Larry Kless' Weblog: Creating Branded Video Experiences Using the Kyte Platform

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Creating Branded Video Experiences Using the Kyte Platform - Curt Van Inwegen, LEVEL

I caught up with Curt Van Inwegen, VP of Client Services at LEVEL Studios at last year's Online Video Platform Summit where he was part of a panel on the topic of how to choose the right online video platform for your business. Van Inwegen offered his insights on what you should consider for selecting the appropriate OVP for your business. LEVEL Studios is an independent digital agency based in San Luis Obispo, California with additional offices in San Jose and El Segundo, California that provides user experience, digital media, and application development solutions.

Van Inwegen suggests that when you're choosing an OVP you need to look at several things. You're not just looking at the technology, you're looking at the ability to gather data on who is looking at your content, what devices they are using, desktop or mobile and what type of mobile, iPhone, iPad, Android or Blackberry. The other piece of it is, looking at whether your content can actually play on those devices or can it be produced from those devices.

With everything going mobile, Van Inwegen, notes that the ability to ingest that content and view it on a variety of different platforms is really what's critical and an OVP will help you distribute your content to all those platforms and devices within the complex and fragmented video landscape. Those are but a few of the key factors he and his team at LEVEL look for in the solutions they provide to their clients.

Van Inwegen says:

"A lot of our clients aren't just looking to post their video up and generate a bunch of ad revenue, they're looking for what we call, branded experiences."

LEVEL's choosing of the Kyte platform was based on the idea that they can have complete control of customization of the video player. Everything that wraps around the video can represent the brand in way that he says isn't available in other platforms. This offers great flexibility in a white labeled solution for any viewing platform whether it's a TV, website or mobile device.

Van Inwegen spoke with Beet.TV last year about how on LEVEL has helped their client Monster Energy Drink create an interactive branded video experience for their loyal fans using the Kyte platform. He says that the flexibility of Kyte's 360° application is incredibly powerful for producing content, both professionally produced or user-generated, and distribution on platforms on mobile, desktop and the social web. Other key features that offer the brand more control and insight are with the moderation tools and analytics suite. Read more here: http://t.co/u3C9tS1

About Curt Van Inwegen

Curt Van Inwegen is the Vice President of Operations at LEVEL Studios, an independent digital agency headquartered in San Luis Obispo. With offices in San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles and San Jose, LEVEL has about 150 employees (more than 100 based in San Luis Obispo) and a client list that includes Apple, Disney, Cisco and Hewlett-Packard, among many others. Prior to joining LEVEL, Curt served as a member of the Orb Networks, Inc. executive team and managed strategic partnerships with companies such as Sprint, Intel, AMD, Hutchison 3 Group, Nokia, Vodafone and Virgin Digital. Curt earned his MBA degree from Loyola Marymount University and his Bachelor’s degree in Business and Accounting from the Loyola College, Maryland.

On a personal level, Curt, his wife Martha and daughter Cyprus live in Atascadero and enjoy all the region has to offer from outdoor activities to wine tasting to the various farmers markets. He’s an active cyclist and enjoys passing mountain bikers on 27-speed bikes uphill with his single speed. From a historical perspective, his Grandmother on his mother’s side was Melba Branch, of the long-standing Branch family in Arroyo Grande.

Follow Curt Van Inwegen (LEVEL_CS) on Twitter

About LEVEL Studios

LEVEL Studios is an independent digital agency that amplifies global brands by innovating across desktop, web and mobile environments. LEVEL provides user experience, digital media, and application development solutions. Its solutions include user experience design and research, brand promotion strategy, and marketing research and planning; enterprise application design, Web services development and integration, content management implementation, technology architecture consulting, and hosting and managed services; J2EE, .NET, PHP, and ColdFusion-based systems engineering; and intranet, extranet, and portal solutions. The company’s services also include brand and campaign development, social media, information design, and search engine marketing; and 3D design and development, Web and application interface design, video and post production, Web production, and database engineering. LEVEL Studios was formerly known as Web Associates, Inc. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in San Luis Obispo, California with additional offices in San Jose and El Segundo, California. As of September 20, 2010, LEVEL Studios operates as a subsidiary of Rosetta Marketing Strategies Group, Inc.