Schweppes' 'Signs' a slam

Debunking the superstition that viewers are only willing to watch short films over the 'net, advertisers and producers are increasingly discovering that users are willing to watch streaming video that's over two minutes long.

The popularity of slapstick amateur YouTube videos is increasingly being supplanted by production-rich oeuvres of 10 and 20 minutes, with scripts and even story arcs written specifically for the 'net, reports The New York Times.

One example of this new wave is Schweppes' "Signs," a 12-minute piece from its Short Film Festival campaign. The wordless video, put together by Publicis Mojo and director Patrick Hughes, springboarded onto YouTube's Viral Video Chart Top 10 in March.

These more elaborate online productions have the benefit of being unrestricted by network schedules, as well as the benefit of being disseminated by users if they build in popularity. Many brands are specifically launching shows this month, knowing networks will be airing reruns and reality shows over summertime.

Nonetheless, TV networks have been greatly responsible for demonstrating users' willingness to watch more than short slapstick films. The past year has witnessed a measured rise in broadcast shows that now stream over the internet; ABC.com and CBS.com, for example, both stream popular shows on their websites the day after a new episode airs. "Dancing with the Stars," an ABC show, gleans nearly two million viewers from ABC.com alone, according to Nielsen.

What's more, one in four online customers in the States now uses Hulu, where NBC and Fox broadcast their wares alongside other syndicated shows and movies.

Presently, 150 million online users in the US watch about 14.5 billion videos per month, comScore writes. That's an average of 97 videos per viewer. comScore also says average video durations have risen slowly but measurably in the past year — averaging 3.4 minutes in March.

And while, granted, most popular streaming videos are still on the shorter side, video hosting sites are preparing for a slow change in the tide. This year YouTube created separate sections for both shows and full-length films. And Hulu is doing so well that the company is contemplating a subscription model for some of its long-form content.

Online video is expected to become a $1 billion business in 2011, according to eMarketer. Meanwhile, online video today is witnessing a turning point, according to VP-Media Analytics Jon Gibs of Nielsen.

"Historically it has been very much a clip-based experience online," he stated.

"We believe we are moving into a transition period where more of that viewership is going toward long-form video."