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WSN’s Brady Bussler accepted the award on July 13th at SMPS’ 40th annual « Build Business » conference in Indianapolis. Widseth Smith Nolting is a multi-disciplined firm of more than 200 employees providing engineering, architecture, land surveying and environmental services, with offices in Bemidji, Alexandria, Brainerd, Crookston, East Grand Forks, Forest Lake and Rochester in Minnesota and in Grand Forks, N.D.

Summit Media Publisher Edna Belleza drives content production in all its platforms, from print to digital, managing teams of creative talented professionals including writers, editors, artists, and marketers. In this Q and A, she discusses two vital elements that enable one to stay ahead of the curve: the knack to discern what evolving audiences want, and the agility to craft the right message through the right medium.

Q: At a time when a lot of analysts are saying that print media will go by the wayside because of the development of digital, how has Summit Media not just managed to survive, but continue to lead the industry? How do you stay on top not just of news, but of trends? What is the current ratio between your print vs. your digital components?

EB: Ultimately, it’s all about the audience. Print is just one medium to reach the audience. And we’re primarily a content company. We deliver the content in whatever way is effective. With consumers’ changing media habits, we need to be as pervasive in digital as we have been in print.

Today, we have 15 brands in digital and six in print. All the remaining six magazines also have strong websites and sizable social media following. Some of our digital-only brands evolved from print, like Smart Parenting and Entrepreneur. The others, like Spot and SPIN, started out as purely digital.

With print, the monthly readership across our portfolio is about four million. With digital, we reach 26 million unique visitors and our social media footprint is at 33 million. So digital has actually been a big opportunity for us as a media company.

Q: How do you continue to make great content? Are editors given free rein to feel the pulse of the market and thus conceptualize the stories? Or do marketing, research, and analytics now play a role and how so?

EB: We’re a very data-driven company but we also allow our editors to experiment with concepts they want to explore.

One of the good things about digital is that you get instant feedback on every piece of content as soon as you put it out there. This allows you to tweak it so it resonates with the audience more. And it helps you plan for succeeding articles or videos you want to produce. We also use social listening to stay on top of trends and anticipate what audiences want.

The common misconception about being data-driven is that you can’t write about a serious topic because it might not become viral. Our view at Summit is that we should write about the things that matter and use data to make sure we reach as many of the intended audience as possible. Because, in the end, if you have a great story to tell, what good will it do if nobody gets to read it?

We’re always having conversations with our editors about having a sense of purpose and being clear about what each of their brands stands for. There are topics that may not necessarily become viral, like reproductive health and women’s rights, but we continue to write about them lest people forget that those are important to us.

Q: What kind of content has proven successful with the Filipino consumer audience? Which do not gain ground and why?

With the proliferation of fake news, advertisers are now looking for the brand-safe environment that an established media organization like ours can provide. This is a global trend.

EB: Some things are universal. There are emotional triggers that make people like or share an article or a video. For instance, we know humor works. And, yes, we Filipinos love our “hugot [something inner or soulish that is compelling].”

In terms of subject matter, celebrity still brings the numbers and we seem to love our local celebrities a lot more than we do our Hollywood favorites. Our coverage of the Ms. Universe competition in January, for instance, generated close to eight million page views.

What works, of course, can also differ depending on the audience segment. The beauty of digital is that you’re able to quickly gather data and glean actionable insights about them.

Q: Aside from the usual numbers when it comes to circulation and website hits or clicks, what are the things that advertisers look for before placing ads or sponsoring packages in media? Would you say that advertisers now favor digital (website and social media) over print? What would be the ratio?

Engagement and conversion appear to trump simple reach.

EB: With the proliferation of fake news, advertisers are now looking for the brand-safe environment that an established media organization like ours can provide. This is a global trend.

Also, there seems to be a lot more effort going into making sure advertisers are able to target the right audiences over reaching the biggest ones. Engagement and conversion appear to trump simple reach.

Advertisers go where consumers go. Clearly, digital is no longer playing second fiddle to print. But each platform serves a purpose and a consumer uses each medium differently.

Q: Summit has been known for its agility in adapting to the fast changes that constantly develop in the various media industries. How do you manage your editors, writers, artists, and other members of your team to do this? Is this agility a matter of giving them the right training, picking the right people, or providing them the right motivation? What kind of structure lays the groundwork for this agility and makes it possible?

EB: It’s a mix of hiring the right people and training existing ones so they can evolve. In digital, things are always in flux. One day, you’re poring over analytics to figure out what articles do well; the next day, you’re learning how to make videos that perform better in mobile and social media. Regular huddles provide a venue for sharing best practices and learning new methods.

And, for many years now, we’ve recognized the best performers through internal awards.

Q: Your experience cuts across all media platforms. After a solid start in print journalism, you pioneered what were then called portals, and many of them remain top of mind among the readers and users of today – first in news and current affairs, and then in show business and entertainment. You’ve seen the evolution of both consumer and audience as they have been influenced by the rise of the internet and the development of content. What are the major changes that these users have undergone, and how can media – print and digital – reach out to them?

And, instead of spending a fixed time in front of their computers to browse content on the Internet, consumers are now pulling content in pockets of time throughout the day on their mobile phones.

EB: When I started in digital almost 20 years ago, the game was to build a website people would bookmark and visit regularly. Obviously, things are very different today, thanks to social media and mobile. Instead of going directly to their favorite websites, most people are led to content shared by their friends on social media. And, instead of spending a fixed time in front of their computers to browse content on the Internet, consumers are now pulling content in pockets of time throughout the day on their mobile phones.

Q: You’ve worn a lot of hats, from strategic planning, business development, sales and marketing, to overall general management. Which of these roles fulfill you the most, and why?

EB: Strategic planning is the most challenging and exciting for me because it involves some amount of prognostication. But, general management is most fulfilling because you get a holistic view of the business and, at the same time, have the opportunity to dive into the different functional areas when the need arises.

Q: What is the most important campaign that you launched that you feel most proud of? Or the one story that you built, explored, and published? And on both occasions, what made you feel that they are the greatest kind of content that you produced – and why?

EB: It’s cliché but it’s really difficult to choose when you have so many brands. And it’s really a team effort led by our president, Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng. She’s very hands-on in every aspect of the business.

But some noteworthy efforts quickly come to mind. For editorial, we did a lengthy piece on the Metro Manila Film Festival controversy in PEP a while back that touched on issues that have an impact on the future of the local showbiz industry. A more recent editorial effort is that of Esquire’s expose of the world of “hokage” or “pastor” groups in Facebook that exploit women.

And it’s not just the controversial long reads that make us proud. Every day, I always find something to be proud of in the hundreds of content the team produces. Take Entrepreneur, I find the articles on local business and how to invest your money quite intelligent and helpful. And I’m not saying that as a publisher but as a consumer myself.

In terms of advertising efforts, we’re proud of the fact that we’ve done many firsts in the industry, like the content marketing project with Unilever and Mindshare. We’ve also helped many clients win awards, like our 360 campaign for PG and our custom publishing project for Meralco.

Q: Which direction do you see media going into the near future? Will video replace heavy text-based content? Will all stories have shorter word counts or video time because of the audience’s short attention span? Will AI and analytics influence the way we do content? How will Summit respond to these challenges?

EB: Global trends point to video becoming the preferred format for the future, but I personally don’t think text-based content will die totally. Nor will all content be shorter. While it’s true that the small pockets of time we have to consume content require concise storytelling, there will still be room for long reads or videos.

Our data suggests that long form is starting to get more engagement than short pieces. In the end, it’s all about having a compelling story to tell.

As more and more people are getting used to watching streaming video via Netflix and the like, they’re also getting used to spending more time on their phones. In fact, our data suggest that long form is starting to get more engagement than short pieces. In the end, it’s all about having a compelling story to tell. And being able to use data to tell it well.

At Summit, we’re investing a lot in video production. We have 25 people focused on the production side. They collaborate with over a hundred more people in editorial and creative solutions. We also have new studios. I think that’s pretty substantial for what was once purely a print business.

Q: Given the ton of content that is published every single day, what piece of advice would you give writers, editors, marketers, and content producers to become continually relevant and their stories visible to today’s attention-shifting audience?

EB: Always keep the audience in mind. What moves them? What are their pain points? Use data to guide you. Formats and platforms will continue to change. There will also be generational shifts in behavior.

With More Than 100,000 Users In Over 100 Countries, Viewedit By Vidyard Is Transforming The Way Business Professionals Communicate With Personal Video Messages

Vidyard, the leading provider of video solutions for business, announced that it has surpassed 100,000 users of its ViewedIt video messaging app across more than 100 countries. Enabling business professionals to easily record, share and track personal video messages, ViewedIt by Vidyard is now powering a wide range of video-based communications for marketing, sales, support, product, business operations, education and RD professionals as well as business owners and executives. The growing adoption of personal video messaging in business comes as the global trends in the creation and consumption of video content reaches an all-time high.

Michael Litt, CEO and co-founder of Vidyard

“Video now represents 73% of all internet traffic and has emerged as the most impactful way to communicate in both our personal and business lives,” says Michael Litt, CEO and co-founder of Vidyard. “Video is much more engaging than text-based communications, and it inspires immediate action. We built ViewedIt to put the power of video into the hands of everyone across the business, and I couldn’t be more excited to see how the community is embracing personal video messaging as a better way to communicate and share their ideas.”

ViewedIt by Vidyard offers a seamless experience for recording custom videos from within the Google Chrome browser and instantly sharing via Gmail, Outlook, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other online channels. Users can track who’s watched their videos and how long they tuned in, giving them unique insight into how their content is being consumed. Originally built to help sales professionals stand out and connect with customers in a more personal way, the expanding community has found countless new ways to use video messages to communicate, educate and share ideas.

Emails with personal video messages generate higher engagement and response rates than those with long-form text, with the most dramatic impact surfacing with sales professionals. Multiple businesses have reported a 300%-500% increase in response rates to outbound sales messages when using personal videos.

Tonni Bennett, VP of Sales at Terminus

“Personal video messages have had a huge impact on our ability to connect with potential clients and generate new sales opportunities,” said Tonni Bennett, VP of Sales at Terminus, a leading provider of Account-Based Marketing solutions. “Our sales team is now using ViewedIt to cut through the noise, connect with prospects on a personal level and revive big deals that have gone quiet. Video works because it gives you the opportunity to tell a more impactful story, and to develop trust and empathy with your audience.”

Innovative B2B companies such as CentiMark, Hootsuite, HubSpot, League, Shopify, PostBeyond, Terminus, and Vision Critical are embracing personal video as a way to stand out and boost the performance of their sales and go-to-market teams. Taylor Mihail of Vision Critical, the 100,000th user of ViewedIt by Vidyard, noted, “Video has dramatically accelerated my ability to connect with new sales prospects because unlike emails and phone calls, it stands out and truly humanizes my conversation.”

Also Read: Demystifying Header Bidding

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A local video production house has garnered some international accolades as it reeled in a pair of awards earlier this month.

Vantage Point Media House (VPMH) were presented with two Awards of Excellence at the 21st annual Videography Awards held in Dallas, Texas. Entries were reviewed by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) and Awards of Excellence were given to those projects the judges deem are written, produced and edited in an exceptional manner.

The first of the two pieces of work recognized was in the category of Television Production, Product Commercial for VPMH’s work with Marolina Outdoors for Huk performance fishing apparel. The second award was in the category of Video Production, Short Documentary with Aerovelo, whose Eta speed bike broke the world human-powered speed record.

The two awards aren’t the first to sit on the local company’s trophy rack. Earlier this year, another VPMH production, Dave Mercer’s Facts of Fishing was awarded best videography by the Outdoor Sportsmen Group. It was selected from all outdoor programming shows in the US. This was the first time in the 17-year history of the awards that a fishing television show has received that award.

“We are incredibly proud of the international recognition that our team has received this year,” stated Nick Pujic, VPMH executive producer. “We are a group of passionate producers who continue to push the boundaries of what is possible for outdoor television and video content.

“We are also very fortunate to work with forward-thinking clients who share the same vision.”

Pujic added that, with a busy few months of filming for the VPMH team, there will be more exciting work and recognition to come for the team at VPMH.

Visit vpmediahouse.com to see the award-winning productions and learn more about the VPMH team and studio.

Live streaming has become the hottest new marketing trend among advertisers, used as a strategy to encourage real-time engagement with consumers. In the latest infographic from direct response agency Koeppel Direct, the statistics reveal how people are now viewing content and why there’s been such a significant shift to live streaming among industries.

The infographic, Rise of Live Streaming: Redefining Real-Time Engagement, reveals 59% of people prefer live videos online instead of live TV; 80% would rather watch live video from a brand versus reading a blog; and 78% of people are already watching live videos on Facebook Live. In today’s growing mobile-first world, live streaming fits in with the audience who already relies on their mobile devices for their consumption of content online.

The data also uncovers a competition not only among brands but also between platforms as well. Snapchat growth slowed 82% after the launch of Instagram Stories, which now boasts 200 million daily users, although YouTube still maintains a command on users topping off at one billion. Live streaming has rapidly gained in popularity and as the novelty wears off, it leaves the challenge to marketers to constantly put out better content.

The spike in live streaming views is due in part to people’s response to live footage of QA sessions, interviews, events, behind-the-scenes insights, and product announcements shown in real time. It continues feeding content to a loyal fanbase, while simultaneously attracting new influencers.

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Promo Marketing’s Video Battle pits two industry videos against each other for the chance at the ultimate bragging right: Being declared our readership’s absolute favorite. (Next up: I haven’t seen the sun in what seems like months. Isn’t it supposed to always be sunny in Philadelphia?)

Last week, Ariel Premium Supply won its fourth week in a row, earning it a spot in the Video Battle Hall of Fame!

This week, we have Campbell Signs and Apparel LLC facing off against PPAI.

The winner will be decided by a simple poll. The poll will close the morning of Friday, Aug. 4, the same day a new challenge will start.

Companies whose videos win for four weeks in a row will be retired to the Video Battle Hall of Fame and General Awesomeness, forever enshrined in internet glory.

Click here for prior video battles. Have a promotional product video you’d like to submit to PM’s Video Battle? Send suggestions to bmenapace@napco.com.

The Promo Marketing Video Battle is brought to you by SnugZ USA.

Considering her parents are the late Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, it should come as no surprise that Bobbi Kristina Brown had some truly impressive pipes. This month marked two months since BK tragically died at the age of 22 — and to honor her life which ended far too soon, her father shared video of her singing Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Check out the video to Bobbi Kristina’s incredible vocals.

Bobbi Kristina — also known as “Krissi” — died on July 26 after spending more than six months in a medically induced coma. On Jan. 31, 2015, her boyfriend and confidante Nick Gordon found Krissi face down in a bathtub, prompting him to call 911 and perform CPR on his girlfriend. Shortly after the incident, it was reported that drugs and alcohol didn’t appear to play a role in the incident.

MUST SEE: Tyler Henry Connects Bobby Brown With His Late Ex-Wife, Daughter on ‘Hollywood Medium’

During her months in the hospital, people began to be suspicious of Nick, though he has maintained his innocence since that fateful night he found Krissi. He was later found “legally responsible” for Bobbi Kristina’s death, a court ruling that satisfied her father, Bobby Brown. He said at the time, “I am pleased with the outcome of today’s court proceedings. All I ever wanted was answers relating to who and what caused my daughter’s death. Today’s judgment tells me it was Nick Gordon. Now I need to process all the emotions I have and lean on God to get me and my family through this.”

The often-rocky relationship between Bobbi Kristina and Nick prompted Bobby to start the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House, which is a non-profit organization designed to help victims of domestic violence. “We will provde a 24-hour crisis intervention, emergency transitional shelter, access to resources/referral services, and advocacy for social change with expert support service for victims and survivors of domestic violence,” the organization’s mission statement declares.

More from In Touch

Nick Gordon’s Friend Defends His Actions After Domestic Violence Arrest

Nick Gordon Pays Tribute to Bobbi Kristina on Twitter

Bobby Brown Talks About His Daughter’s Tragic Death

The Internet is a great and wonderful place…until you land upon Facebook page titled Dr. Pimple Popper and your whole life is literally ruined forever and there’s no going back to the way it was before. Well, be warned, because you are about to feast your eyes on probably the most disgusting pimple-popping video you’ve ever seen in your life.

In a video aptly named “Squeezing Huge Pimple” an unnamed man in a backward cap attempts to pop a zit that looks like it’s been there for years. “It hurts like f-cking hell,” he says to the camera. And in the whole one minute and 40 seconds that the video lasts, we doubt it stopped hurting.

MORE: This Man’s Wife Popped His 4-Year-Old Pimple and We Can’t Look Away

Though it’s honestly so nasty and disgusting, clearly people are obsessed with the grossness, because garnering over 50,000 shares and 40,000 comments and 14 million views, people just can’t stop talking about this guy’s ear zit. Needless to say, people gave their two cents on the horrific video.

(Photo Credit: Facebook)

Some people were fully confused like this commenter who wrote, “So many questions. Why is he popping it so weird? What is stoping him from just getting all that sh-t out? Why isn’t he aiming his zit toward the sink so that it doesn’t drip all over his face? How did that pimple get so big? Do people wash their face every day?”

Other commenters tried to relate to the poor guy like this one who said: “ I had one of these under my armpit I swear to God squeezing it hurts like crazy!” And some were just annoyed that he kept pausing the popping, like this person who added: “I’m that bad that I’m getting frustrated with him cause he keeps stopping to wipe it just f-cking squeeze it so I can watch.”

So, without further ado, since our day is already ruined by this, here is the vilest pimple popping video we’ve ever seen. Oh, and this goes without saying, but, viewer discretion is highly advised.

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The Internet Is Freaking Out About This Picture That May or May Not Show a Ghost…

Teenage Girl With Abnormally Long Tongue Can Lick Her Own Elbow — Watch!

This 6-Year-Old Boy Got Plastic Surgery — Find Out the Heartbreaking Reason Why