In brief: Siok Siok Tan, Niurenku Founder & CEO, talked about a dramatic new market for online branding & advertising, and was interviewed by David Wolf.
(Image coming soon… we know, sorry to keep you all waiting…)
This is a summary of tweets sent during the interview.
Welcome to Subway Line @sioksiok.. The next station is Niurenku. Please get ready for your arrival.
David Wolf introducing Beijing’s Subway goddess, Siok Siok Tan. Of Twittamentary, Boomtown Beijing fame.
Siok: Asia’s next generation of educators, filmmakers. Now doing branded content.
“Siok, you’re finally commercial!” Siok: “I was always born in the ocean.”
Siok started in 2007 with Boomtown Beijing. Started out as “independent filmmaker” (note quotes): IS NOT ONE.
Does things for Discovery Channel.
Siok has done travel shows, cooking shows; more a creative director.
What’s Niurenku? That’s a consumer-facing brand: lots of videos about action sports, hip stuff.
Those videos are being viewed on Tudou, via social media. Logo is not big.
Subtlety of branding rare in China. BUT: therein lies the opportunity. But gap must be crossed. (Mind the gap!)
If you’re reaching folks under 30, they’re going to watch something that they think is “content”; subtle.
Siok watches TV only twice but she’s a TV producer.
Siok has always watched videos online. Only 2 TV encounters: May 12 earthquake, Beijing Olympics.
Way people enjoy content has changed completely.
You’ve to tell a great story and create an atmosphere of “us”.
A lot of people watch videos online but they’ve hard time proving to their bosses that the money is being well-spent.
Last Q: Seems like a biz anyone can get into with video camera, Mac. How do you prevent being copied out of business?
Execution is difficult. All about creating very high level content. Web of strategic partnerships.
It’s very labour intensive, it’s very hard work; especially if you’re doing this professionally.
Thanks Siok! 