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Loading ...Honeyshed… hardly sweet. hardly sticky.
Honeyshed, a product of Droga5, a Publicis agency, officially went live today. The site is positioned as a mash-up of branded entertainment, shopping, social networking site. Keeping it strictly business - not discussing the scantily clad hosts - I have 3 main issues with the site which are reviewed below.
- Why are they calling it Branded Entertainment? While the concept of bringing chat, favorites, video and shopping into the same screen is commendable, it is everything I don’t want “Branded Entertainment” to be. I consider branded entertainment to include things like product integration, gaming, professionally scripted plot lines, etc. I hate to say it, Droga5, but branded entertainment has evolved beyond a series of commercials.
- What about the consumer? Honeyshed doesn’t allow users to watch what they want, when they want. The site links to a few videos in the “archive,” but the content isn’t arranged by vertical or product category. I opened the chat window and began a dialogue on the site with “User 35,” and he responded that verticalization was planned for Phase II of Honeyshed. That’s a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t speak to how consumers are actually consuming content or how they participate in eCommerce.
- Where’s the innovation? Their only multichannel offering is a toll-free number. (No comment.) I see multiple opportunities to integrate mobile and downloadable video to provide additional product information and to make it a better experience the consumer. While I have respect for all brands that are willing to take risks and get involved in the social computing marketplace, it’s novelty entertainment - just another mass media play in a micromedia world.
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