in Digital Marketing [dot] com

I had the opportunity of meeting with the already famous YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, they are both really smart and hard working guys and even though they have already sold their company to Google, Inc. for $1.65 billion, they told me that they are still working very hard and very close together making sure YouTube stays as the number one video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips.

But What brought the YouTube founders to CES ?

They said that they were here to check out the 150″ Panasonic Plasma TV, (probably to watch the 2008 SuperBowl, at least we know they can afford the hefty price tag), but they also came to talk about a move that could have a profound impact on the future of Internet video, because Google and Panasonic unveiled a partnership that will see YouTube access built directly into Panasonic HDTVs.

• Did we see this coming? When Sony announced at the 2007 CES that it would allow access to AOL video in its Bravia line of HDTVs, Google and Panasonic started exploring a strategic partnership to easily deliver YouTube videos on the Panasonic TV sets.

• Is it innovation? There aren’t many HDTVs currently on the market that offer this kind of functionality, but if you have an Apple Mini or an Apple TV connected to your HDTV you can already do this. Now, I am still disappointed at the quality of these videos on a HDTV screen.

• Will this take off? I don’t think so, because in reality how many people actually care about accessing YouTube videos on an HDTV screen ?

• Did we see anything better at the show? I would say it was something very KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and it is called a computer and a browser. As we all know these User Generated Videos (UGC) have not been made for HDTVs and the chances of enjoying them in replacement of HDTV content will most likely disappoint you. I think these videos belong on my computer screen (at least for now).

• What will the future bring ? I think that the Panasonic-Google strategic partnership is a great start in the now unstoppable convergence between the internet and the world of digital television.

• What does this mean for digital marketers ? It means tremendous distribution opportunities for digital marketers who have started to adopt web video, because now your YouTube uploaded videos will be a very good additional alternative for the TV viewers against the latest professionally produced network (ABC, NBC, CBS) content. I also recently wrote about how TiVo is also doing the same.

.

But on something that could be much more relevant Robert Scoble did interview them using live streaming video using Qik and asking them when they were going to add live streaming video to YouTube, because if they do, they will put a lot of small live streaming video startups out of business.

.

Later in the week I will be expanding on the conversation about how YouTube has forever expanded the Digital Marketing opportunities in this new era of convergence between the Internet and Digital Television…

… and as they both say “this is just the beginning…”