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Self-made films: Youku's new way of luring Ads

By Gao Yuan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-12-24 17:25

A women sits at Youku's headquarter in Beijing, Dec 17, 2010. [Photo/Chinadaily.com.cn]

No one has ever anticipated a story about two middle-aged male zilches would be crowned as one of China's most viewed Internet hits in 2010.

Old Boys, a 43-minute online film, has attracted more than 22 million hits since its Oct 28 debut.

The video sharing website Youku.com Inc said the film topped the list of the 25 most-viewed videos on its site, beating Beijing Olympics opening ceremony director Zhang Yimou's latest blockbuster Hawthorn Tree Forever.

The plot of Old Boys was simple yet resonating among the post-80's: Two mischievous schoolboys had a dream of becoming pop stars like Michael Jackson. However, they abandoned their juvenile fantasy and the two pals became a flabby barber and a frustrated wedding emcee.

Years later, when they got a chance to participate in a nationwide TV talent show, the old boys decided to join the tournament together and give their boyhood dreams a shot.

Some online comments praised the film as the "must view film for post 80's", because it has triggered the ebullition of memories and complexities long buried in the heart of many post 80's or even 70's.

The film was the 10th and the piece de resistance of Youku Original's "new media film project" 11 Degrees, which packed a series of 10 short films under the theme of thriving youth.

Yet for its producer Youku.com, 11 Degrees was more than a platform for recalling memory, it's also a new marketing model to make profits.

Stella Pan, vice-president and executive producer of the company, is in charge of the project.

"The 11 Degrees has attracted many leading brands in different industries, and they came to Youku with advertising budgets, asking for a project similar to the series," she said.

Partnering with the China Film Group and Shanghai General Motors' sedan brand Chevrolet Cruze, Youku debuted 11 Degrees in late August.

The image of Shanghai GM's new sedan was subtly blended into the films. 11 Degrees has provided a new kind of win-win situation both for Youku and its advertisers, according to Pan.

Although Pan was hesitant to unveil the exact amount of the deal between Shanghai GM and Youku, she hinted that Shanghai GM's senior executives told her the automaker had ploughed the full-year advertisement campaign budget into 11 Degrees. Cruze's promotions, such as outdoor advertisements and television commercials, were all based on 11 Degrees and started long before the films were put online.

"The profit (of 11 Degrees) is obvious, and it is a virtuous circle both for Youku and its advertising clients," she said.

However, Pan and her team don't want to bend themselves to earnings. Exploring the market, she said, is a much more important task for Youku Original.

The self-produced web content is not only a new industry for China, but for the rest of the world as well, Jean Shao, Youku's senior manager of international communications, said.