MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Crackle has added Bebo’s Open Media to their list of viral distribution partners, which includes MySpace, Facebook, hi5, AOL, Piczo and WordPress among others.
The move enables Crackle’s content to be distributed among Bebo’s 40 million-plus users around the world. The videos will be programmed by Crackle’s in-house team of editors from Crackle’s Spotlight and Featured content to ensure both appropriate and addictive entertainment for Bebo’s audience.
Crackle videos on Bebo will air in Crackle’s proprietary media player, allowing advertisements to travel with the content, which ranges from comedy to music to animation. Advertisements will run throughout Crackle’s three customized programmed channels, which include Sketch Comedy from Crackle, Indie Music from Crackle, and Animation from Crackle, to target Bebo’s primarily college-aged audience.
Crackle SVP of marketing and products Jonathan Shambroom stated, “Bebo’s Open Media provides a perfect opportunity for Crackle and Crackle’s advertisers to expand distribution to an additional 40 million eyeballs and we’re excited to take our videos to those new viewers. Social networks are an integral part of our distribution network, enabling audiences to personalize their viewing experience by embedding their favorite videos on their profile pages and sharing them within their network. It’s this type of virality that we’re thrilled to be fostering through Bebo.”
Bebo created a series of features that enables Crackle’s content to go viral throughout the Bebo community. These features include the ability for visitors to subscribe to each programmed channel and become a fan, allowing them to receive updates when new content is added.
Bebo’s president, Joanna Shields added, “Crackle is at the forefront of creating groundbreaking independent entertainment and we’re excited to have their team of editors deliver video content tailor-made for the Bebo community. With Open Media, Beboers can now enjoy a custom Crackle media experience – they can choose the content they want from Crackle’s library of original programming, like Sketch Comedy from Crackle and Indie Music from Crackle, and view it on a custom media player.”
