Media Buying

Prior to the start of the VidCon conference Friday, a steady stream of starstruck teenage girls approached Tom Milsom requesting a hug and a picture. The 22-year-old self-made London-based YouTube musician, performer and poet mostly appeals to girls ages 13 to 18. Brands love him, too.

Having just announced its phasing in of healthier Happy Meals, McDonald's is making sure nutritional elements are included in its massive, global promotions tying in with the new "The Smurfs" movie. The promotions also tie in an eco-friendly theme.

In development for nearly two years, Ogilvy's Advanced Video Practice will work with brand clients to take video engagement beyond the "viral" view by targeting measurable engagements that place viewers directly into the sales funnel.

With speculation of a possible sale of Hulu, the big online video site has struck a new TV program deal with co-owner Walt Disney Co. that will bring more commercials to shows, according to a number of reports.

ADOTAS - Online video is now a staple in media-buying, reports video ad network BrightRoll in its 2011 Online Video Advertising Report. Surveys of media buyers from the last few BrightRoll reports have shown a great deal of interest in the space, but confusion over ROI and targeting abilities.

Google continues to strengthen its position in the entertainment industry by building up tools, such as YouTube, to support streaming video across online, television and mobile. Next week, the company will hold an intimate gathering in Hollywood to highlight research, the evolution of movie consumption, and how studios are streamlining theatrical releases to accommodate changes occurring online and in mobile.

Google Inc. is working on a major overhaul of YouTube as it tries to position itself for the rise of televisions that let people watch online video in their living rooms, according to people familiar with the matter. YouTube is looking to compete with broadcast and cable television, some of these people said, a goal that requires it to entice users to stay on the website longer, and to convince advertisers that it will reach desirable consumers.

Google is launching a new ‘Media Ads' format for video ads on Google.com. The ads will appear as small thumbnails with a play button, and when a user clicks on the thumbnail, the video ad will expand and take over the Google search page, playing the video ad in a larger player. The ads seem to be a natural extension of Google's existing ad products, but are interesting when you consider the focus on media. Clearly, Google is going after big ad dollars spent by media companies when promoting new movies, TV shows, and more on the web. This is another way to grab a piece of that pie.