SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - May 25, 2010) - Capitalizing on its rich heritage in online video entertainment and understanding of the coveted 18 to 34 year-old audience, Metacafe® today introduced Metacafe Movies. As the first online video destination solely dedicated to movies, Metacafe Movies will be led by its newly established team of movie experts who will deliver unique original programming, exclusive behind-the-scenes clips and featurettes, restricted redband content and a first-of-its-kind 3D showcase.
"Our singular focus is on building the premier movie and entertainment online video site, delivering a great experience for our viewers and valuable marketing results to our advertisers," said Erick Hachenburg, CEO of Metacafe. "The launch of Metacafe Movies is an important milestone in this endeavour and one that we will continue to build on in the coming months."
The Metacafe Movies editorial team, led by Mark Poggi, formerly of Netflix, and Steven Horn, formerly of Rotten Tomatoes, will curate premium content from every major Hollywood studio to keep film fans plugged into their passion for movies. This will give brands an unparalleled opportunity to connect with today's 18 to 34 year-old "Entertainment Drivers," the enthusiasts and influencers who drive entertainment decisions, define pop culture and determine breakout hits in the social media world.
"Promoting our films in the online video environment is a great way to reach movie fans and build excitement about upcoming releases," said Doug Neil, senior vice president of digital marketing for Universal Pictures. "Restricted content from the upcoming Get Him To The Greek is especially well-suited to the new Metacafe Redband channel."
Well-executed videos can grab attention faster than any other advertising medium. With almost 100 billion online videos watched during the first quarter of 2010, comScore Video Metrix confirms online video advertising is poised for further growth.
"In today's highly fragmented media world, it's imperative that marketers connect with consumers when and where they're consuming video content," said Mike Vorhaus, president, Magid Advisors, a leading research firm. "Our research shows that movie clips and trailers are among the most popular types of videos viewed online. Metacafe's in-depth and exclusive movie content provides advertisers with unparalleled access to influential entertainment enthusiasts."
Metacafe Movies Features:
- Metacafe Unfiltered -- original programming with stars such as the cast of Iron Man 2, the cast of MacGruber, the cast of Cop Out and Metacafe's Matt Zaller
- Meta3D -- a first-of-its-kind showcase that brings the 3D-viewing experience to life with trailers, clips and more from the biggest 3D theatrical releases of 2010 (launching in June)
- Exclusive Movie Clips and Featurettes -- exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from major Hollywood studios, such as the archery training sessions on the set of Ridley Scott's Robin Hood
- Metacafe Redband -- for viewers age 18 and older, featuring edgy redband movie trailers and M-rated video game content (launching May 31), initially sponsored by Universal Pictures' Get Him To The Greek, which opens in theatres on June 4
- MetaHD -- features high-definition trailers and clips from major studio theatrical and Blu-ray/DVD releases, presented via a new widescreen player
- Summer Blockbusters Guide -- video guide to 21 must-see movies of Summer 2010
Metacafe is also tightly integrating social media extensions -- all with the goal of making it easy for people to discover, watch and share great videos.
Additional Information:
- Movie trailers and clips are currently driving nearly 10 million video views per month on Metacafe;
- The Metacafe Movies Facebook fan page launches with more than 23,000 fans; and
- Metacafe increased its movies-related advertising revenues in Q2 by more than 70% year-over-year.
About Metacafe® - Entertainment That Connects
Metacafe® is the first entertainment destination solely dedicated to showcasing the best videos from the world of Movies, Video Games, Sports, Music and TV. Metacafe is the trusted source that keeps millions of viewers plugged into their entertainment passions every day, and connects marquee brand advertisers with their target consumers via close association with the most popular entertainment content on the web. As the only site to deliver a complete entertainment experience via online video, Metacafe attracts more than 15 million unique monthly U.S. viewers (1). The privately held company is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, London and Tel Aviv. For more information -- and millions of entertaining videos -- visit www.metacafe.com.
(1) comScore Video Metrix, March 2010