J Barbush

You remember this Spider-Man drawing meme from a few years back? https://lnkd.in/gXwXApdd You know, the one that shows the level of quality you get when you give an artist 10 minutes vs. 1 minute vs. 10 seconds? I remember when it started doing the rounds, a lot of creative types used it as an example of how much worse their work is when it's rushed vs. when they get enough time to truly ideate. What's funny is, this isn't even the best depiction of that. Imagine instead if you started by giving someone 10 seconds to draw a *brand new* superhero — one that doesn't already exist. My guess is the result would go something like "Uhhhmmmmm.... I dunnnoo.... (hastily scribbles rough silhouette with a cape)". Then give them 1 min and watch more detail get added. And then 10 and watch really rich character and story elements emerge. I see this a lot in organizations that put a premium on sprints and MVPs. It's one thing to put time constraints on refinement, evolution and optimization of an idea. It's another to rush the ideation itself. That's typically not a good recipe for innovation, since (as my example illustrates) when people are rushed, they tend to regurgitate/replicate the familiar. There is something to be said for putting some time constraints on ideation as a generative exercise. And when facilitated with a focus on lateral connections sparking new combinations, there is a way to hack novelty at pace. But often the main value is in getting all the obvious ideas out of the way, and getting the gears turning in the back of brains to let time do its work of mental marination. Then the real gems that team members can't stop thinking about can be prototyped/MVP'd/etc. Have you seen rapid ideation produce novel concepts (in product, comms, org design, etc.)? Or has it tended to churn out ideas that feel like replications/regurgitations, logical/linear progressions and slight incremental improvements on what already exists? #innovation #creativity #ideation #agile #mvp #prototyping #poc

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I’m here for so many elements of the BBL-Drizzy story… 🥩The beef between Drake and Kendrick that has done so much to put hip hop back on the mainstream cultural radar 💨The prodigious speed and quality of their output 👍The extent to which the world has not just observed but participated via memes, social commentary, their own musical contributions 🤖And now the first cleared sample (by Metro Boomin) from an AI-generated track raising vexing questions about whether that IP is owned by comedian King Willonius who wrote the lyrics and ‘generated’ the melody, the platform Udio whose tech enabled this or the thousands (millions?!) of artists on whose work it was trained 🤯 Ultimately this feels like a sign of our relentlessly paced times. As Billbaord comments… “AI samples offer a solution for musicians in today’s relentless online news cycle. While [Willonius] has made plenty of songs from scratch before, he says AI offered him the chance to respond in real-time to the breakneck pace of the feud between Drake and Kendrick. “I never could’ve done that without AI tools… It’s good for when you dig and can’t find the right fit. Now, you can also try to just generate new ideas that sound like old soul samples.” https://lnkd.in/ekY-AsiK #AI #Creativity #Drakebeef

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For producers like myself, practice is essential. And then practicing more is important. You're doing a lot to produce a live stream. You are seamlessly managing the visual aspects of a live stream while engaging with the run-of-show document, monitoring the internal comms, and ensuring the stream is running smoothly. I was recently featured as a speaker for an event to talk about productivity tools. For once, I was IN FRONT of the screen. It was my turn to go LIVE, and then.... looped audio with an echo. Oops, there was an audio issue that was happening LIVE. I couldn't do much because I wasn't in charge of the live stream. We got it sorted out quickly. So, this is your reminder. Practice, practice, practice... AND have a backup plan too! #bepresent #production #livestreaming

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Today we're revealing Meta Movie Gen - the most advanced media foundation model to date. Operating across a range of capabilities, it can: ✏️ Generate videos from a text prompt 🎼 Take input video and a text prompt to generate music and foley 👩🏽‍🎨 Take an input image of a person and a text prompt to generate natural movement in a video ✂️ Use an existing or generated video and text inputs to perform precise local or global edits - like changing or removing elements, replacing backgrounds or adapting styles https://lnkd.in/eE4vRKfJ

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The brief to Mischief @ No Fixed Address two years ago was to have people ask, “wait, WTF is Tubi?” And then go find out about it. Before the streaming service debuted at Super Bowl 2023, many didn’t know what Tubi was or what it did—despite the app already being on most smart TVs. Some actually thought it was a virus of sorts or even a scam, with a prompt Google search of “is Tubi legit?”. Mischief’s been helping Tubi build its brand ever since. Today, it is the most-watched free movie and TV show service in America. It reaches more than 80 million viewers every month and accounts for 2.1% of all TV content consumed. It outranks the likes of Paramount+, HBO, Apple TV+ in terms of viewership. And it even tied with Disney+ recently. Because of its popularity, people have a hard time believing it’s free (more than 60% don’t know it is). #marketing #creativity

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The latest research from Yieldmo, cooked up with Ascendant Network, gives us a peek into adland’s relationship status with AI, and it’s complicated. While 62% of industry execs now feel comfortable inviting AI into the creative sandbox, they’re still keeping a tight leash, needing detailed playbooks to avoid any runaway algorithms. The study dives into insights from agency and brand bigwigs, revealing their cautious dance with AI. Many are letting AI test a handful of pre-approved assets, optimizing them for performance, but—surprise!—no one’s quite ready to let it fly solo. Brand custodians, it seems, still want the final say. There’s no full autonomy for AI yet; it’s more like a supervised internship. “The media landscape has been fundamentally altered as machine learning and generative AI start making waves,” noted Lisa Bradner, Yieldmo’s Chief Strategy Officer. “Many marketers feel that while AI’s potential is tantalizing, it’s still something we need to wrangle carefully to leverage it across our operations effectively.” Bradner’s sentiments capture the industry’s cautious optimism: AI might be powerful, but it’s also a bit of a wild card. Yieldmo is stepping in to help with its new “Six Steps for Creative Generation and Performance Optimization”—a framework that promises to bring AI’s potential to life while keeping things human-first. The steps, which read a bit like an AI etiquette guide, include leveling up internal AI knowledge, setting performance goals, and benchmarking AI assets against traditional creative. And of course, there’s a friendly reminder to “keep a human in the loop”—as Yieldmo puts it, “guardrails are for toddlers learning to bowl, but they’re also essential when AI’s involved.” One exec in the study, preferring to remain anonymous, summed up the learning curve with a laugh: “I’ll let AI optimize a creative, sure—but only after it’s survived my ‘good taste’ test. If AI starts recommending neon gradients, it’s back to the drawing board.” With Yieldmo’s new framework in hand, it’s clear the industry isn’t quite ready to let AI run the show unsupervised—but if it behaves, it might just be allowed to stay. Michael Yavonditte Rick Eaton Teddy Jawde Lindsey DiGiorgio Brad Burnham Michael A. Fazio

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STORY vs. CONTENT The word "content" gets tossed around so much that it’s lost its meaning—especially when it comes to video work supporting a brand. But here’s the thing: the term "content" doesn’t do justice to the power video has in communicating a brand’s story. Consider this: 72% of people prefer to learn about and buy from brands through video rather than text-based ads. Video content improves message retention by 95%, compared to just 10% for other mediums. 84% of consumers are more likely to trust a brand after watching professional, high-quality video. The real magic? Video taps into emotions, which is crucial in building trust and creating genuine rapport with your audience. It’s more than just content—it's about telling a story that resonates. At Blue Oak Productions, this is the driving force behind our work. "Your brand is your story. Tell it well." It’s time to move beyond generic content and focus on creating videos that connect, engage, and inspire. Let's rethink how we talk about "content" and aim for something more meaningful. #BrandStorytelling #Videography #CustomerEngagement #BrandBuilding #VideoMarketing

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Netflix consider partnering with broadcast TV stations (both affiliates and O&Os). Let’s face it: traditional broadcast stations have been sidelined by streaming services, many of which are owned by the same companies that operate their affiliated networks. A partnership with Netflix could be a game-changer. Here’s why: 1. Live Sports Opportunities – Imagine major events (like a blockbuster fight or even NFL games) being simulcast on both Netflix and broadcast stations. The technology already exists to clear a “digi-channel” for authenticated Netflix subscribers. This approach would not only solve streaming capacity issues but also open doors for Next Gen TV integrations. 2. Ad-Supported Content – Broadcast stations gain access to Netflix’s massive library of ad-supported content, 3. Promotion for Netflix – leveraging the reach and credibility of local broadcast stations to sell subscriptions and spotlight their content. Such a collaboration would completely reshape ad sales dynamics. Netflix would gain credibility with national and local advertisers, while affiliates regain relevance with a steady pipeline of premium, ad-supported content.

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The recent news about Lionsgate's AI deal raises big questions about the future of Hollywood. As AI tools become more advanced, they promise to transform everything from scriptwriting to VFX to how we consume content. But with this transformation comes a complex debate: What happens to human creativity when AI plays a bigger role in storytelling? Will it enhance the creative process or will it dilute the magic that makes entertainment so unique? As we stand on the edge of a new era, I can't help but wonder—where should we draw the line between AI's utility and preserving the heart of human-driven art? How can we ensure technology complements creativity without overshadowing it? https://lnkd.in/d9B3Yahr #AI #Hollywood #Creativity #Innovation

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🚨Trend/Rant/Insight Alert🚨   Across almost every sector and industry, content production is moving in-house. I’ve seen a marked shift towards building out small to mid-level production capabilities inside major brands and agencies in the last six to eight months. From full-time, production and post-production ready teams to Creator-minded TikTok and Reels specialists armed with nothing but an iPhone and a ring light, companies are finding the investment and overhead worth it to ramp up their content mills.   I think there’s a few implications here. For one, the demand to increase speed and decrease the time between inception and publishing is real. Companies and marketing teams, especially for huge global brands, can see social trends come and fade before their processes and workflows can even be engaged, let alone capitalize on them. Smaller, faster teams, closer to the decision-makers give them a puncher’s chance at striking Trending gold. “Learn TikTok,” seems to be the “learn to code” for 2024 and if your marketing team isn’t hiring an in-house creator to be a TikTok machine, they’re one of the few.   And secondly, and likely what I think is truly driving this, brands and agencies want to hold on to as much revenue and fee as possible. Instead of outsourcing specialist contractors, vendors or freelancers on a project-by-project basis, they want established, known-quantity teams with consistent workflows, fixed cost structures and to minimize OOPs. When advertising and marketing budgets get tight, it’s easy to look at production (which is basically *all* OOPs) and see an easy area to trim.   I think there’s pros and cons to this approach. In-house teams can be fast, agile and will know your brand inside and out. They can also get stylistically stale and, at some point, cap out on capabilities and technical know-how. The upside of engaging a wide freelancer and vendor network is the ability to bring in new talent, exciting technologies and fresh perspectives regularly. Additionally, the vendor marketplace (hopefully) means there’s true competition on price and while revenue may be going out, it is (ideally) actually more efficient on a per project basis.   I think the most successful brands will balance a well-rounded internal team for regular, drumbeat content with an extensive network of freelancers and vendors for must-win moments and big swings. Going forward, it’s important brands that build in in-house production continue to train, grow and invest in those resources and not see it as a one-time hit to this fiscal year’s numbers. And production vendors need to understand what role agencies and brands want content to play and continue to bring innovative, efficient offerings to the table. It's never been easier to make great content and tell great stories. But who you choose to make those stories will determine just how successful those stories get told.

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I don't typically post about my former activism, but today X announced that it was suing GARM, an advertising industry group dedicated to brand safety. It is bullshit. I know because I was threatened with the same lawsuit. Back in 2018, when I was running Sleeping Giants, Breitbart, an influential blog run by Steve Bannon, tried to sue me for tortious interference. Not quite the antitrust case that X is bringing, but it was filed for the same reason. All we had done was show advertisers, ironically via Twitter (now X), the actual content on which their ads were running. Over 4,000 advertisers backed out. Breitbart was obviously not happy, so they sent a letter notifying me that they were filing suit and asking me to preserve any and all documents between me and a number of people and organizations that had literally nothing to do with our organization. My attorney, R. James Slaughter, the greatest attorney on this green earth, sent them a note back asking them to preserve any and all documents between them, their funder Robert Mercer, the Trump campaign, and Steve Bannon, among others. We never heard back from them and the suit never made it to court. But the more important piece of his reply was that I was covered by the First Amendment. I was, of course, able to voice my opinion on their content and ask advertisers if they supported what I believed to be racist, sexist and bigoted content. I was also allowed to post screenshots of their own printed content. Advertisers, also protected by the First Amendment, were able to make their own choices that benefitted and protected their businesses. This case filed today is frivolous and I would imagine that Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino well know this. For a platform that purports to protect free speech (but often doesn't) they should understand that advertisers have a right to make up their minds about where their ad dollars go. If they don't want to appear next to posts from actual self-proclaimed Nazis, who are now allowed back on X, it is their right. If they just don't want to be on the platform because they think it hurts their brand overall, it's their right. If they don't want to be on the platform because it's not worth the cost, it's also their right. I can tell you exactly how this suit is going to go. X will lose. But the goal is to both bankrupt GARM and scare advertisers into HAVING to advertise on their platform, and I hope that does not come to pass. As an industry, we are here to do what's best for the companies we work with and for. Any limits on that ability are truly anti-free speech. We can and should advertise in the places we feel work for us and our customers. Such is the First Amendment. You can sue all you want, but the rights you claim to protect for your users also protect your critics. You can't have it both ways.

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As the Upfronts loom, it’s crucial to get a handle on how streaming is reshaping advertising. And a good place to start is this series of five short videos we just did with Tubi's SVP of B2B Marketing, Cynthia Clevenger around their new original series 'Dead Hot.' The series covers : - A deep dive into Tubi’s smart play with originals like 'Dead Hot'—shows that are catching advertiser attention (for good reason, too.) - Insights on how Tubi is merging compelling content with innovative ad tools to capture and retain viewer attention. - A look at how these strategies provide advertisers opportunities to reach incremental audiences in a brand-safe space. Curious? You should be. Check out the full breakdown here: https://lnkd.in/eFM29fm4 #streaming #advertising #media #upfronts #Tubi #originalcontent #DeadHot

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Seeking more proof that the intersection of premium content and premium brands has more momentum (and I dare say importance) than ever? Look no further than this announcement. Let's assume Apple doesn't, ahem, need the cash with $162B on hand to go with their $3T valuation. Let's therefore further assume there is strategic utility if not strategic imperative to bring brands closer to Apple content versus ceding brand relationships to Netflix, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, etc. Or maybe it's just this: no matter how rich Apple is, if a brand is willing to make every Apple dollar go further in return for partnership with Apple's A+ programming, why not? (Put another way, maybe Apple didn't get that $162B in cash by spending money where they can make money.) Whatever the business strategy behind this move, if I were to hire one person to lead it, it'd be Mike Lewinsky. As talented as he is connected, as inspired and inspiring as he is intelligent, and I dare you to find a kinder, more gracious, or more well-liked human in the biz. Well done and congratulations to all involved. And, provocative take and all, thank you Lucia Moses for the always-insightful coverage via Business Insider.

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As a follow-up to my post from last week on the dramatic shift from traditional modes of TV viewing to streaming, the digital ad spend that is Connected TV is following suit. Not surprising. Also - though last on this list, Digital Audio is on the move. The depth and intimacy of podcasting continue to drive massive consumption. The ad plays are decent and quickly getting better. These data points are about spending and reach, but they underscore that the future of advertising is well-targeted and crafted with the interest of the recipient in mind. Win trust first and then market share. Here is the post from last week for reference: https://lnkd.in/gpNVYsNi

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X (Twitter) and Axios need to retake control of advertising Today, Axios announced layoffs, leaving another 50 people without work and highlighting the ongoing struggles of the news and media industry. Elon Musk and X are suing a number of advertisers for an alleged boycott. What both of these events highlight is the failure of media and that it has allowed its primary revenue stream—advertising—to be outsourced to search engines like Google. Search or rating services set ad pricing and media companies see very little returns for their ads (the advertising doesn’t yield measurable results). The assumption is that if you can’t find the media, it has little value, so media pays for views which then drives up ad prices (and revenue to the ad companies). As a result, the market and media’s role in society become distorted: media becomes a commodity, and the search engine becomes the driving force (because it is the more valuable asset of the two). However, with new technology, we can reverse this trend and re-empower media. Jump to the free Substack to keep reading. (When Linkedin removes character limits and X allows more graphics, I'll also post to those platforms but for now it is Substack.) #cmos #advertising #cognitve #twitter #elonmusk #axios Google Facebook United Airlines https://lnkd.in/e4jpmQze

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Nice Accent It’s truly gratifying to see a report from one of the major consultancies that reinforces - and even doubles down on - most of the major themes I’ve been hammering away at for the last few years. First, it’s nice to be ratified, second, it means that maybe just MAYBE the Media C-Suites will start to listen…? Big takeaways in this Reinvent for Growth report: - User frustration is piqued, and it’s resulted in a wave of rejection of Media by consumers. MOST users have subscription and login fatigue. - Media’s collective User Experience sucks and it is a major problem. MOST users cannot find something to watch when they want. - Lifestyle Bundles are the new Black. Media players who are NOT part of a lifestyle bundle will be left out in the cold. I *believe* I coined this term. I started writing about it over a year ago: https://lnkd.in/gy2S5GBE - Big Tech controls Media now. (The point of my very first map.) - Big Media should consider merging with Gaming Studios. Here’s my proposal (last year) to merge Disney and Roblox: https://lnkd.in/enm7ckHb - RADICAL REINVENTION, not incremental change, is the answer for Traditional Media. I’ve been screaming this in writing for a long time. I never thought I’d hear it so boldly from folks like Accenture - but here we are! That’s how urgent it is. “Companies must venture boldly into areas and consumer markets where, currently, their expertise may be limited. Bold approaches require an overhaul of traditional revenue streams, a redefinition of roles within the media value chain, a fresh look at target audiences, and openness to competing in new industries.” That’s not me, that’s Accenture. When I am asked how Traditional Media gets back on track, I say “dig up the track - there is no going back.” The real answer is: Change your culture, change your leadership, go back to your mission (remember mission?), focus on your most valuable consumers, then start over from there. We left the era of top-down, Hollywood-centered Media a half decade ago. This study not only recognizes that, but it pushes Media players to embrace RADICAL TRANSFORMATION to survive and thrive. Kudos to Accenture for an infinitely digestible and incredibly clear handbook on why and how Media needs to change radically, ASAP, or learn to accept accelerating decline.

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