Murketing videos? Any thoughts?

Posted by Rob Walker on August 19, 2008
Posted Under: Murketing.com

A recent comment to one of the entries in Murketing.com’s Flickr Interludes series has me thinking. Commenter Angel McClinton wrote:

I hope you will start a youtube group to observe Murky video as well.

Interesting thought … but what would that consist of, exactly?

I do the Flickr Interlude stuff because I happen to enjoy Flickr browsing; want to share the cool stuff I find there that is on-point with Murketing.com; and like the idea of adding visual excitement to the site. So it’s all pretty natural, I think. (“Organic,” as they say.)

Video is tougher for me. I don’t spend a lot of free time looking at YouTube/Vimeo/etc. stuff (though obviously I get sucked into things). And I positively hate the way embedded videos, especially YouTube videos, look on Murketing.com or my other sites. (I don’t think I’ve ever embedded a YouTube video here, for that reason.)

Still, I guess I can see the value in collecting “murky” videos — which I won’t bother to define. [Note: The commenter links to and I guess is associated with something called Media Mojito, which I haven’t looked at closely, but may be some kind of platform for branded content, I’m not really sure. So factor that in to the question I’m about to ask.]

So if I did do something video-oriented, what would be an approach that would be interesting and valuable … to you I mean?

Whoever you are.

Further diversion may be found at MKTG Tumblr, and the Consumed Facebook page.

Reader Comments

Hi Rob,
I had one of my photos on this blog a while ago, the basement barbershop shot in Washington Heights. I’d say it’s safest to go with Flickr video, if you go ahead with murky videos, because no one can go past minute and a half and the embed option is the same as the photos.

What would be interesting to me are videos of retailer/consumer behavior in our neighborhoods, cities, villages etc. – how people set up shop in the morning, advertise with a bull-horn (again, in Washington Heights), videos of catchy signs with the changing graphics, caricaturists on Times Square at work, shots of many hands feeling out fruits at a market etc.

#1 
Written By Emon on August 19th, 2008 @ 10:52 am

As a murketing.com devotee I say start uploading! There is bound to be murky videos out there and you’re the man to hunt it down.

#2 
Written By Allen Weaver on August 19th, 2008 @ 10:55 am

I agree, video would be tougher because it requires so much more time devotion on the viewer’s end. I prefer the glancing and instant gratification of the Flickr pics, but I’ve become enamored with my new Flip Mino am have been taking a lot more videos than pictures.

A possible approach could be examining the environmental impact of marketing on a micro level and how it adds up over time. (What I envision could be videos of people handing out flyers, which inevitably accumulate in the nearest trash can or are thrown on the ground.) People’s reactions to ads, be it complete disregard or avoidance, could be an approach.

#3 
Written By Gladys on August 19th, 2008 @ 11:22 pm

I second the vote for flickr videos, the embedding is more pleasing to the eye and the 90sec limit lends itself to a “moving snapshot” sort of feel.

Perhaps you could encourage folks to start uploading appropriate flickr videos to the group and see what happens.

#4 
Written By katerw on August 20th, 2008 @ 11:27 am

Thanks all. I will be thinking about this over the weekend.

#5 
Written By Rob Walker on August 21st, 2008 @ 11:22 am

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