After weeks of frantic planning, several hours of furniture rearranging and
many sleepless nights, the day of Xpand Your Mind, Xpand Your Network –
IPTV landed!
What was Xpand Your Network, Xpand Your Mind – IPTV?
A small gathering of reputable professionals, in a relaxed environment, with
fantastic presentations from key industry figures, followed by a few well
deserved Sauvignon Blanc’s!
The first of five fabulous presentations kicked off with the brilliant Marque
Owen, Director of Video Content at TedxSydney.
Marque is a former media and IP lawyer, before moving into film, television
production and management. He has since had an incredible career having
created Aurora, The Community Channel on all Australian STV platforms, he then
managed content and IPTV channels for Telstra and later took the role of
Executive Producer, Innovation and Creativity.
Marque had the audience’s full attention as he passionately spoke about the
importance of ‘Story’. “There is nothing you can’t understand, when you know
its story. There is nothing that you can’t like, when you understand their story”
Story is a fundamental part of life. Good storytelling via great delivery systems, is
good marketing. The stories we tell, and the way that we tell them, are crucial to
life and business. IPTV is a great delivery systems, to get your story out there!
Marque Owen
Director of Video Content
TedxSydney.
Some see Social Media as the enemy…this is not the case. Social Media is IPTV’s
partner. You are able to listen to the stories about your brand and your audience
– allowing you to provide them with a story they want to hear!
And when you provide them with a good story, these people will spread your
story for you. Because they’re now fans. Brand fans. And now they own the story.
Story is the only way to intrigue, engage and captivate your audience.
Second in line – the remarkable Craig Blair , CEO of Zeebox Australia.
Craig is a serial entrepreneur and investor has spent the past 14 years building
and investing in some of the leading digital media and technology businesses in
Australia. Most recently as Executive Director of netus, a News Ltd-backed
technology investment company where he led the launch of Allure Media,
WayFair, The Video Company and Tantalus Media. Now holding the reins for
Zeebox Australia.
Craig spoke enthusiastically about Zeebox, its ever changing features and
creating a truly integrated approach to second screen TV experiences. Zeebox
have created and continue to develop their universal application, which ‘spiders’
the TV world, targets interest groups and acts as a conversational tool.
Here are just a few amazing features to Zeebox:
Do you ever lose your TV remote? Fear not… Zeebox also acts as your TV remote.
(potential relationship killer?!)
Craig Blair
CEO
Zeebox Australia
Think of yourself sat at home watching a TV ad of a gorgeous new Audi, Zeebox
will then serve you a real time ad experience – leading you through to your local
dealer to book a test drive!
Just heard a song you have instantly fallen in love with, couldn’t unlock your
phone quick enough to Shazam it…fear not – you can simply download it straight
from Zeebox.
Up comes the inspirational Stephen Hunt, Managing Director of TubeMogul.
A proven new media professional with experience in commercialising and
strategising a variety of high-profile transactional websites and content driven
media platforms. With a passion for effective management, online entertainment
and the changing dynamics of new media he currently heads up TubeMogul.
For those of you that don’t know who TubeMogul, they are the only video
marketing company built for branding. By integrating real-time media buying, ad
serving, targeting, optimization and brand measurement into its PlayTime
platform, TubeMogul simplifies the delivery of video ads and maximizes the
impact of every dollar spent by brand marketers.
Stephen spoke in detail - persuading a target audience, at scale, with brand ads,
is becoming more difficult. TV still works, but consumers are migrating to
digital/mobile/social. TV builds reach with a surplus of volume, whereas online
can hold frequency, reducing wastage.
Stephen Hunt
Managing Director
Tube Mogul
In seeking to keep up with the changes in reaching a more fragmented audience,
the process for planning, buying and reporting is messy. The flow of information
is chaotic at best – 1000’s of emails, calls, faxes, etc. to start campaign; even
more for optimization, analysis and billing…
TubeMogul make it simple!
Glasses refilled, audience all ears… welcome Adam Good, Director of Content
and Digital Media at Telstra.
Adam Good has had an incredible 25 years international industry experience
specialising in digital media, interactive content development, advertising,
publishing, film, television and technology.
The bold message Adam had is simple. the way we interact today is being
revolutionised! Although things that make us human will never change - the
ways that we connect will…
We engage everywhere. Innovation and immersive technologies are making life
easier – making you feel like your at home, when your at work; work when your
at home. Shopping will become more social, more interactive, more engaging.
Interactive entertainment will take on new dimensions creating more interactive
experiences to take us to the heart of the action!
Adam Good
Director of Content and
Digital Media
Telstra
Listening to customers, using data and predictive analysis like never before in
order to personalise your message by time, location and context – personalising
each experience!
Adam is leading the way of change for Telstra Media…new products , new
services for the revolutionised tomorrow.
Last but by no means least – Wilson Applegarth, previous Commercial
Director of Movie Networks, now freelance consultant.
Wilson is a strategic and corporate development specialist - MBA qualified with 13 years’ experience in strategy, commercial and business development
roles in the media industry, both in Australia and the UK, with particular
experience in the Television (including Pay, Free to Air TV and Public Service)
and Digital Media sectors.
Wilson had one poignant question - When will IPTV become mainstream in
Australia?
By mainstream Wilson means when everyone in his soccer team knows what it
is and similarly when your non media industry circle of friends have an
understanding of what your talking about when mentioning IPTV!
….the evidence suggests it will get there soon, 2015? 2016? 2017? Or
longer? Its anyone’s guess!
Wilson Applegarth
Consultant
Movie Network Channels
So who’s in the running? You’d think that Fetch and Quickflix will continue to
build their subscriber bases, Foxtel will launch their standalone SVOD service –
Foxtel Play , Telstra will finalise their SVOD content offerings building on its
recently announced push to acquire content shortly after it has first been
screened overseas (e.g. House of Cards) Optus have been exploring options
but will they do much beyond meTV in the immediate future?...it’s safe to say
its going to be an interesting 12 months!
Xpand Your Network,
Xpand Your Mind - IPTV
I can’t thank Marque, Craig, Steve, Adam & Wilson enough for playing a huge role in
making the day a complete success!
I would also like to thank each of you that came along from Yahoo!7, Aceedo, Irdeto,
IceTV, Switch Media, ABC, News, Google & UTS
See you all for Xpand Your Network, Xpand Your Mind - IPTV Part 2!!
E: Michelle.kegg@xpand.com.au M: 0432 870 801 T: @XpandMichelle L: au.linkedin.com/in/michellekegg