Digiday Publishing Summit:

Connect with execs from The New York Times, TIME, Dotdash Meredith and many more

SECURE YOUR SEAT

2016 is the year of the audience. We swear

by Stephanie Gaines, vp, corporate marketing, YuMe

Every year, we hear it’s “The Year Of” — the year of mobile, the year of CTV, the year of tech. And every year, we hear the industry put the focus on the platform instead of the people. We here at YuMe see things a bit differently. This is the time for audiences.

When SXSW first ignited 30 years ago, an actor was our president, and email was our Snapchat.  Audiences were measured by age and gender instead of the passions and power that ignite them toward action. Today we see audiences more as tribes united by common interests and who seek out great content wherever it may be.

We are lucky to work in the most exciting, dynamic medium: video. If consumers don’t see what they want in eight seconds, they will turn away. But once captured, they’re engaged like no other. Sight, sound and motion moves not only the heart but incites action and the desire to search and explore.

Technology has changed how we tell our stories through video, reaching consumers on every platform. Now content channels can be created by consumers and brands alike to create a constant connection. Among the many who spoke at SXSW, perhaps J.J. Abrams said it best: “The beautiful thing is that everyone right now has a movie studio and distribution in their pocket.”

The audiences that converge at SXSW to celebrate music, video, art and politics are now multiplatform and agnostic. Our music is shared across devices, and our reality-TV stars morph seamlessly from one stage to another. Austin has always been the heart and soul of passionate audiences. So today, we celebrate all of you, where that spirit is simply bigger and better in Texas.

https://digiday.com/?p=167140

More from Digiday

YouTube’s AI slop crackdown has creators concerned, marketers cheering

Despite the potential crackdown, both creators and marketers broadly view YouTube’s updated policies as a positive move. They believe it indicates that the platform is paying attention to the ways creators are using AI — and that it’s open to AI tools that don’t result in the propagation of so-called “AI slop” videos. 

Generative AI sparks brand safety concerns marketers know all too well

Despite concerns around brand misuse and IP, most marketers are sticking to traditional strategies.

‘Production is a big topic right now’: With AI moving beyond media, Publicis turns toward creative

The holdco is positioning AI as core infrastructure for ad production not just media buys.