brightspot.tv
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
Brightspot.tv was a Scottsdale, Arizona video service that rewarded consumers for watching advertisements. Users earned credits toward subscription services - such as GameFly, Napster or online audio broadcasts of NBA games - by viewing spots: watching 10 ads, for example, entitled a user to $5 off a $21.95 monthly GameFly subscription. The company charged advertisers only when their spots were actually viewed, attracting brands including Ford, McDonald's, AIG and Miller. Its backers included Phoenix Suns president Jerry Colangelo and Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, with former McDonald's chief marketing officer Paul Schrage as an adviser. CEO Aaron Martens blamed advertisers for being slow to adopt new internet-era business models.
02 / brightspot.tv FAILURE REASONS
Failure factors supported by the current evidence
AfterDawn (21 Nov 2007), citing Mediaweek, reported BrightSpot.TV/BrightSpot Media was shutting down after about 14 months: CEO Aaron Martens blamed advertisers being slow to adopt new internet ad models, and company sources said the firm was nearly out of money and had not lined up additional venture capital.
Company sources told AfterDawn/Mediaweek BrightSpot Media was nearly out of money and had not been able to line up additional venture capital.
CEO Aaron Martens blamed advertisers who were slow to adopt new internet-age advertising models.
03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Operations ended
BrightSpot.tv entered TechCrunch's deadpool in November 2007.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN
How the factors connect
- 01
Brightspot.tv launched around September 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona, rewarding users with credits toward subscription services in exchange for watching ads.
- 02
In November 2007, fourteen months after launch, the company told members the site was no longer in operation and went dark.
- 03
The company was nearly out of cash and could not line up additional venture capital; it hoped to license its technology platform to a third party instead of relaunching.
- 04
No reliable realized loss figure with clear subject, period and basis has been disclosed.