It’s not often that we hear about consumer web startups getting their own TV spots, much less during the Super Bowl — that’s the sort of craziness that was reserved for the heady 90’s, back before the (first) bubble burst. But that’s exactly what Hulu did this year when it ran a spot during Super Bowl XLIII, introducing the masses to the online video site’s plot for world domination (headed by Alec Baldwin, of course). The ad was certainly effective — Hulu saw a massive traffic jump and released a series of followup ads featuring celebrities including Seth MacFarlane and Dennis Leary.
Apparently the general public wasn’t alone in liking the ad. Hulu has just been nominated for an Emmy Award in the category “Outstanding Commercial” — a feat that few other consumer websites have ever accomplished (I believe the only other startup to get a nod was Snap.com in 1999, when that site was home to a search engine).
Of course, Hulu isn’t exactly your typical startup — it was created by News Corp and NBC, and recently added Disney to the team. Still, it’s hard to look at a company that launched its private beta less than two years ago and not call it a startup.
My favorite part about the news is that The Emmys — an organization steeped in the traditions of old Hollywood — is honoring a company whose on-demand model may eventually change television as we know it. In any case, good job guys. Now you’ve just got to beat out the likes of Nike, Budweiser, and Coca-Cola to get your prize. Here are the rest of the nominees:
Airport Lounge • Amex / Platinum Card
Alec In Huluwood • Hulu
Bottled Courage • Nike
Circus • Anheuser-Busch Budweiser
Heist • Coca-Cola
Magazine Buyer • Anheuser-Busch Bud Light
Tips • Career Builder
Wedding • Sprint Nextel
It’s interesting how Startups runned or funded by big companies are mostly the ones that refer to TV advertising. Hulu for the Superbowl and now Bing.
http://www.twibeo.com
FF and Twitter combo.
FriendFeed’s multimedia sharing with Twitter’s simplicity.
Runned?
It’s a typo, he meant to write “ruined”.
I love those ads, they are brilliant.
The ads are good, buy Emmy material? I dunno…
As with all your previous Hulu stories, it was interesting right up to the point I tried to watch the video. I know us Canadians are freeloaders who don’t deserve copyright material, but not even a ad? Would it really upset the apple cart that much to squirt their ads 100 kilometers north of the border?
In the future, please include the youtube link with your Hulu stories.
p.s. funny, yes – Emmy, no.
what about those godaddy commercials? hehe
Actually, I thought the ads were pretty lame. And I like Alec Baldwin.
The Stinker in the category is Sprint.
hulu isn’t a startup its a corp spin out. how many startups do you know that get 1B valuations and raise 100M in the first round? Tard
I never liked Hulu ads… or may be my mind is already a goo material
[as the ad claims to convert brain material to goo material]
They even block their ads from showing in AUS….
I detest Hulu
Die Hulu! Die!
Bloody hell, even their ad isn’t available to international viewers.
And there seems to be an unclosed center tag somewhere inside the post. Fix it. it’s breaking the layout.
great ad. my brain feels mushier already
mushi mushi. iLOL, actually i don’t do any of that iEvil 2.0 iStuff (2.0)
I was very surprised when I saw the commercial on TV but they are pretty good. As much as you mention they’re startup companies, in no way would I categorize them as that. When they’re funded by millions of dollars and have big companies financially backing them up, they’re not a startup. http://ziggytek.com/