Picture Marketing Introduces FotoZap Video Activation

Novato, CA, April 08, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The number of people who watch and share videos online nearly doubled between 2006 and 2009. Two years later, the number continues to climb upward. Over half of those videos get uploaded to social networking sites like Facebook and Google. Why are the videos so popular? The spread of broadband, social networking sites, and a strong community of users are all part of the mix. Importantly, users noted that the "easy and fast" process of creating digital content and posting it online was key to their adoption. In the age of YouTube, anyone can be a star.

Experiential marketing campaigns now have their own platform for fast and easy video content creation, with the ultra-scalable solution introduced today by Picture Marketing: FotoZap Video Activation. Using the same technology they have seamlessly integrated into their photo activation products, Picture Marketing powers the creation of branded video content that puts fans in the spotlight of any experiential campaign. The process is simple:

1. Picture Marketing helps a brand create an experience that captures consumers at a memorable event or setting
2. The brand invites guests online to view and share the video
3. The process generates online buzz and word of mouth for the brand every time fans share their event memories on social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube

Picture Marketing CEO Ron Tonini says it's really all about empowering brands to deliver memorable experiences to their fans. "By creating a scalable, simple platform for these videos, we've been able to sort out the puzzle for brands looking to connect with their fans and put them at the center of a memorable, sharable piece of video content," Tonini noted.

The logistical headaches of traditional video activation and the risk of creating high-expense video campaigns that fail to produce sufficient ROI have been obstacles to success for brands. FotoZap helps companies put those concerns to rest by offering a seamless path from real-world event to digital experience in a way that brands can replicate for each consumer they interact with. Tonini added, "When these efforts fizzle because of insufficient technology on the back end, it really hurts the brand. They've spent a bunch of money on something that ends up feeling inauthentic to their guests. This is a way, in the world of video, to queue up brand-positive content in a truly scalable, cost-effective manner."

The company's Chief Technology Officer, Tim Hoyt, said, "Videos aren't new… when you see the rapid growth in this area of user-generated content, it quantifies the fact that the gateway to video creation is open and accessible. What we're trying to accomplish with FotoZap Video Activation is to help brands connect with consumers through that content creation, in a very natural way. And the result of that process is amazing: people love it when the brand delivers a memorable experience for them. The brand, in turn, appreciates it when that customer becomes a fan and shares the memory with his or her friends. It's truly representative of the Thank You Economy that the internet and social networking have created."

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About Picture Marketing, Inc.
Picture Marketing, a developer of internet marketing applications, offers a patented system that dramatically increases the efficiency of the multi-billions that companies spend each year on face-to-face marketing, part of the $50 billion per year Branded Entertainment marketing sector. Picture Marketing’s easy-to-use marketing tools make experiential campaigns, branded activities, and brand ambassadors more effective. Picture Marketing helps brands deliver a seamless digital+live experience that starts with a positive brand impression and results in a powerful connection with fans and their networks.

Picture Marketing's patented technology has been used by major brands including Diageo, Budweiser, Chrysler, Nextel, and Starwood Westin Hotels through agency partners such as BBDO, Saatchi & Saatchi, Wunderman, GMR, and Octagon. The company is privately held and headquartered in Novato, CA. For more information, visit http://www.PictureMarketing.com.

Picture Marketing™ and the Picture Marketing logo are trademarks of Picture Marketing, Inc. and FotoZap® is a registered trademark of Picture Marketing, Inc.