YouTube Gets TV Ambitions

The blending of content and internet marketing continues apace, with the revelation this week that Google-owned video site YouTube has started to pitch to major online marketers with suggestions for big name, big budget online only shows.  Stars suggested include basketball ace Kobe Bryant, superstar songstress Lady Gaga and the host of US hit show "Dancing with the Stars" Brooke Burke.

YouTube is desperate to get its hands on top quality, star-studded TV-style content, in order to attract the major mainstream ad budgets from the bigger advertisers who currently still spend most of their ad budget on television.  YouTube has offered branded content opportunities for a while, but by getting deeply involved in the pitching and creation of these potential shows, seems to be heightening its intentions to break into this market.  Apparently, the shows are being pitched as branded entertainment, content that will only get made if an advertiser hops on board from the beginning.  Examples seen Advertising Age included "Dream Makers", starring Kobe Bryant making young people's dreams come true (price tag; almost $2 million) as well as an exclusive Lady Gaga concert that would require advertisers to stump up around $9 million.

Separately to this venture, YouTube is also funding start-up costs for selected producers to create top quality original video content for the site, based around content categories designed to appeal to advertisers, such as fashion and sport.  Nobody can accuse them of lacking ambition.