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June 22, 2006
Spotzer, Europe's Answer To SpotRunner For TV Ads
Dutch startup, Spotzer Media Group, launched this week an online service to make creating television ads more accessible to firms with smaller advertising budgets in Europe. It also helps to buy airtime on broadcast networks and regional markets. Additional services include placing video ads on mobilephone networks and public video displays (in airports for example).
Spotzer Applies Web 2.0 To Advertising Videos
The a:c euro asked Spotzer about the competition and barriers to entry and first mover advantage.
On competition
Unless we are totally off-target, we are certain to face many other competitors, from other start-ups to new initiatives developed by groups such as Google. (whose business development head recently said in a press interview that local video advertising was one of the biggest next opportunities) and Yahoo and perhaps even E-Bay (which recently won a contract to create an auction platform through which advertisers could buy and sell airtime.)
On the potential for copycats:
The barriers to entry, on the other hand, are pretty significant. What we are trying to do is not easy. We have to define an entire new genre of commercial that works for multiple advertisers operating in different cultures. The creative is actually very challenging and we are spending a huge amount of time with exceptional people trying to figure out what will work. Then, beyond the ads, there are the challenges of getting the message to local, small advertisers.
Is being one of the pioneer for this type of service provide an advantage?
We think being the first mover helps, since we are going to have opportunities to make partnerships with media companies who are looking for ways to enable local advertisers to purchase their inventory. If our efforts work, then the next guys will have to really out-do us before they get the same opportunities.
The company was founded earlier this year and is funded by private investors and the founders, namely, Thed Lenssen, who is a well-known European commercial director, and John Mezzina, former Young & Rubican creative
director and co-founder of Mezzina/Brown. Lenssen has directed commercials for Heineken, Philips, Volkswagen and many others and is the founder of The D-Films and Snoep Films, both based in Amsterdam.
Read- Industry Veterans to Pioneer New Media Model (press release)
Posted on June 22, 2006 09:50 AM | Posted to Advertising | Early stage | Permalink
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