YouTube Celebrates Fifth Birthday Dan Koelsch, May 17, 2010 It’s hard to believe, but YouTube has only been around for five years. That means it wasn’t around in the last election Bush won, MySpace and Facebook had already been around for over a year, and Twitter was just a gleam in Odeo’s (now Obvious Corp) eye. Since its creation, YouTube has changed the world, including that of movies and television. See what the innovative website is doing to celebrate its 5th birthday after the break. The video-sharing website (now owned by Google) uploaded its first video on April 23, 2005, had a public beta version by May 2005, then officially launched that November. YouTube revolutionized the way videos are made and shared, and helped usher in a new technological age based on social networking. Its impact on TV and movies was also significant. Now it was easy for fans and studios alike to upload and share trailers, clips, and behind-the-scene footage. It also became a breeding ground for viral marketing, as we have seen with the likes of Cloverfield, District 9, and 2012. Recently, you can even watch entire television episodes and even movies in HD quality. The site has definitely come a long way. YouTube’s First Video YouTube has created a ‘Five Year‘ channel specifically for the anniversary, which includes some interesting features. First of all, there’s a visual timeline of the website’s history, which features specific videos and describes their impact on the site and the world. There are also videos picked by guest curators as the “most essential” videos on YouTube. The feature “My YouTube Story” has prominent individuals in the YouTube community talking about their experience with the website. You can even upload your own story. All in all, it’s worth a look, since there is some informative stuff, as well as videos that will take you back. Let us know what some of your favorite YouTube videos and channels are in the comments below. Viral Marketing AnniversaryBirthdayGoogleYouTube
Dan’s High Five: 5 Sequels That Are Better Than The Original November 15, 2009November 15, 2009I’m continuing sequel month by going in the opposite direction of last week’s “High Five”by talking about good sequels. In fact, I’m going to list five sequels that were actually BETTER than the originals. Now, this doesn’t mean the originals were bad, so don’t get all mad. I also understand… Read More
Super 8 Trailer Breakdown and Analysis May 12, 2010May 13, 2010The countdown is still a few days away (update: or is it?), so we have a bit of time on our hands in the Super 8 viral. Let’s take a closer look at the trailer, thanks in part to our friends at Unfiction and Super 8 News. While a lot… Read More
Twitter Powers Flight for “Pan Am” September 23, 2011Twitter has gone from a simple social network to a power supply for Pan Am flights. Of course this has to do with Pan Am, the new show premiering this Sunday on ABC. Find out how you can win a retro Pan Am bag and unlock exclusive clips of the… Read More