With web video becoming commonplace, online giant Microsoft is betting on branded content, building an audience at the fraction of the cost of creating a program for TV, reports AdAge.
MSN has found that creating shows like The Big Debate, in which 20 three-minute episodes were produced for about the same as a low-budget pilot, and the Kraft-sponsored cooking show Chef to the Rescue, are getting the MSN portal audience to spend more time on the site.
MSN has partnered with production company Reveille in a 10-show contract to keep a steady stream of shows on the backburner to either be greenlighted right away or shopped around to advertisers.
MSN maintains that a big portal can provide the frequency needed to build an audience. For Chef to the Rescue, MSN spent six months getting it right, promoting the show on not only the MSN homepage but also Live Mail, Messenger, Office Live, even Xbox.
