YouTube is reportedly planning to spend $100 million to launch 20 different channels, and support the creation and distribution of original, TV-like programming for them, in a bid to provide a legitimate alternative to broadcast TV. Their goal is to get TV viewers to switch over and watch YouTube in the future like they do TV now. For viewers, this may be a welcome opportunity to end their love/hate relationship with cable distributors. A cheap and cheerful new way to begin love affairs with serial, scripted shows. Read more…

It's elementary. Advertisers and marketers have to go where the consumers are. And that, for now, for sure, is social media.

Question is, what's the best way to engage consumers on their own terms in this strange and wonderful new world?

We think WARC, the UK based advertising research group, has its eyes on the prize: identifying brand experiences that are the most engaging, most powerful modes of all—the ones that build relationships by deepening emotional connections with brand values. Read more…