BARNEYS NEWYORK – 3D DENIM
Contact: Robin Rudoy
Tel. 310-471-1575 x 2
Email: robin@ctndigital.com
CTN DIGITAL SELECTED BY BARNEYS NEW YORK
Neal Gray, President & CEO of CTN Digital, said, “Barneys New York is taking the lead with an immersive and edgy 3D experience that will entertain and engage their customers like never before.”
Recently CTN has developed and launched multiple campaigns, the reason its seems like just last week that we launched AMC RUBICON, is because it was last week. So We would be remiss if we didnt thank our amazing team for producing hundreds of pages in perfect form – on-time – and very very quickly.
UP and running August 9th, is the Denim Delight BOOK – a 3D LOOKBOOK like none other, all in precision anaglyph ( Red-Cyan ) at http://barneysmag.com with autodetect iPad Viewer ( the scroller mural framework ).
PageBlend allows for Insertions into homepage placements with ipad/nonflash fallbacks.
Users can click Select:FULLSCREEN and jump to full and back with a click, Shop directly from inside links of the book pages.
All Pages are tracked for page-view time, event clicks for mouseovers and shop button use.
Aug 16th – Book Placement in homepage of Barneys.com
iPad with scroll slider navigation cover bar – made for 3D , pinchzoom to 1.8 mag. 7 megs maxes out the iPad Cache.
This viewer loads 5 megs of imagery – so it is right up to the very edge of Safari limits.
CDN supported to 50,000 visits per hour with 5 videos and 50 pages ( 24 are full spread 3D ).
Visit http://barneysmag.com or simply google "barneysmag" its the #1 choice
… click and we take it from there and send you to the right content for your device. HDTV users with 3D glasses get a superb experience. This is our 3rd "All 3 Screens" development, but our very first "3D" … It took special extra virtual pixel coding and bandwidth management … we hope you enjoy it.
Below is the Page at barneys.com to signup for free glasses.
http://www.barneys.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-BNY-Site/default/Link-Emailsignup
Virtual pixels and scaling
Now that iPads and retina displays and variations in PC screen size can run from 1024 to 2560… the world as we know it has changed. Being able to zoom and having various pixel density display technology is not all there is to it. GPU cards also scale and smooth the rendering as does the code in the browsers, so maybe 5 or 6 hefty chunks of tech and software intervene to either software smooth or possibly inflict device-specific GPU driven rules of image handling.
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Depending on your device, the images above will either look identical, or ( as in an ipad zoom ) the one on the left is pixeled and the one on the right stays ok. Of course adding Anaglyph 3D to the mix of dependencies increases the problems of tending to visual accuracy even more, generally making all images blurry anyhow until you put on your retro 3D glasses. ( another story for later )
The solution does include the need for high bandwidth…
the image on the left is 25kb the one on the right is 150kb.
The problem is industry-wide and spans these cases:
1) HDTV – as more HDTV 1920 x 1080 displays get connected to the web, the more evident it becomes that variations on pixel density over distance will matter. A 32 inch 1080p looks stunningly accurate up close where the same image looks rather soft or jaggy and fuzzy with the same image up close on a 65 inch tv. Both resolution and device physical dimensions come into play. Virtual pixels help manage the dramatic differences in Dots Per Inch of display area.
2) iPhone4 The Retina display – 328 or so pixels per inch in a smartphone 4 inch or so form factor "fixes" a problem that doesnt much need fixing, but it does look nice and by practical means, zooming on that display is far more enjoyable.
3) iPad – just the ability to pinch zoom is a scaling "virtual-pixel" gamechanger – mostly because it processes to 'sharpen' the image in post-zoom code ( you can easily see it doing that though it is not documented for coders to manage ). The ability to easily zoom and the inherent GPU device-specific scaling behaviors must be dealt with properly. We do several pre and post processing technology efforts for making this work.
In 300DPI publisher formats for 11 x 17 ( we get that a lot ) the accuracy vs size of dot density is not compatible with pixel-based displays, causes lots of processing problems for PageBlend to tend to. Much of our code and prep is based in knowing the issue and doing re-design to preserve the original feel of the art in the new context of 300 dpi source to 72 dpi screen typical less resolution delivery accuracy, and do that with immediacy. ( Avoiding the Zinio + Zmags zoom image recovery cycle required by simple-minded PDF conversions )
The user experience should not be interrupted by image cleanup – post-fetch correction, when as in PageBlend, it can be seamless.
Basically when you have a book in PageBlend, extra effort, code and Bandwidth all are brought together to preserve the visuals with no post process lag to "fetch the highres image ". It is immediate and across PC to HDTV. Videos arrive and play right on time.
BANDWIDTH:
THE PROBLEM IS GENERALLY THE LAST MILE OR THE LAST 30 FEET ( wireless )
We are quite good at exerting command and control over creative and applying solutions, but it comes at some expense of one thing we cannot control… the stark hard reality of user endpoint bandwidth. ( Google know this, they want to fiber connect a whole town to prove it too… )
It generally takes 5-6x the filesize and bandwidth to deal with this. But the problem is even more complex in that it doesnt matter if you have massive server horsepower like we do here… because the bottleneck will be at the LAN/WAN local wireless. This is not even a last mile problem, its a last 30 feet problem that is challenged by all the radios of competing wireless devices. If you have an iPhone, iPod, iPad, iMac all running on the same desk .. you have 4 radios competing at the same wavelength for communication attention to a single router in a single connection. All it takes is the kid in the next room to add a YouTube video to the load of the system and you are basically going to stress the dataflow… there is nothing anyone can do about that, so making the arrival bandwidth satisfy a profile happens at the designers desk. This means bumping the files a bit with no obvious loss of quality. We will not tell you how we do that, but rest assured its a big part of what we do.
We urge browser coders to please make the client-side tooling work with even less code for the HTDV enabled systems… that is required to allow is to satisfy this emerging need.
3D
AMC RUBICON Season Premier EPK
Written in Dossier form and loaded with autoplaying fast-start video of every character, this 47 page 12 clip video integrated book introduces what could be a hot new property for Rainbow Media and AMC Originals.
It is now public at this link: http://amc.ctnhd.com/rubicon
Global espionage exposed by Frontline, Deported Russian Suburbian spy rings, promoted in the new York Times and supported by the intelligence gathering of the hot new info in Wikileaks.org, public attention to this topic and the timing of this new series could not be more perfect. CTNDIGITAL was provided some exclusive content in making this well-worth-the-read book, with backstory and Character bios and Actor profiles. Narrated by Executive Producer Henry Bromell, this intertwined and timely storyline is presented character-by-character in the first 26 pages.
The Rubicon book has some of the latest Features of PageBlend along with the robust features already available:
- Twitter API link/post automation – one click.
- Facebook API (FBML) auto thumbnail and page specific auto-linking for one click Wall Posting
- One-click Thumbnailer index, trackable events, high performance high accuracy visuals and video
- Fullscreen maximizer scaler, custom anti-aliased fonting provides for 1024 thru 1920 pixels of quality
- Presents perfectly on 1080p HTPC / HDTV and can navigate using the arrow buttons on Logitech remotes.
- Autoplay Video cover page, 1/4 .. 1/2 and full spread
- Video MP4 support and CDN delivery supports over 250,000 users/day
- Average "Sticky-time" in the book = 12 minutes… many visits are 28 minutes.
Set in the American Policy Institute — a fictional clearinghouse for all the nation's espionage — "Rubicon" focuses on intelligence analyst Will Travers (James Badge Dale), who, we're told, is "skilled in pattern recognition, systems analysis and emergence theories."
How skilled? One of his colleagues has been puzzling over something called the "Malaysian cipher," trying to figure out what four cities — Seville, Larnaca, Dubrovnik and Ajaccio — have in common. Within seconds, Travers is able to rattle off the following: "They were all part of the Roman Empire. They all have paleaectic Mediterranean rain forests (and) a chaparral biome. They're all in countries that spend less than 5 percent of their GDP on the military."
But that's just one example of how "Rubicon," which was inspired by political thrillers ranging from "All the President's Men" to "The Conversation," doesn't waste time coddling viewers.
Above Page with fullspread video selected on HDTV
Powered by CTNDIGITAL and its creative team in conjunction with Rainbow Media And AMC.
Contact us at 310.471.1575
Flash 10.1 nVidia GPU pipeline
Badgley Mischka LOOKBOOK WEBSITE
Sometimes we are honored with a client ( ICONIX ) that wants our work to be the basis of their online marketing webpresence.
Visit www.badgleymischka.com There are 9 lookbooks showing over 250 pages of design in this buildout, perfect examples of digitalmedia in the classic sought-after clean lookbook style. Fully Facebook wall post integrated and one click automated page-specific social engagement.
Fullscreen is the best way to engage yourself in the amazing designs by Mark Badgley and James Mischka
This is a reasonably high traffic international traffic pattern for an average weekend.
This type of traffic flow is supported by a Global CDN – EU map is HERE
Flash 10.1 on Android FroYo
Via IntoMobile
AMC Breaking Bad Mag
Visit Breaking Bad Mag for AMC / SONY Motion Pictures Television.
This one was very unique, HDTV capable with Square Page aspect ratio and dozens of auto-launching videos.
Press Release:
AMC Selects CTN Digital for "Breaking Bad" Digital Press Kit |
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NEW YORK, June 9, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMC has selected Los Angeles-based CTN Digital to produce its first-ever HD video-centric digital press kit for its critically acclaimed show, Breaking Bad. The online press kit will be delivered to members of the press using CTN Digital's Page Blend technology and design system. Theano Apostolou, SVP, Publicity & Promotions, said, "CTN Digital offers us a brilliant and innovative way to introduce our Emmy award winning show to the press. CTN Digital provided a solution that was as captivating and engaging as our programming." Neal Gray, President & CEO of CTN Digital, said, "AMC is the leader in distinctive, high quality television and we're excited to have been chosen to produce a digital HD press kit for their hit show." |
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Kno – 2 screens 14 inches tall
This is so insanely perfect for what its built to do. It is for real, showcased at D8. MSRP around 1k?
It will do Flash 10.1 whenever Adobe finally releases the integration package for Oems, hopefully sometime in the next 6 weeks. Release date for this new product is not yet known… but we want one. Microsoft killing off the Currier makes sense seeing this, MSFT must have known about it before we did.
Google Tv
One thing about enablements … Low friction. Meaning: if its ready when you are and done on a click, it will likely happen. The best way to have an internet TV situation is to basically have it be one click to get at… makes it imperative that the TV have a Browser in it and the ability to find what you want. Plug and play – all build-in know who you are and what you like. Its all about Google membership in the cloud, Google checkout, Google TV ads.. the works — it just needs the TV to have itself connected. Sony will put it in the back of the TV, Logitech will put it into a box. ( select the HDMI input and there you are )
CTN has always had a version of its PageBlend that can navigate with no more than the arrow buttons and OK A,B,C on a TV remote. so we are ready, NOW.
But we have to wait for Google to get all TV connected and converged, Microsoft failed, Apple Failed, they all failed. Google connects the dots and it gets done… Thats the premise.
Mark Cuban and i trade emails from time to time, usually about how his HDNET channel is unavailable on Comcast and such stuff about the great films Magnolia produces ( like FOOD INC )
http://blogmaverick.com/2010/05/20/the-future-of-google-tv-is/
Here is what Mark says at this moment:
Google TV is going to be very interesting. It is far from a certainty that it will be more than Apple TV in terms of consumer sales. From a first glance the Marketplace is the most important and interesting element of the announcement. As a development platform, Android creates the potential for untold unique and interesting applications that could capture users imagination. Early on, I don’t think TV oriented apps will have the most impact. If I understood the announcement, in the beginning of 2011, there will be an Android Marketplace. The money and the opportunity won’t be in TV apps. It will be in gaming and social apps. The low hanging fruit will be in taking apps that work on facebook and Iphone/Pad and moving them (if they haven’t already) to the Android platform and upsizing them to take advantage of working on a big screen.
The Google TV box could be a very cool and hopefully inexpensive gaming console. That is where the money will be.
What about TV ?
The success of Google TV will come down to one thing….PageRank. Can you imagine the white hat and black hat SEO battles that will take place as video content providers try to get to the top of the TV Search Listings on Google TV ? Like Google said, there are 4 billion TVs and growing and the US TV Ad market is $70 BILLION. There is a lot at stake if Google TV takes off. How Google does its PageRank for this product will have a bigger impact on the success of the product in the TV market than anything else it does.
..snip ..
On the other other side, if traditional TV makes it to the top, Google TV is the best thing to ever happen to Cable , Satellite and Telco TV providers. Why ? Google just solved their biggest problems, their user interface and programming guide. Not only that, if Google TV is what big content providers and distributors consider to be a good partner, they just off loaded much of the future R&D for the set top box to Google and its partners and developers. Should cable and companies adopt Android on their set top boxes ? They will watch and decide. Even better for the TV Providers, maximum utility from the Google TV comes from having a TV subscription. They may actually gain subscribers as a result of this product. Which is exactly why Charlie Ergen had Dish Network participate. Its win win win for Dish Network.
One Big thing that matters also is the Advertiser opportunity to recover from what the likes of TiVo did, Ad skipping… TiVo cuts the oxygen from the sponsoring ecosystem. We all know its time to put high quality promotional engagement back into the entertainment spectrum.
Advertising opportunity across several paradigms of discovery and in rich interactive media is the next stage of evolution, we all know it. CTN will deliver many options for inclusion and engagement to pick from ( more than just affinity targeted Magazine formats ) and we are exited about our upcoming releases that do just that… Engineer the first encounter of a quality ad insertion that is distinctive, appropriate, and memorable.
For CTN digitalmedia, Advertising IS content.
Logitech is the first partner for Google TV process of interconnecting existing HDTV to the web.:
GTV "companion" ( and yes , it has a plug-and-play video Skype – so you can say Hi to Grandma and all the family )
Look for our upcoming App and channel on VISIO, Logitech, Boxee and such, with page turning magazines on your HDTV, video enabled, Ad richness, and engaging stuff about TV Shows ( some trailers, interviews and backstory like our AMC/LIONSGATE MadMenMag.com )
CTNHD is coming Soon. Its going to be a very good year.
Request a mediakit at info@ctndigital.com
Facebook Social Hooks
We recently realized that some people dont have the full grasp of our automated FB WALL link and post generator.
To start at the beginning… Facebook is often the primary method used by taste-makers and influencers on the web.
It gets massive repeated daily traffic, runs about even with Google at this time.
Statistics:
Of greater importance, is that a Facebook Wall Posting includes thumbnails, and link control, and a short comment optionally from the poster, and the ability to Like/dislike or reply comment to the FB Wall Posting that is automatically placed in the Facebook Home pages of every friend in facebook, every Fanpage.
The essential features in Pageblend FaceBook WALL Post:
1) Its automated, one-click, displays Cover of Lookbook / Magazine as a primary thumbnail
2) Includes a Title, summary of the Issue, (a feature maybe) and some text on topic.
3) Creates a Link direct to the page you are looking at when you clicked the Facebook Button.
the link is: http://lux.lookbookhd.com/?page=34 easy – direct – relevant to your post.
Since this is an easy and low-friction linked item post, if your content is cool it will spawn sharing though many many circles of friends, since that is primarily what facebook is about. If a noteworthy tastemaker facebooks your content, it will spawn links to thousands in moments. ( be sure our CDN can take the load, no problem ) Try to check for typos when you comment, it will go out to a lot of people.
From the facebook link, the book presents itself and the chosen page is gracefully presented.
When the FaceBook button is clicked, the PageBlend software system constructs an FB WALL post and link to the page being viewed at that time. The reference is therefore direct and relevant.
THE CLICK
The facebook link leads to the lookbook, which presents its cover then turns to the linked Lancome page in the lookbook — with a video about and by Raphael Mazzucco. If they liked that, then they will turn the page and see what else might be in there. Often this leads to time-spent logs of 15 minutes or more of sticky time, since facebook users tend to devote 15 to 45 minutes in checking out their social online world. Our weblogs show the highest time spent in the lookbook is from FaceBook.
This style of marketing Lancome cosmetics never even mentions the line in the facebook post, has nuggets of surrounding backstory, and compliments the line in a real-world "speaking right to you" kind of way. In this method, Advertising IS content. These days it is best to earn and deserve your "eyeballs on content" and this is one way we know, that works.
PageBlend automates everything, your visitors do the clicking — all you need to do is have great content and style of presentation.
This effect is one that has unique properties. You are not choosing your affinity group, they are choosing you… the desirable stuff out there is identified and shared, added value imparted by the authority and social value of the person doing the post.. This is not "buy-able" respect, it is however measurable as social capital and has far more value. Of course people want to choose to link to stuff that looks good, makes them look good in association with that item or brand… and represents the life they desire. ( of course leading to purchase of the desired product )
The tacit endorsement imparted by a facebook post goes with the page chosen, you regard and know that its easier to trust the opinion of someone you have selected as a friend. One of the reasons such tactics can work is through the brilliant art of the styling, this one brought by Raphael and his talented wife, and the video DP and crafting by Jeth Weinrich of redworld media.
This FACEBOOKING News and Media links is not just a trend, it is a solid curve evolution.
Facebook users are more loyal to news and media Websites than are visitors from Google News, another sign that the leading social network is a strong driver for traffic beyond its walled garden, HitWise said.
Visitors to broadcast media sites posted a 77 percent returning rate for Facebook, compared to 64 percent for Google News.
HitWise analyst Heather Hopkins looked at the percentage of visits by source that were new versus returning, counting new visitors as those that haven't visited the site within the past 30 days. For example, Hopkins said 81 percent of visits to CNN.com in the week to March 6 were returning visitors while 84 percent of visitors to CNN.com that came from Facebook were returning visitors and 72 percent from Google News were returning visitors.
While Google.com is the No. 1 source of traffic to these sites, visitors from Google are less likely to be returning visitors than for either Google News or Facebook. "This reinforces the long-term value to News and Media organizations of working with the likes of Google News and Facebook," Hopkins said. These statistics don't mean Facebook is going to suck inordinate amounts of traffic from Google. What it does mean …
" … is that the social network of 400 million-plus users is a viable advertising touchstone for advertisers and retailers."
If readers keep coming back, they will see more ads. This is good for Facebook, good for the advertiser, and obviously good for the publisher that is trying to compete for eyeballs and page views:
http://weblogs.hitwise.com/us-heather-hopkins/2010/03/facebook_visitors_come_back_ag.html
Facebook accounted for 33 percent of the upstream visits last week. Google and Twitter accounted for 22 percent and 8 percent, respectively. This means Facebook has become a genuine referral clearinghouse.Facebook has also become a popular place for search. comScore said search queries on Facebook grew from 395 million in January 2010 to 436 million in February 2010, a growth of 10 percent.
