One advantage of working with Rockfish is that we consistently embrace emerging technologies.  Some of our recent focus has been centered on Flex and Ajax based microsites, our Echo blog technology (excuse the irony) and touch-screen kiosks connected to the Internet via cellular broadband.

One of our newest forays has been in the area of green-screen video that is integrated directly into a website.  In fact, we have two current projects that utilize this technology.

There are several advantages to green-screen technology: 

1. The user does not need to click a play button to be engaged with the video, it plays automatically when the site is opened.  This ensures you reach more visitors with your message.
2. A video integrated directly into the page is more pleasing to the eyes than a YouTube type of player that constrains the video to an old-school box.   Free your speaker and people are more receptive.
3. Because it is built into the main page, navigation is always available.  Users who are on a mission to find information can skip right past the video without the need to stop or close it.  The video is truly part of the website.

At Rockfish, we have a few favorite examples of this technology in action, but the most entertaining is Sling Media’s homepage.   They have taken to the green-screen to create videos that promote their products with a heavy dose of comedy.  This combination of humor and technology has created a “viral effect”.  Visitors are sending links to friends so they can check out the entertaining, self-derogating spokesman.  The people I have directed there have responded with comments such as, “Absolutely too funny!!!” and “I love the spokesman!!! Hilarious!”

Sling’s mix is a valuable one: viral marketing centered on engaging, memorable videos that catch the visitor’s attention with technology and properly describe their product’s benefits. 

This begs the question: “What in marketing is better than having the public promote your products and services for free, and enjoy doing so?”  It's the holy grail of marketing.

Long live the humble Sling Media Spokesman and his green-screen.