already!