January 2008

Trend: The Internet as primary media channel

Ready for tomorrow’s consumers?

In future, consumers will use the Internet as their primary source of information when selecting media products. In fact, for certain age groups, the net has already overtaken more traditional media. Dennis Englund from Nordisk Film Interactive and Rasmus Steentoft from Nordisk Film\PLAY offer suggestions for how we can use the net to reach our target groups.

Nanna Lindhardt / Nordisk Film / nanna.lindhardt@nordiskfilm.com

The Internet is an important sales showcase for media products in the Nordic region. Nordic consumers are Internet-savvy and confident about shopping on the net.

But the net is also a gigantic social networking resource.

Many people have now joined MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and other interest groups that play a major role in Nordic consumers’ lives. These special interest forums influence the product choices of consumers because they can seek the information they want online and get recommendations from others with similar interests rather than having to sift through product ads or rely on newspaper reviews.

Jump on the bandwagon!

This trend puts new demands on marketing and corporate branding. With traditional TV, radio, print and outdoor advertising, consumers are passive recipients of commercial messages. On the web, however, people are active on a different level. New consumers define themselves through their behavior on the net, forming personal opinions on their own terms. They decide what information they want to receive – and from whom – far more proactively.

According to Dennis Englund, marketing director of Nordisk Film Interactive, there is no escaping this trend: “Consumers get bombarded with messages daily, and

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the web will soon be the platform with the strongest impact. If we don’t embrace the new branding methods, we will find ourselves occupying an ever-diminishing place in consumer awareness. Right now the ratio between new and old media is roughly 50/50, but in a year or two this will likely change to 30/70 in favor of the new media. We are at a watershed. The traditional media have by no means outlived their role, but we cannot afford to fail to excel in this new area.”

Try it, try it!

So how should a modern media company adapt to this reality? Above all, by getting to know the new media and its users. Net users are a critical breed, and to win their favor, companies must essentially woo them on their terms. For example, this means not simply re-using TV commercials on the net but rethinking them completely.

Dennis Englund elaborates: “The trend on the net is clear: The new type of consumer demands respect. Consumers don’t want predefined messages stuffed down their throats. If we really want to reach them, we have to open up the brand and have the courage to put it to the user vote – for better or worse.”

A new web trend that supports Dennis’ statement is the phenomenon known as “tryvertizing”, where companies

Nordisk Film\PLAY is tasked with producing brand channels for external customers. A brand channel is the company’s own online TV channel, a form of “moving-image” customer catalogue that also appeals to users’ need to participate.

Facts about consumer behavior on the net: n 89%

of Danes have access to the Internet (Source: Statistics Denmark). n A third of all web traffic today is attributable to moving images (Mediawatch, August 22, 2007). n In the first half of 2007 Internet advertising grew by 50-60% (Berlingske Business, August 14, 2007).

n The

Internet is the second most popular medium among the 13-18-year-old target group. If the trend continues at the present rate, by 2009 the Internet will be the platform on which young people spend most time (Nordisk Film Media & Analysis, Claus Solmer-Jørgensen). n YouTube shows 100 million videos a day (ComputerWorld, October 23, 2006).

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A good example Here is an example, by now a classic, of what works on the net – and more specifically, what does not: Soft drinks manufacturer Pepsi launched a classic TV/movie theatre commercial for free distribution on YouTube. Despite the massive sums spent on the ads, depicting celebrity football players and others drinking the product, Pepsi failed to get the desired response.

In the meantime, the company changed its tactics, hiring two ordinary Chinese men to come up with an idea. Given free rein, the couple produced a zany, extremely low-tech parody of the expensive commercial. The clip was a huge success, reaching the whole world at lightning speed through YouTube users.

Watch the clips here: Pepsi’s classic TV and movie theater commercial featuring football icon David Beckham and other celebrities flopped dismally on YouTube. Two Chinese men were more successful with their zany take-off of the Pepsi ad. Photo: www.youtube.com

invite ordinary people to test their products. Afterwards, the users are asked to write down their candid – and uncensored – opinions and share them with other consumers.

Companies take a risk but if, on the other hand, things go well, the recommendation is considered far more credible, its being based on the actual experiences of real people.

Own TV channel “Brand channels” are another way for companies to communicate with their target groups on the net. This is the company’s own online TV channel, a form of “moving-image” customer catalogue that also appeals to users’ need to participate. Although the producing company still promotes brand channels, they are built

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The original: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=E5T8QnF24tI The Chinese take-off: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=iWLPFKI6B9w

Nordisk Film har netop lanceret en ny afdeling,

”Forbrugerne påvirkes af mange ting hver

Nordisk Film\PLAY, som skal lave brand channels

dag, og snart vejer nettet tungest af alle

for eksterne kunder. Rasmus Steentoft , direk-

disse indtryk. Hvis ikke vi hopper med på nye

tør for afdelingen, mener tiden er løbet fra de

måder at brande os selv, kommer vi til at fylde

traditionelle reklamestrategier, derfor lederne

mindre og mindre i forbrugernes bevidsthed,”

virksomhederne efter alternative måder at

siger Dennis Englund, marketingdirektør i

komme i kontakt med deres kunder på.

Nordisk Film Interactive.

around a universe that invites consumers to cultivate the brand rather than buy something.

the Vatican has entered the digital age with its own brand channel!”

Nordisk Film recently opened a new department, Nordisk Film\PLAY, tasked with producing brand channels for external customers. Department director Rasmus Steentoft explains why the time is now ripe for such an initiative: “Traditional advertising strategies have started to lose their effect, prompting companies to look for new ways of reaching their customers. A brand channel is a space without advertising interference that offers consumers the scope and time to enjoy new brand experiences while sharing their specific interests with like-minded people.

Brand channels need not be about products alone – even

Mellemrubrik: We must dare to take the leap So it’s a question of being present on the web in exactly the right way for your particular product, and the strategy differs – and should differ – from division to division. For instance, Nordisk Film Interactive has initiated a collaboration with MySpace in connection with their SingStar game and has also reaped good results from its presence on the Nordic portal for children and young people, Habbo Hotel.

But according to Dennis Englund presence is far from enough: “To be at the forefront of development, we

must to dare to take the leap. For this reason, at Interactive, we have earmarked a specific portion of the 2008 budget to find out what will be the next major web trend. We’ve decided to consult various people outside the company, acknowledging that we ourselves are prone to go down traditional marketing avenues.”

Rasmus Steentoft agrees that right now the chief goal for companies is to familiarize themselves with the ways of web marketing. “We may run the risk of trying out initiatives that don’t hit the mark first time. But we simply have to accept that risk if we are to gain handson experience in the new media,” he finishes.

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“From the moment we received the manuscript, we had a huge range of concerns to consider. Our main priority was to protect the two girls who had been abused, and we had to think about a host of ethical issues about what readers actually need to know,” explains Jeppe Markers from Lindhardt og Ringhof.

A book on the border Ethical considerations, arguments for and against, and hours of discussion about where a publisher is willing to put its name. Every single word was carefully weighed before Lindhardt og Ringhof published Grænselandet – Tøndersagen efterforsket, a book dealing with the most notorious case of sex abuse in Denmark’s history.

Vibeke Daell Bjerrum/ Corporate Communications/ bjerrum@egmont.com

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How does a publisher go about publishing a book on the most notorious case of sex abuse in the history of Denmark?

A book on the verge of the ethically acceptable, and one that may have legal ramifications for the publisher.

At Lindhardt og Ringhof, Jeppe Markers, editor-inchief of the publisher’s current affairs department, deliberated over his options for a long time. He decided that some stories simply deserve to be told. Not only because they are good stories, but also because we can learn from them.

“Our aim in publishing the book was to show how a case as horrific as the Tønder case could occur and to stimulate debate by drawing attention to the immense pressure under which Danish social authorities still operate and which unfortunately means that we cannot rule out similar cases reoccurring.”

And the fall publication of Grænselandet did indeed spark debate. The book got massive press coverage, receiving mixed responses from critics and readers alike.

Some felt the book was “the literary revival of the year” while others described it as “gutter journalism”, but Jeppe Markers was satisfied: “The book got the attention we had hoped for, rekindling the debate about how the situation could have got as far as it did.”

However, for Jeppe Markers and the book’s editor, Jakob Moll, the book was also the most intensive editorial endeavor either had ever been involved with: “From the moment we received the manuscript, we had a huge range of concerns to consider. Our main priority was to protect the two girls who had been abused, and we had to think about a host of ethical issues about what readers actually need to know,” explains Markers, continuing: “So we listed all the potential problems of publication, went through them one by one, and discussed whether we could justify them. And we can vouch 110% for the final product.”

To date Grænselandet has sold about 8,000 copies.

Grænselandet – Tøndersagen efterforsket was an ethically challenging publication, but the book garnered great acclaim. It was recently nominated for the Montanas Literary Prize of DKK 100,000.

What was the Tønder case about? n The

Tønder case is a closed criminal case from southern Jutland in Denmark. It concerns the sexual abuse of two girls who were both violated by their father, with their mother’s knowledge. The older girl was also offered to other men. n On February 20, 2007 the court delivered its final verdict in the case, sentencing the girls’ father to 10 years in prison.

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All in the family Fie, Tine and Anne are sisters. They also all work for Egmont. Whereas other people try to keep their personal and working lives strictly separate, the three sisters have learned to make the most of having the same employer by drawing on each other’s knowledge and experience in their respective jobs. Hardcopy’s reporters decided to meet the trio.

Nanna Lindhardt and Daniel Bentien / Nordisk Film / nanna.lindhardt@nordiskfilm.com / Photo: Steen Brogaard

Their differing last names do not alter the facts: Tine Ingevold, Anne Ingevold and Fie Brandt are three sisters working for Egmont, albeit in three different companies.

Little sister Fie Brandt is an assistant at Nordisk Special Marketing (NSM) and has also worked at MBO since 2005. Big sister Tine Ingevold has worked as a production coordinator for Copenhagen Records since 2004.

Last, middle sister Anne Ingevold is a digital product manager at Egmont Serieforlaget, where she has worked since July 2007.

The three sisters came to Egmont by very different routes. Fie followed a colleague from the record company EMI to NSM, and Tine also opted to leave EMI to join in the start-up of MBO company Copenhagen Records. As digital product manager, Anne has a background from former positions at both Bonnier Publications and Danmarks Radio, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.

Sisterly advice There are many situations in which having two sisters working in the same group can be an advantage. Fie and Tine have the closest working ties since NSM and Copenhagen Records collaborate on various CD compilations and soundtracks.

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However, the sisters can give good advice and act as sounding boards for each other regardless of the company for which they work. Anne sums up their relationship: “Essentially, being sisters simply means that our network is slightly closer-knit than the ones people otherwise build up. The fact that we each work with different products and platforms makes it easier to access the different parts of the company, and I can get in touch with the right person faster through Fie or Tine.”

A large organization Although the three sisters work for the same organization, they do not feel they get under each other’s feet. Egmont is a large organization, a characteristic of which all three sisters enjoy the benefits: “The multifaceted quality of the group offers a wealth of exciting ways of working together throughout the companies,” Fie explains.

Her sister Anne, however, feels the organization’s size has both pros and cons. “Knowing that colleagues elsewhere in the organization are interested in the products we work with is a plus, and people everywhere at Egmont are very willing to help. On the flip side, we are often so busy that it’s simply easier to plan and do the job on your own.”

Egmont’s size does not have any notable impact on the sisters’ day-to-day routines, and big sister Tine gives her take on why: “There are probably two main reasons. First and foremost, we are only just over 20 people in my office. But on top of that, we didn’t become part of Egmont until 2006 and had already been well integrated into Copenhagen Records the year before.”

The sisters together: Tine Ingevold, Anne Ingevold and Fie Brandt are all sisters working at Egmont. Tine is a production coordinator at Copenhagen Records, Anne is the digital product manager for Egmont Serie­forlaget, and Fie Brandt works as an assistant for Nordisk Special Marketing.

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The Ove Sprogøe Award 2007 For the second year running, Nordisk Film presented the Ove Sprogøe Award. This time Danish actor Nicolaj Kopernikus received the kudos plus DKK 30,000 at a festive get-together at the Palads movie theatre in Copenhagen.

Daniel Bentien / Nordisk Film / daniel.bentien@nordiskfilm.com / Photo: Isak Hoffmeyer

On December 21, 2007 the Danish actor Ove Sprogøe, whom we all know better as Egon from the Olsen Gang, would have turned 88. Nordisk Film therefore picked this date to present the second Ove Sprogøe Award. The tribute goes to a Danish actor who has made his mark as a popular and versatile performer on stage and screen.

The man of the evening, a highly regarded actor, met with guests at the Olsen Banden Café at the Palads movie theatre in Copenhagen for a glass of Fernet Branca amaro and cake.

A multitalented winner This year’s award winner, actor Nicolaj Kopernikus, is a well-known face from the worlds of film, TV and theater where, like Ove Sprogøe, he has played a wealth of roles, including that of a social drop-out in the movie The Bench, Hans Christian Andersen in the stage play My Fairy Tale and a lead role in the Danish Broadcasting Corporation series The Killing.

The Ove Sprogøe Award was instituted by Danish actor Morten Grunwald and Nordisk Film.

The authors of the Ove Sprogøe biography Den fynske vulkan donate their royalties to the award and the income from Nordisk Film’s memorial screenings helps finance the award. A total of DKK 150,000 will be awarded over five years, DKK 30,000 a year.

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Artistic versatility was one of the qualities that won actor Nicolaj Kopernikus the Ove Sprogøe Award 2007.

Podium – book and magazine in one from L&R For the second year running, Nordisk Film presented the Ove Sprogøe Award. This time Danish actor Nicolaj Kopernikus received the kudos plus DKK 30,000 at a festive gettogether at the Palads movie theatre in Copenhagen.

Daniel Bentien / Nordisk Film / daniel.bentien@nordiskfilm.com / Photo: Isak Hoffmeyer

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Crown Princess MetteMarit of Norway and Sweden’s Crown Princess Viktoria are more than mere members of the Nordic royal families. They are also fashion and style icons, and if one has worn a particular dress, aired a new look or dared sport a striking color, many women will follow suit.

These same women are the target group of Lindhardt og Ringhof’s new book, Podium- mode og livsstil i Europas kongehuse.

“We’re increasingly seeing the royals as trendsetters, and that’s why we believe the book market has an opening that Podium can fill,” explains Anette Vestergaard, editor at the cultural department of Lindhardt og Ringhof.

According to Anette Vestergaard, what distinguishes Podium from various weekly and fashion publications that also avidly report royal goings-on – especially what the female members of the royal families wear on various occasions – is that the new “fashion book” gives readers a closer insight into royal fashion.

“The weeklies can show what Crown Princess Mary had on last week, but they lack the space to describe the overall picture. This is where Podium can offer readers more background material, tell the story behind the different trends, follow developments in the European royal families and in particular, put the people and their changing styles into a historical perspective.”

Hitting bookstores in October, the first issue of Podium got a warm reception from its target group, which, according to Anette Vestergaard, differs from the buyers of traditional weeklies.

“Podium appeals to a younger audience with far greater buying power. This is the generation that ‘grew up’ with Frederik [translator’s note: Crown Prince Frederik

Podium partly results from a collaboration with Egmont, as its editorial department has a photo agreement with the weekly HerogNu. The book follows the international fashion season and is thus published twice a year. The next issue will be out in spring.

of Denmark] and is now keeping an eye on Mary because she is continuing a thousand-year-old tradition. That fuels the ‘princess dream’ in us all. These are women who spend a lot on clothes, and they might see the potential in buying a beautiful book about royal fashion.

I hope Podium will become a collector’s item and that the project will be so successful that we can duplicate the format in the other Nordic countries.”

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