The women behind Mommycast, a three-year-old audio podcast with more than a million subscribers, are taking their schtick to video, courtesy of Procter & Gamble.
In a deal brokered by Media Rights Capital, the duo will start producing 120 two- to three-minute episodes this month. No one is volunteering any terms, but if P&G is covering the entire cost of production, we'd bet they're shelling out something in the $500,000 range: That assumes production costs of $1,500 a minute, which is standard in low-budget Web video.
The videos will be distributed via YouTube, iTunes and additional partners. MRC president Dan Goodman told MediaWeek the series will seek other sponsors willing to pay for product placements.
Mommycast hosts Paige Heninger and Gretchen Vogelzang the only ones to gab about their mothering experiences online. But they're rare in that they're making a profit from the enterprise. Their podcast, sponsored by Dixie, made them six-figure incomes, and attracted a PR firm and Hollywood talent agency.
Making a business of Web video is tough, but advertisers have shown a willingness to bankroll Web video as a means to reach women. WPP's branded entertainment unit Mindshare Entertainment created "In The Motherhood" for Unilever and Sprint, and after two seasons online, ABC is planning TV version (with a TV-sized budget) of the series next fall. On the other hand, the guys behind Dadlabs are still looking for ways to get their video series out of the red.
See Also:
Dadlabs: How To (Almost) Make A Business Out Of Web Video
ABC Gives Moms A Chance At The Tube
Hot Mommy Blogger To Terrify "Today" Staff, Viewers
