Partnership Between Yahoo And Electus Beginning Of New Trend Towards Original Online Content

Online companies like AOL, Yahoo, and Netflix increasingly challenge traditional broadcasters. They focus on producing original video content in order to capture audience’s attention and to surpass traditional forms of entertainment. Success is visible in numbers, which gives companies reason to further pursue shows with original online content. Yahoo for example has taken part in an increasing number of various activities, including partnerships with Electus and State Farm. This collaboration with Ben Silverman’s next generation studio Electus led to an online program called “Ready, Set, Dance!” Since the new original dance competition series Yahoo has announced the start of ‘Breakout,’ a regular service on its Finance channel.

According to Erin McPherson, Yahoo's head of video programming and originals, Yahoo wants “to be disruptive.” She further explained that her “hope is that we get to the point that we're a first window for content." Many others in the industry share McPherson’s positive attitude. Les Morgenstein, chief executive of Alloy Entertainment is convinced the web provides a large number of opportunities. "There are a lot of TV creators who have had success and not ownership," he explained.

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Eisner Is New Member Of IAC Board

Michael Eisner was elected to IAC’s board of directors, increasing the total number of board members to 13. He is joining the company due to a recent urge and push to concentrate more on content. The e-commerce firm has been very successful in its digital partnership with Ben Silverman and his next generation studio Electus. The partnership agreed to a deal with AOL, in which a web series was developed to be streamed on AOL’s website. The morning show Electus produced is called the “AOL Daybreak” and forms only the beginning of future digital partnerships focusing on content.

Eisner’s Election is a unification of him and IAC CEO Barry Diller. Eisner began his career when he was hired by Diller to work for ABC. Afterwards Eisner joined Diller, who decided to leave ABC and run Paramount in 1974. In addition to working together for many years and gathering experience running some of the most well-known businesses Eisner also made a name for himself when he served as Walt Disney’s CEO for twenty-one years from 1984 until 2005. Eisner’s Viguru studio was able to develop scripted series for the Web and recording another partnership with AOL through its aggressive approach.

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Partnership Between Electus And DumbDumb Brings Out Denny’s ‘Always Open’ Series

Ben Silverman’s next generation multimedia studio Electus has partnered with Will Arnett and Jason Bateman’s digital content studio DumbDumb to come out with a new web series for the restaurant chain Denny’s. The web series with original content will carry the title “Always Open” to refer to the opening hours and welcoming nature of the restaurant. As part of Barry Diller’s IAC, Electus has chosen to extend Denny’s nationwide campaign developed by Interpublic Group's advertising agency Gotham. All episodes of the web series will take place in an operating Denny’s restaurant and will feature David Koechner of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" interviewing other TV and movie stars as well as casual diners and Denny’s employees. It will be distributed on various websites including Denny's.com, CollegeHumor.com, Facebook, YouTube as well as other social platforms.

Both parties express their excitement of this new venture. Executive vice president of advertising solutions of Electus, Laura Caraccioli-Davis, explained "As one of America's most iconic brands, we are excited to team up with Denny's to not only create great content, but to help the brand express its values and personality to a broad audience -- and to truly enhance its presence nationwide." Chief creative officer at Gotham, Marty Orzio, added "when we created the 'always open' brand platform for Denny's, we did it with every intention of spreading that message across all media platforms."

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Armstrong Revitalizing AOL

Tim Armstrong, who has been the new CEO of AOL for two years, is attempting to revitalize AOL by taking on board different shows and partnering with stars and experts such as Queen Latifah and Ben Silverman, Electus CEO, respectively. Armstrong is planning to use creativity and original content to target and master the next era of the Internet. "The first phase of the Internet was about access, and I believe AOL was the biggest player in that phase. Then the next phase has really been about the platform, so you've seen Apple, Google and Facebook there," he explains. "But the phase after this is going to be more of the Hollywood phase, where it's about content, creativity and really putting a human face on the Internet."

Part of this effort and direction includes employing Queen Latifah as the new host of a sports-themed talk show for women. She will star as well as produce in the web series, covering topics on entrepreneurialism, entertainment and sports. The co-founder of the Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, will oversee all these new plans. Latifah is excited about the opportunity and praises AOL for its ideas and commitment to target them and put them into action. "It's great having a company that's supportive of doing the same kinds of things and looking to the future, as opposed to trying to hold on to how things were in the past," she said.

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