It used to be a screen test propelled an actress from the casting couch to the big screen. Now we need a different kind of screen test: one that features her to advantage on all types of screens. Or, even better, a test that proves once and for all what type of content looks good on what type of screen. Until then, here are FanTrust’s picks and pans for screens large and small. The rationale not so much to answer: “can we cross-purpose our content?” (yes we can) or “does anyone really want to watch long shows on small screens?” (yes ...

Innovative video shorts go online to tap a new community of donors VANCOUVER, November 4, 2008 – For the first time, a number of United Ways across Canada have combined forces to produce a new video campaign and to tap new digital audiences. United Ways in Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax and Toronto, along with support from Winnipeg and United Way Canada collaborated on the mission and the results are two compelling video shorts intended to open the eyes of more Canadians and support fundraising efforts. “The Web is changing the worlds of both fundraising and community involvement,” said Catherine Warren, president of FanTrust ...

Until recently, few women’s brands were dipping their toes into online advertising. Odd, given that women influence 80% of all consumer purchases made in North America. Weren’t we gals online, too? At last, it seems that brands are catching up to our reality. This week, FanTrust tracks a surge of fun, quality women’s content and relevant brand messaging proliferating the web. And we’ve got the numbers to prove it. A recent New York Times article, “Woman to Woman, Online”, reported that Sites aimed primarily at women, from “mommy blogs” to makeup and fashion sites, ...

On July 3, 2008, Google AdSense made the following announcement on its official blog: Earning revenue from YouTube videos just got easier We'd like to let you know about two recent improvements to video units that make them more easy and appealing to place on your sites. First, we've partnered with some new content providers that we'd like to highlight. These partners have signed on to let AdSense publishers embed their videos and share in the ad revenue. Broadbandtv: "Broadbandtv is partnering with YouTube to bring the very best video program lineup to a growing and engaged online audience. Broadbandtv ...

With the television rerun season kicking into full gear, kids breaking out of school for summer and Hollywood's dream factory potentially weeks away from a labour shutdown, it's a perfect storm for launching our FanTrust video contest, "I Know What TV Did This Summer." We're encouraging television fans from around the world to riff on their favorite TV shows, by submitting videos that creatively interpret shows past and present -- and answer that age-old fan question: "What the %&*! did these characters do all summer?" Here fans can celebrate TV, make great stuff that other fans want ...