With a plethora of digital marketing options available these days, it’s hard to know where to invest the two most valuable resources you have as a filmmaker or film exec — your time and your money. The fact that so many of the available digital marketing platforms are free or low cost can even add more confusion to the decision making process. When is the appropriate time to start a blog, Facebook Page, or Twitter account for your film? What types of content should incorporated in your social media strategy? How much do mobile apps really cost? And are they worth it, in terms of marketing effectiveness? A group of experienced industry execs will tackle these questions and more at this AFI FEST discussion, produced by Jigsaw Global and Genius Effect Media Group.
Tickets or festival passes are required for admission.
Panelists include:
WHEN: Saturday, November 6th, from 4-5 pm
WHERE: AFI FEST Cinema Lounge at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028
COST: Free, but a ticket or AFI FEST PASS is required for entry. Applicable passes include: Filmmaker, Patron, Press, Guest, and Cinepass. Reserve your ticket here: http://www.afi.com/afifest/tickets.aspx
MIXER
Immediately following the event we will be co-hosting a VIP mixer for attendees and special invited guests. Great way to meet, mingle, and motivate. To receive an invitation, please send an email to info(at)geniuseffectla.com.
Be sure to enter Genius Effect code, “GEM” for discount!
http://gamenext.eventbrite.com/
GameNext: Top Trends for Game Industry: Mobile, Online, and New Products
New Speaker Just Added: Dan Morris, Electronic Arts, Director of Strategy and Development
In just the last year, new markets are opening for social media and mobile applications for games. Understand how to build for new platforms, business strategies to become successful, and how you can tap into these new networks. If you are attending the E3 Expo, then join us for GameNext, a jam packed networking mixer for anyone from the Game industry who wants to succeed in new markets, delicious 8 course Chinese Banquet and program.
If you have a cool product, service or application you want to show to publishers, investors, partners, or prospective clients, then take advantane of our low cost Demo Showcase tables. For only $95, you will receive a 4×4 table where you can give a demo during networking and dinner.
We discuss these hot new areas and how you can take advantage of new business opportunities:
* Social Games and Social Media like FarmVille
* Mobile, iPhone, Android Apps
* Augmented Reality and Virtual Worlds
* Advertising and Branded Entertainment
* Natural Movement based games
This will take place the day after our conference 3D Next on June 14 addressing the future of 3D for film, TV, production, games and Internet. View more about 3D NEXT here.
Attendees can choose to attend the program only; or also enjoy a gourmet eight course Chinese banquet. Last week over 280 attended a similar program and dinner during the Cable Show. This event is independently produced and not affiliated with E3 Expo.
* Network strategically with top talent and executives so you can take advantage of new business opportunities
* Gain insights on how to navigate these new markets and create lasting business models for mutual benefit
* Learn where the industry is going from top executives in games, entertainment and web services
* Discover the trends shaping the business of game design in online, mobile, console and PC games
Schedule:
5:00-5:00 Networking with Investors and Demo Showcase
5:30-6:30 Attracting Funding and Strategic Investors for Digital Media, Mobile or Game Startups
Hear from venture capitalists, angel investors and strategic investors on how to obtain funding, hot areas of investing, relationships with investors, and attracting capital. Three startups will be selected in advance to give a 2 minute pitch to the panel of investors and hear their feedback.
Want to pitch investors:
In order to apply, send an email with a description of your company including funding status, partners, technologies, founders and management team with “pitch”in subject line to info@techsupperclub.com.
Confirmed Investors on Panel:
* Bipul Sinha, Principal, Blumberg Capital
* William Quigley, Managing Director, Clearstone Ventures
* Tim Chang, Principal, Norwest Venture Partners
* Robert Pace, Principal, GameStop Digital Ventures
* Samir Gupte, Associate, Comcast Interactive Capital
* Alan Resnikoff, Senior Associate, Shamrock Capital Advisors
* Moderator: Michael Stroud, CEO, iHollywood Forum
6:30-7:30 Dinner, Demo Showcase and Networking
7:30-8:00 European Gaming Market Update and Trends
Hosted by the European American Enterprise Council
and the SoCal French American Chamber of Commerce
8:00-9:00 Panel Discussion followed by networking at 9pm
Confirmed Speakers for Panel :
* Ross Cox, Senior Director, Advanced Platforms, Cartoon Network/ Adult Swim
* Jay Wright, Director Business Development, QUALCOMM
* Dan Morris, Director Strategy and Development, Electronic Arts
* Brian Selzer, President / Co-Founder, Ogmento
* Ginny Musante, Trade Marketing Group Manager, Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Advertising
* Moderator: Lewis Ward, Research Manager Consumer Markets: Gaming, IDC
Here are issues we will address:
* Market Outlook: What are market trends, where is the industry headed and what does it take to build a successful game in these new markets?
* Hollywood and Licensing: What are current trends in licensing deals for games and film franchise properties?
* Natural User Interface: What is in store for movement based and controller free games?
* Distribution: What are strategies for creating strong distribution and originality?
* Social Games and Facebook: What is the best practice to build a game on top of Facebook? How should users connect to their Facebook friends when playing the game?
* Opportunity for Startups: What does it take to attract funding and compete with well funded, high profile companies that already dominate this market?
* Audience Development: How do game developers drive user engagement and develop a loyal audience?
* Concepts: What are the key concepts to understanding how to develop online and mobile games and why they work?
* Cost and Budget: What is the cost structure and time frame for building new games? Should you outsource development or use in house developers? What types of features makes games more engaging?
* Publishers: What is the role of the publishers and console makers to develop distribution and infrastructure?
by Chris Denson
Let’s face it; smokers aren’t going anywhere. Yes, we complain when they get too to close our personal space. Yes, we uninvitingly warn them of the harmful and dangerous side effects. We even force them to eat and drink outdoors – rain, sleet, or snow – like a familiar stray dog; giving them a place of refuge, but not a place of comfort. We joke with our non-smoking friends about their bad breath, and their nicotine scented apparel and skin. We do all this and more, yet in the end smokers stand tall, and united – and offer us a great lesson on the powers of community and choice. Here are a few reasons we should thank them for smoking.
1.) Give Us Your Huddled Masses. Chicago, Illinois. Dead of winter. Exterior office building. Lunch break. Five smokers stand perfectly arranged in a geometric formation that keeps the cold out, and the carcinogens in. Although the warmth only lasts for 5-7 puffs, it’s a much needed and well-deserved piece of heaven for this group. Before the day is done, this will have been their routine several times. What have they done? They’ve built community. They’ve found a group with common interests. They’ve developed a routine within their community. As the seasons come and go, they will have built a very strong bond. They will have learned so much about each other; from family issues, to career development, senses of humor, likes, dislikes, even their weekly rotation of work clothes. All brought together by a few frowned upon fiery sticks of nicotine. As brands and marketers, we need to find that same common ground on which to build an unbreakable community bond with our end consumers. We all have at the core, a centerpiece principal that people will come to know and trust, either by habit, utility, or genuine admiration. They want a lot of it, and we need to give a little bit at a time, with brief yet powerful communal engagements. The more we engage our audiences interests and embrace them as they are, the more they will give their time, energy and interest back to us.
2.) Freedom Of Choice. Scorn them as we might, they just won’t quit. My mom has smoked since as long as I can remember. As a kid, I tried shaming her into quitting. As I got older, I tried using scientific fact. She survived a bout with breast cancer, and was back on the sticks no sooner than she was free from the hospital Jell-o. When I became a parent, I used the baby as a bargaining chip. All for nil. She’s grown and she was a grown up when I met her. If there’s one thing audiences have now more than ever, it’s the power of choice. They choose how they watch TV, how they view programming on the internet, who their real life friends are, who their cyber friends are, if they watch commercials (and which ones they watch), whether they get their news at the stand or on their mobile phone, and yes, whether they want a cigarette or not. They hold the cards, and they hold them ever so tightly. Too often, we as marketers try to dangle carrots to lead them in the direction we want. In today’s marketplace, we have to play their game. Go where they are, offer them the types of experiences they like, become their fans and cheer on their successes – all with our own messaging gently added for flare. Too much, and they know they’re being sold something. Too little, and we miss the boat entirely. The right balance, then we find ourselves at the forefront of their decision-making process everytime.
3.) Strike A Match, Strike A Conversation. Smoking is probably the one social arena in which everybody’s a buddy. People who have never even met one another are often willing to offer a helping hand. Need a cigarette? Bum one off a stranger. Need a light? Somebody’s got a flame in your face before you’ve finished checking your pockets. Need a place for your ashes? Someone’s got his/her hands cupped. The next thing you know, there’s a conversation taking place and these people are off to the new-buddy races. That initial recognition of “Hey, you’re just like me!” is the impulse reaction that we as brands and media creators are constantly striving for. The spark that lights the flame and burns feverishly throughout our consumer base. We need to showcase unique points of discovery that instantaneously engage newcomers and long-term constituents alike. Strike the match… strike the conversation… gain a new friend.
4.) Go Ahead, Blow Smoke In My Face. Nothing bothers non-smokers more than to “suffer” through a smoker’s enjoyment. Often times, this is when the non-smoker is forced to think about his/her inner well-being. “Will I develop health problems?” “Will I smell like smoke?” “Can I help get more laws passed?” “Where else could/should I be right now?” “Is this guy really that much of a jerk, or am I just being sensitive?” Hopefully, if the smoker really isn’t being a jerk, he might be considering his own internal questions at that moment as well. Ironically, this is the exact type of introspective realignment we as consumers and marketers go through on a daily basis. Each encounter with fans and non fans alike should involve a continual process of checks and balances. Is this the best approach? What could we be doing more of? Is this really what I need? What could we be doing less of? How does our audience perceive us? How do we perceive our audience? Are we harming ourselves or our relationships in our approaches? The more we ask (and answer), the more we become sure of our the strength of our products and practices.
5.) To Quit, Or Not To Quit. Truth be told, the healthy smoker is fearless. That fearlessness is admirable. He is a rebel. He is steadfast and confident. He stares science and society in the face, boldly breaking all of their rules. Because as we know, in the end, we all die. No doubt about it. And the smoker is unafraid. There are 90-year-olds who still smoke like hams at Hickory Farms. There are 30-year-olds with incurable cancers. Either way, at some point, we will all have run our course either naturally or by our own hand. No matter how good of a run you’ve had it, the tides shift, and the times change. In the same vain, the marketplace is flooded with change. There is always risk involved in being at the cutting edge of brand strategy. Especially in today’s digitally focused, fast paced, infotainment filled consumer world, audiences are constantly being bombarded with opportunities to engage elsewhere – and they will. The only question is, will we be wherever it is they go? Will we know when to stop and change gears? Will we make sure that we offer them what is they’re looking for? And when the tides come, will we be as fearless and steadfast as our smoked friends, embracing risk with a keen sense of adventure? For marketers and brands in today’s marketplace, it takes an intuitive and innovative, free-flowing approach to adapt and shift with whatever consequence or reward that comes our way.
by Chris Denson
I read an interesting article this morning on Paidcontent.org. Something about Facebook partnering with Nielsen to get more information on whether or not consumers will actually spend money on items featured in campaigns they are exposed to. Although I love the fact that digital media is forcing businesses and stayed institutions to move into a new era of innovation and creativity, I do have to say that I’m a bit skeptical on this one.
In some ways, it feels as though Nielsen is trying to prove their worth in a world where so many organizations – outside of those who rely solely on television measurement – are able to monitor their own results with a simple click of a mouse. With live television viewing down, digital device viewing up, and the increase of DVR’s in homes, Neilsen (and others like them) has been sent into a tailspin to figure out what to do next to keep their place as an authority in the space. There have been numerous attempts on their behalf to partner with an organization or two to provide detailed consumer information for advertisers and content providers. Not to mention that the Nielsen television rating system’s level of accuracy has been debated since long before the Internet was available on a mass scale. Through the power of digital media, up-to-the-minute consumer interaction and detailed feedback help companies to market themselves more accurately and with more specificity – not just through extrapolation from a few thousand boxes (representing tens of MILLIONS of viewers) and television diaries. In all seriousness, have you ever met anyone with a Nielsen box in their home? But I bet you know someone with a computer, or a game console, or a mobile phone.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a Nielsen bash. They are truly an authority in the space, and like most organizations fighting for relevancy in the digital age, Nielsen is bobbing and weaving with the best of them. In fact, I use many of their general statistics to get a good gauge of where and how people are consuming their advertainment. Nor is this an attempt to disprove the power of mass media as I’m a firm believer that it can do wonders for any digital media campaign. Instead, the point I’m making is that the older, arguably inaccurate systems of the past are slowly making an exit. And if not exiting, most are in some form of trial and error in an attempted reinvention. Meanwhile, brands and creators have a vast slate of tools, and thought processes, and information at their fingertips to help them discover intimate details about their audience, as opposed to broad generalizations. So in a nutshell, my argument is about empowerment – not relying on the “man” to tell us what we should do with our time, our money, and our energy. They don’t know. And they know that we know they don’t know. They provide useful general information, but like I’ve said many times, we live in a world where change is the norm, entertainment is the marketing, and precise information is more abundant than ever.
When navigated successfully, campaigns will incorporate all forms of media, based on these principles, and see effective results every time.
If you’re looking to get your Mobile game a little tighter, here’s a great event. We’ll be there, so should you!!! Official details here!
MEF Americas is holding a half-day Leadership Summit on Tuesday September 1 at Writer’s Guild of America West at 7000 W. Third near The Grove. According to MEF Americas general manager Mike Navarre, places are quickly filling up for the Summit, which runs from 1 pm to 6 pm and includes a cocktail party open to all. To register, click here.
The opening keynote for the Mobile Leadership Summit will be presented by Sam Sarkar, a senior executive from Infinitum Nihil, Johnny Depp’s production company. An additional keynote will be devoted to the State of the Union in Mobile given by The Nielsen Company’s Eric Puterbaugh.
The agenda for the Summit begins with an opening panel on “Global Revenues are $19.5B and $32B for Theatrical Box Office and Mobile Entertainment–So How Does Hollywood Stack Rank the Mobile Entertainment Industry? Moderated by Andrew Wallenstein editor, digital media of The Hollywood Reporter, panelists include Troy Carter, Lady Gaga manager, CEO, Coalition Media; Doug Neil, senior vice president of Digital Marketing, Universal Pictures; Andreea Enuche-Thune, vice president of Games & Digital Distribution, Marvel Entertainment Inc.; Madeline Herdrich, vice president, Mobile Paramount Pictures, Digital; Steve Byrd, executive vice president, STATs; and Charles B. Slocum, assistant executive director, Writers Guild of America
The concluding panel–”Holy Grail or Holy Fail–Straight Talk on Mobile Entertainment”–is a debate focusing on the trends in the mobile value chain moderated by Eric Puterbaugh of The Nielsen Company, with panelists including Lawrence M Harris, senior vice president and senior research analyst, CL King; William Quigley, managing director, Clearstone Ventures; David Strehlow, director of marketing, Media Solutions, Huawei; Kevin Arnold, founder and CEO, IODA; Gary Schwartz, president and CEO, Impact Mobile; John Orlando, CMO, LiveWire Mobile; andBill Loewenthal, vice president and general manager, Mobility and Monetization Solutions, Limelight Networks.
After the Summit, MEF Americas will hold its Annual General Meeting and Board Elections. MEF Americas has expanded its board to eleven seats, with seven seats available in this election, to reflect the increased growth and activities in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. The elections will be voting in seven new board members who will help shape the direction of the mobile entertainment industry in the Americas, Canada and Latin America.
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Established in 2000, MEF is the leading trade organization for companies across the mobile entertainment value chain. Its membership base spans the entire range of mobile entertainment activities, including music, film, TV and video companies who create and package content; publishers, retailers, service providers and technologists who sell and deliver content and network operators who get the content to the end users.
For more information regarding the Mobile Leadership Summit, contact Christine Krajewski at christine_krajewski@livewiremobile.com. For more information on becoming a MEF member or general election information, please contact Mike Navarre at mike@m-e-f.org.
by Chris Denson
Celebrity sex tapes have become a staple of success in pop culture. From Paris Hilton to Ray-J to Pamela Anderson, Kim Kardashian, Verne Troyer (aka “Mini-Me”) and everyone in between (no pun intended). It’s almost like you’re nobody until somebody _____s you on camera. Although it’s a sad state of affairs, there is definitely something to be learned from the sex tape play book. Here are a few golden points to take with you on your branding journey.
1.) Make Your Privacy Public. Everyone loves an inside sneak peek. Granted you don’t want to show everything you’ve got, but you do want to give your audience a little more than what they bargained for. “How To’s” and “DIY” are extremely popular sources of interactivity on line or even at a live event. Sharing a secret or two doesn’t give away the foundations of your business to the masses. Instead, the snippet only proves you to be an authority in what you do best. Just as the sex tapes are never fully lit and often don’t give you the full gambit of skill level, your brand’s sex tape should leave your audience wanting to see more of you.
2.) Always Do Your Best. If your corporate sex tape lacks the skill and polish your audience has come to expect, you’ll leave them disappointed and they are much less likely to come back for more. Although you’re giving a piece away for free, quality still comes first. If by chance the production resources are lacking, learn to play to it. You have to admit, there is something oddly intriguing and creative about “night vision.” On the other side of the token, a 90 minute feature projected that way will drive you up the wall. Know your intention and be empathic to your audience. The information you present and how you present it should be reflective of your brand’s integrity and consumer understanding.
3.) Know Your Partners. Celebrities constantly claim they don’t know how these “cut scenes” get out into the world. For now we’ll just call this the Deliberate Accident. It’s also the way viral marketing and word of mouth work. Find the right partners who will help you trickle your message down to their audiences and sit back and watch the waves of interest come your way. Notice we said the “right” partners. Just because a company or individual is “cool” or well respected doesn’t mean it’s the right one for your brand’s image. Be thorough, and be deliberate.
4.) For Pete’s Sake, Have A Story! The key here is to not leave your audience with a what-the-heck-was-that experience. There’s nothing worse than watching your favorite sex tape celebrity wander aimlessly, fumbling around in a dark room. Find your story, stick to it, and tell it well – and maybe even offer a special incentive or surprise ending for sticking around. You want your audience to be familiar with what their experience will be like – and delivered through a medium that speaks best to them. Any thing else is icing – if done well. If there’s no need for your brand to have a Facebook page, then don’t have one. Otherwise you’ll look silly. Learn to make the experience polished, deliberate and valuable. The idea is really to give the consumer a good show every time, and continually up the ante on your own abilities.
5.) Don’t Fake It. Everyone will know. Consumers are becoming wiser and wiser and have a propensity for knowing when they’re being duped. Be authentic. Be true to who you are and what you represent. There’s no need to do cart wheels and yell and scream, if that doesn’t come from a place of authenticity. If you’re sensual, be sensual. If you’re fun, be fun. If you’re political, be political. Keep your imaging and interaction as a mirror of who you are as a brand.
6.) Too Much of a Good Thing. Notice how there is very rarely, if ever, a celebrity sex tape “Part II.” At the end of the day, those who give too much of their goods away end up alone, broke, unhappy, or with some form of offspring they didn’t intend (remember Pepsi Clear?). It’s why Gilligan was always Gilligan. Sure it was a successful run, but did he get very many acting roles after that? None too memorable. The point here is not to beat your good thing into the ground. People will get tired of it, and they’ll get tired of you. Kenny Rogers said it best. “Count your money while you’re sitting at the table… Know when to walk away, know when to run.” That’s how we grow. The world is abundant, and success can be had many times over… but you have to pay attention.
Keep in mind this “sex tape” of yours is in no way literal. At least we hope not. It can be anything. A video. A promotion. A web series. An event. The choice is yours. Whatever you do, do it well.
http://producedbyconference.com/
A gathering of the GREATEST PRODUCERS IN FILM, TELEVISION, AND NEW MEDIA. (of course Genius Effect will be there too!)
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday JUNE 5,6,7
For one weekend only — you will have access to the likes of CLINT EASTWOOD, JAMES CAMERON, MARSHALL HERSKOVITZ, KATHLEEN KENNEDY, NORMAN LEAR, AND MANY, MANY MORE.
Learn from the masters at more than 30 seminars. Participate in our first-ever Mentoring Roundtables, where you and nine other attendees can sit for ONE HOUR with the producer of your choice, and ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask!
by Chris Denson
During the last couple days here in LA, there’s been a tremendous police crack down on people who are operating their phones while driving. Five-O have been posted up on corners simply waiting for the light to turn red and giving tickets to people twiddling around with their phones. Texting, talking, YouTube-ing, downloading, “shazaam’ing,” taking self portraits, or whatever else today’s phones are capable of. I don’t yet know the number of tickets they’ve issued thus far, but when a friend of mine calls me from another part of town saying he’s seeing the same thing – at the same time (and we’re both on our phones) – then there’s definitely the smell of a universal trend in the air.
This got me to thinking. We as a society have become so obsessed with being connected that the government has had to institute LAWS to keep us safe from ourselves. And even still, those laws are broken tens of thousands of times over each day. Even my cab driver was on the phone while toting me around town. So not are we doing this while we’re in the car, or even simply on our phones, but everywhere we go, we are connected to what’s going on with everyone and everything at every moment. Facebook at work, YouTube in the bathroom (I’m guilty), IM’ing during business meetings, catching up on show clips during dinner, Playstation web browsers, and let’s not get started on Twitter or Twitpics!
As a business, its imperative – and often provides a better ROI – that you find ways to reach your audience, no matter where they are. It makes very little difference what your business is – you have an audience. Whether you publish books, have the #1 television show on the planet, design doggie clothes, sell homes, or you’re Joe the Plumber, your audience is there, and they are passionate about your business. Not only are they passionate about your business, but they’re obsessive about exploration and connectivity, in a way that the world has never seen. Gone are the days of the family gathered on the couch to watch how Frosted Mini Wheats brings out the kid in you. Today we’re bringing the kid out in you by offering online games, video contests, branded entertainment, cool in-store events, weird viral videos and a balls out funky good time no matter where you are. THEN you’ll eat the cereal. And after that you’ll keep coming back for more. Even if it means getting a traffic citation to do so.
Great take on consumer trends. Plus a very well done commercial. Watch and learn!
REPOSTED! Click HERE for original source.
COMPANY TOWN; Fallon speaks geek on ‘Late Night’; He embraces tech with Web guests and gadget showcases, which may help draw people who don’t watch much TV.
Mark Milian — Los Angeles Times , March 16, 2009 Monday Home Edition
If the half-dozen Twitter messages Jimmy Fallon sends most days aren’t enough, the talk show host cemented his geek credibility last week by interviewing a gadget blogger and the creators of a Web-only show most Americans have never heard of.
On Wednesday, Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht, hosts of the techie favorite “Diggnation,” bantered with Fallon on the same love seat previously graced by such celebrities as Robert De Niro, Van Morrison and Cameron Diaz.
Two days earlier, Engadget Editor Joshua Topolsky talked operating systems and accelerometers while he showed off an early version of the hotly anticipated Palm Pre smartphone.
“Geek out, man,” Fallon told him after Topolsky looked sheepish for mentioning the term “user interface.”
That’s what “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” is doing. As he tries to build a loyal audience for his 2-week-old NBC show, Fallon, 34, is embracing gadgets and digital media more than any of his peers.
Before he debuted on March 2 as Conan O’Brien’s successor, Fallon practiced his delivery by posting video clips on his website.
“Late Night” gags involve fake Facebook status updates for audience members. He exchanges tweets — as Twitter messages are known — daily with the more than 300,000 people following him on the Web service, and he enlisted their help in compiling questions to ask Diaz on the air.
“You can’t do a show nowadays that doesn’t mention the Internet,” said “Late Night” producer Gavin Purcell, who formerly worked for the G4 cable network, which focuses on video game culture. “It’s where people spend so much time every day.”
But the geek love also may help “Late Night” attract a demographic that advertisers lust after: hip, plugged-in consumers who otherwise don’t watch much television.
“It would make sense to use Fallon as the guinea pig,” said Ken Wilbur, a marketing professor at USC. “Experimenting with a new show is always less risky than messing with an established formula. Any strategies that work on Fallon’s audience could then be ported to Leno and Conan.”
Fallon and Purcell say they’re merely trying to reflect the growing importance of tech gear and digital communications in society.
The show host often keeps an Apple laptop open on his desk. He says he’s a regular reader of Engadget, one of the most popular tech blogs, and Topolsky said he had noticed Fallon commenting on posts.
Fallon had R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe record the incoming-calls message for his iPhone and told New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to “meet me in front of the Sharp 108″ — a massive high-definition TV — to pose for photos.
“I love technology and gadgets,” Fallon said in an e-mail, adding that he doesn’t “see it represented enough on television.”
The well-placed products have created rumblings about whether “Late Night” was getting paid to show them off.
Purcell says it’s not, though Fallon does eventually plan to demonstrate advertisers’ products on the air — the old-fashioned “now a word from our sponsors” approach that happens to be resistant to commercial-skipping by users of digital video recorders.
“We will be very clear if we’re being sponsored,” Purcell said. “We’re in a time now when products can be content.”
Though Fallon’s ratings have been decent, outperforming “Late Show With Craig Ferguson” during the same time slot so far, critics have panned his hosting skills as awkward.
But his unpolished, slightly nerdy approach and embrace of technology may give younger audiences something to grab onto, UCLA marketing professor Ely Dahan said. That could appeal to advertisers.
“If you can convince someone at 18 to get a certain kind of credit card or laptop . . . you might be able to hold on to them for a very long time,” he said.
In the meantime, Fallon has started returning some favors. Rose and Albrecht had him on their Los Angeles set in January to appear on “Diggnation.” Fallon drank beer, cracked jokes and discussed recent submissions to Digg, the social-news site Rose founded.
He also promised to have the pair on “Late Night,” saying he wanted to “embrace tech and gaming as much as celebrity.” They just didn’t expect the invitation to happen during the show’s crucial first few weeks. “We sort of assumed it was going to be months before we got onto the show,” Albrecht said.
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mark.milian@latimes.com
