This Could Be Something Big: McFarlane and Google Find a New Use for Ad Networks

I rarely make predictions. That is ‘cus I am usually wrong. For example, in the early 80s when some of my friends were talking about the band U2 (whom you might have heard of since) I remember saying something to the effect of “yeah U2 are okay, but they’ll never be as popular as The Alarm.”

(Ahem.)

That being said, I’m going out a limb today. Something in a piece that I spotted via Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis today might (MIGHT) be a game changer. Apparently Family Guy creator and general smart-ass Seth McFarlane is teaming up with a little company called Google to distribute his new show “Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy” via the AdSense network.

In other words, rather than using TV or even a “traditional” Internet distribution strategy like setting up a website or a video podcast, these new animated shorts will be distributed to sites as part of their advertising inventory.

Now, I’m assuming there is some kind of sponsor attached to these shows who are footing the bill for distribution, but it’s definitely an interesting idea. This isn’t just video ads that are trying to be compelling as content, these ARE content, distributed via a network usually reversed for ads.

Think about it. I certainly will.

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