by Jen Bergen | Sep 30, 2016 | Press Releases
BOULDER, Colo. – September 30, 2016 – Rapt Media, a national leader in groundbreaking interactive video technology, announced today that it has been named a Winner for Best Internet Video: Best Use of Interactive Video in the 6th Annual Lovie Awards for its work with the talented group at Aardman on Dead Lonely – An Interactive Zombie Romance.
The Lovie Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading European award honoring excellence on the internet. IADAS, which nominates and selects The Lovie Award winners, is comprised of internet industry experts, including actor and presenter Stephen Fry, Co-founder of Spotify Michelle You, Founder of Buzzcar Robin Chase, Founder of Ifwerantheworld Cindy Gallop, Co-Founder of TomTom Corinne Vigreux, Digital Director at BBC Earth Eva Appelbaum, Founder and CEO of SoundCloud Alexander Ljung, and Vic Hayes (“Father of Wi-Fi”).
“Rapt Media has excelled in its category, showing fantastic prowess in digital innovation and creativity,” said Nicolas Roope, Executive Chair of IADAS and Creative Partner of POKE London. “This award is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators.”
Rapt Media will be honored at The Lovie Awards ceremony at The BFI Southbank in London on October 27, 2016. A full list of The Lovie Awards Winners can be found at www.lovieawards.eu
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About Rapt Media
Rapt Media offers compelling alternatives to engage and educate employees and consumers. Our cloud-based interactive video platform enables meaningful participation, resulting in more relevant communication, deeper learning and rapid behavior change.
About The Lovie Awards
The mission of The Lovie Awards is to recognize the unique and resonant nature of the European internet community – from Europeʼs top digital and creative networks and content publishers to cultural and political organizations and individual creators. Now in its sixth year, The Lovie Awards continues to celebrate the most resonant and pertinent stories in Europe. With entries from over 30 countries across the EU, the Awards reflect the tremendous growth of the internet as a tool for business and everyday lives. Work in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Swedish and Dutch can be entered in five main category types: Websites, Mobile & Apps, Internet Video, Online Advertising, and Social. More information at lovieawards.eu.
Partners and Sponsors of The Lovie Awards include Google, Adformatie, Creativepool, Digiday, The Drum, El Pais, FITC, FONK, Frankwatching, FrenchWeb, HuffPo España, It’s Nice That, Mobile Marketing Association, Netimperative, Ninja Marketing, NUMA, Springwise, and Tubefilter.
About The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences
The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences was founded in 1998 to help drive the creative, technical, and professional progress of the Internet and evolving forms of interactive media. An international organization, The Academy selects the Nominees and Winners for The Webby Awards, the leading honor for Websites and individual achievement in technology and creativity, and its European sister, The Lovie Awards. More information at www.iadas.net
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Contact:
Emily Walsh
104 West Partners for Rapt Media
emily.walsh@104west.com
720-407-6064
by Jen Bergen | Sep 21, 2016 | Press Releases
BOULDER, Colo. – September 21, 2016 – Rapt Media, a national leader in groundbreaking interactive video technology, today announced a new survey report affirming the depth of disengagement among U.S. employees. According to the report, U.S. Employees: Detached, Disengaged, and Disenchanted, respondents feel underappreciated and disconnected, and many believe their internal communications and training programs need significant improvement.
Rapt Media surveyed 400 full-time employees of large organizations in the U.S. to gather insights and opinions about their current employers, company leadership, training materials, and internal communications to provide a snapshot of employee engagement in the American workplace. Key findings include:
- 69% of employees are open to other opportunities or already seeking their next job
- 35% don’t think their employers care about them as a team member or a person
- 57% feel their leaders are detached from the workforce
- 73% have suggestions for improving internal communications
- 60% are bored by their organization’s internal communications
- 44% say internal communications are stagnant and lack innovation with no changes or improvements in the last five years
- 74% forgot some or all of the last mandatory training they completed
- 82% learn better from visual content like video versus static content like PDFs
Results highlight the lack of innovation, personalization, emotional connection and creative thinking in the internal landscape. The report also includes recommendations for business leaders – specifically leaders in human resources and internal communications – to cultivate internal brand loyalty through better content, innovation and authentic employee connections.
“Given that most employees are either open to other opportunities or actively seeking their next job, the unfortunate truth is we can no longer take employee loyalty for granted,” said Trautman. “Now more than ever, we must earn that loyalty through better engagement, training and internal communication.”
Download the full report to uncover more insights from U.S. Employees: Detached, Disengaged, and Disenchanted.
###About Rapt Media
Rapt Media offers compelling alternatives to engage and educate employees and consumers. Our cloud-based interactive video platform enables meaningful participation, resulting in more relevant communication, deeper learning and rapid behavior change.
###Contact:
Emily Walsh
104 West Partners for Rapt Media
emily.walsh@104west.com
720-407-6064
by Jen Bergen | Jun 1, 2016 | Press Releases
Short online film explores the space between interactivity and storytelling
BOULDER, Colo. – June 1, 2016 – Rapt Media, a leader in groundbreaking interactive video technology, and Aardman, the four-time OscarⓇ award-winning storytelling animation studio behind internationally known characters like Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, today released a new short interactive film titled “Dead Lonely.”
The story—which is part film and part game—is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which the story’s protagonist, a zombie named Fred, is searching for his long-lost love. Throughout the interactive film, the viewer is invited to make decisions for Fred, guiding and directing the story’s action.
“There’s no question that ‘Dead Lonely’ provides viewers with a deeply gratifying experience. The film puts the control in the hands of the viewer, allowing them to feel rewarded with discovery,” said Erika Trautman, founder and CEO of Rapt Media. “Our research shows that consumers are craving more personalization and self-discovery in their online content, and ‘Dead Lonely’ offers both.”
Rapt Media recently conducted a survey to determine what consumers want from their content, and their report found that 66 percent of consumers said that uninteresting or irrelevant content is the main reason they don’t view content all the way through. Additionally, 61 percent stated that they still prefer to discover content on their own even when it’s customized.
Aardman Digital Group Creative Director Daniel Efergan described the decision to team up with Rapt Media: “We wanted to partner with Rapt Media on this creative endeavor because our two teams have similar beliefs and philosophies about interactive content and how it can change the way people engage with stories.”
An interactive “making of” video was also produced, “Behind The Scenes With Aardman,” in which “Dead Lonely’s” creative team discusses all aspects of the interactive storytelling and development process.
“‘Dead Lonely’ is an innovative and unforgettable journey—an interactive storytelling experience that represents the future of content marketing,” said Trautman.
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About Rapt Media
Rapt Media has created the only interactive storytelling tech combining personalized narrative with unparalleled data integration. Our HTML5, mobile-native video platform gives you the power to intrigue, turning viewers into participants and engagement into real insights. Welcome to the future of video.
Contact:
Ashley Dennison
104 West for Rapt Media
ashley.dennison@104west.com
303-552-7460
by Jen Bergen | May 18, 2016 | Press Releases
Consumers’ Ability to Discover Meaningful Content Influences Purchase Decisions and Brand
BOULDER, Colo. – May 18, 2016 – According to The Future of Content: Rethinking Content Consumption, a national survey report released today, consumers want to discover digital content on their own and are skeptical of brands pushing online ads through interruptive channels.
Rapt Media, a leader in groundbreaking interactive video technology, recently surveyed an audience of more than 1,000 consumers to understand how content discovery is driving the content personalization trend.
Insights reveal consumers want personalized content experiences that are meaningful, helpful and valuable to their specific needs and interests. But equally important is their empowerment in discovering it on their own. The younger millennial generation is especially mistrusting of brands pushing interruptive online ads.
Key findings from the survey include:
● 95% take action to avoid seeing or receiving online ads
● 5% say ads influence their purchase decisions
● 57% of millennials block ad content because it is too pushy
● 43% say online ads are not personalized to their interests, but 62% say the content they discover on their own is personalized
● 61% say that even if content is customized, they still prefer to find it on their own
● 46% say content they find on their own influences their purchase decisions
“Programmatic push messaging is implicit personalization perceived by consumers as irrelevant and inauthentic,” said Erika Trautman, founder and CEO of Rapt Media. “Explicit content personalization through choice and discovery builds trust, increases engagement, and delivers a truly valuable experience starting at the point of creation. Millennials, in particular, are embracing the value of content discovery, forcing marketers to rethink the way content is created, distributed and consumed.”
Empowered by social media and increased mobile connectivity, consumers now have more control over how they engage with brands. Rapt Media’s survey findings confirm that consumers have come to expect content personalization along with the opportunity to shape their own experience.
“The only way to compete in an increasingly crowded market is by providing valuable content for consumers to discover on their own and building relationships through interaction and engagement,” added Trautman.
Download The Future of Content: Rethinking Content Consumption survey report to understand how content discovery is driving purchases, trust and loyalty from consumers.
About Rapt Media
Rapt Media has created the only interactive storytelling tech combining personalized narrative with unparalleled data integration. Our HTML5, mobile-native video platform gives you the power to intrigue, turning viewers into participants and engagement into real insights. Welcome to the future of video.
Contact:
Ashley Dennison
104 West for Rapt Media
ashley.dennison@104west.com
303-552-7460
by Jen Bergen | May 12, 2016 | Press Releases
Transformation of Rapt Media Composer introduces new features and improved usability
BOULDER, Colo. - May 12, 2016 - Rapt Media today announced a significant upgrade to its platform and user experience with the release of a completely redesigned Composer, available to all users beginning May 12. The redesign incorporates a more modern application architecture while introducing a new project authoring experience that together will provide a faster, easier, and more intuitive workflow for users.
“Interactive video is changing quickly, and the demand for this content is increasing at a rapid pace. We’ve made it a priority to ensure that our technology is outpacing the demand,” said Erika Trautman, CEO and founder of Rapt Media. “The changes we’re unveiling are designed to do exactly that, by making our platform more intuitive for our customers.”
The redesigned Composer will feature a series of significant changes:
- The Composer’s User Interface includes a new look and layout for a more intuitive workflow. Users will now be able to get from “Project Set Up” to “Publish” to “Analytics” more easily than ever before.
- The Node Editor has been completely rebuilt to make creating, editing and styling hotspots easier. The editor is now full-screen to make more space for editing and allow more room for the hotspot timeline and future feature additions. And, the editor now autosaves - just like the rest of the platform.
- The Media Library is more user friendly—it’s now part of the main navigation and accessible anywhere within the Composer. Persistent uploading allows uploads to continue in the background as users work and navigate between projects, saving valuable time.
- The entire Composer is now built on React.JS, creating a more user-friendly application where page refreshing is a thing of the past. Users will find interactions with the Composer to be more responsive, with faster transitions between tasks while building their interactive projects.
“Our initial goal was a code refactor and performance upgrade, but we soon decided to completely rethink our Composer’s interface. The transformed Composer is going to make work more enjoyable for our users,” said Caleb Hanson, Rapt Media Vice President of Product. “And to help our customers get on board, we’ve created an interactive video to walk through the improvements we’ve made.”
To begin exploring Rapt Media’s new Composer, log into your account, or check out our in depth blog and interactive video demo. Or join Rapt Media on May 17, 2016 for a live online demo and Q&A. Click here to sign up.
Customers with questions or comments about the redesign should email support@raptmedia.com.
About Rapt Media
Rapt Media has created the only interactive storytelling tech combining personalized narrative with unparalleled data integration. Our HTML5, mobile-native video platform gives you the power to intrigue, turning viewers into participants and engagement into real insights. Welcome to the future of video.
Contact:
Ashley Dennison
104 West for Rapt Media
ashley.dennison@104west.com
303-552-7460
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by Jen Bergen | Apr 28, 2016 | Press Releases
Interactive, Investigative News Drives Audience Participation, Offers Seamless Mobile Viewing
BOULDER, Colo. - April 28, 2016 - FUSION has partnered with Rapt Media to bring a new generation of interactive news to viewers. This new style of documentary alternates between traditional investigative storytelling and interactive opportunities for the viewer to dive even deeper.
“There’s a new era of news content emerging that prioritizes the participation and curiosity of audiences, and brands like FUSION are leading this charge,” said Erika Trautman, CEO and founder of Rapt Media. “The past year has seen a sharp rise in public interest around investigations, but, until now, those audiences have only been able to view and learn about those investigations through one-size-fits-all content. FUSION is turning that notion on its head by making viewers an active part of these stories and re-thinking the way people can create their own content experience.”
FUSION’s first video features an investigation into the dark world of the mugshot website industry, specifically Mugshots.com, a site that posts mugshots online and then charges hundreds to thousands of dollars to take them down. The site has no consideration for whether the subjects of mugshots are guilty or not—a practice many have labeled as extortion.
FUSION’s investigation allows audiences to explore the story for themselves by creating opportunities to interact and participate in the investigation alongside the reporters. Throughout the experience, viewers will be able to examine the stories of three individuals whose photos ended up on the Mughshots.com site, as well as additional evidence, and interviews with a private eye and a lawyer.
“Our goal in partnering with Rapt Media was to create a new kind of interactive investigation that lets our viewers dive deeper into stories and explore the elements of investigations that interest them most,” said Keith Summa, executive producer of investigations at FUSION. “In doing this, not only do we drive an unparalleled amount of engagement, but we also gain a deeper understanding of our different audiences, their interests, what resonates with them, and can ultimately create better content for them.”
The FUSION team was also motivated by reaching its mobile audience, which it estimates makes up half its viewership. FUSION wanted to be able to reach and engage this audience without asking them to download a separate app, as that would likely lead to audience drop-off.
“Working with Rapt Media allowed us to reach audiences and offer them a seamless content experience across multiple devices,” said Summa. “This was crucial to us because we know that we’re attracting more fans through mobile and we never want them to feel like their investigative experience is disjointed or limited by the fact that they’re viewing it on a mobile device rather than a full screen.”
For more information on the latest from FUSION’s new interactive, investigative series, visit Fusion.net.
About Rapt Media
Rapt Media has created the only interactive storytelling tech combining personalized narrative with unparalleled data integration. Our HTML5, mobile-native video platform gives you the power to intrigue, turning viewers into participants and engagement into real insights. Welcome to the future of video.
About FUSION
Through impactful journalism and smart commentary, FUSION covers the stories that matter to the new, rising American mainstream. FUSION is part of the Fusion Media Group which is owned by Univision Communications, Inc. FUSION content is available to audiences across a broad range of platforms including cable television (channel listings) and FUSION.net as well as various OTT providers and social media platforms — @ThisIsFusion | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube.
Contact:
Ashley Dennison
104 West for Rapt Media
ashley.dennison@104west.com
303-552-7460
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