Expo TV breaks new ground for consumers by offering Videopinions, a destination where consumers can submit and watch "real life" product reviews, it was announced by Daphne Kwon, president and CEO, Expo Communications. Videopinions harnesses the power of user- generated videos to create a powerful new tool for consumers.
Videopinions provides the first national destination where real people can submit and watch unbiased consumer product testimonials. Combining the power of personal storytelling with compelling "real life" product demonstration, Videopinions reviewers are able to show other consumers how products stand up to the test of everyday living. Expo TV will air these Videopinions through its nationally distributed video-on-demand cable network, online at expotv.com and on its 24/7 cable network launching later this year.
Expo TV is a new independent television network and online video destination dedicated to making consumers more satisfied buyers. The Videopinions gallery leverages Expo TV's television programming expertise and consumer-oriented focus by showcasing informative and entertaining user- generated content.
"We launched Expo TV with a mission to create a destination to help consumers make smarter choices and believe Videopinions can harness the emerging power of personal publishing in a directed, useful way," said Ms. Kwon. "We will create a more satisfied consumer by continuing to present the multiple views of our experts, our advertisers, and our community. With the added power of Videopinions our perspective is complete."
"Advertisers are being challenged to break through the clutter like never before," said Jack Myers, editor and publisher of The Jack Myers Media Business Report. "Videopinions builds a new level of trust and connection with TV viewers that advertisers need to embrace and support. Smart consumers want to hear about products from all angles, and advertisers are a necessary part of that process."
"Expo TV is recasting on television and video an entire new model of consumer control and expression," said Pete Blackshaw, Chief Marketing Officer of Intelliseek and co-founder of the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association. "Companies who truly value the consumer voice, even the tough love, will win and succeed in today's marketplace."
Videopinions can be submitted for any nationally available consumer product or service, including electronics, food, travel and home products and include both positive or negative reviews. Videopinions cover relevant consumer information from the favorite outdoor grill cleanser of a suburban mom to the set-up time of a popular electronics product. Viewers are currently able to rate Videopinions on helpfulness and send links of favorite videos to their friends.
As part of the new initiative, Expo TV also has invited video bloggers, consumer journalists and blogger commentators in order to aggregate personal videos for possible inclusion on expotv.com. Consumers can currently upload online or mail in product videos for any product or service that is available for sale nationally. As an introductory promotion, Expo TV is awarding $50 Amazon.com gift cards for the first Videopinions submission, with $25 for subsequent videos. In September and October, Expo TV will be sponsoring a Videopinions Contest to identify "Expo TV Product Testers" who will receive $2,500 worth of free products to test for future Videopinions.
Under the leadership of co-founders Ms. Kwon and Bill Hildebolt, company president, Expo TV is backed by a top-tier team of executives and investors who hail from the cable industry, including: Dick Beahrs, former president of Court TV; Lisa Gersh Hall, current president and COO of Oxygen Media; Nick Nicholas, former co-CEO of Time Warner; and Thayer Bigelow, former president of HBO.