Producing branded videos on YouTube is tricky business.  Much of your audience is there because they’re sick of television ads and all that is corporately produced.   They like the personal engagement they have with their favorite YouTube star, and consider that person a friend.  But when that friend turns around and sells them something, watch out.  Creators can quickly find themselves in very hot water.  Perhaps it’s akin to having an old friend call to supposedly catch up… and then try and rope you into a pyramid scheme.

My theory on branded videos is that viewers don’t mind being sold, as long as you 1) be honest about it, and 2) entertain their pants off.  An example of the latter is Volkswagen’s viral hit with the little Darth Vader.  The title of the video even includes the word “commercial” (part 1 of my theory).

I’m not saying I entertained the pants off my audience with “Brain Game Showdown”, but I think I delivered a solid Fupler episode, and perhaps a little extra.  I also didn’t try and hide the fact that it was sponsored by Verizon.  Not disclosing such sponsorship can lead your audience to assume it was a trick, and that can get ugly. Should I have told my subscribers up front? Perhaps. But that could have also put them on the defensive, and hey… that’s no way to start watching a video.

Incorporating such a technical service, “4G LTE”, into this traditional setting wasn’t easy, but that’s where good ole Kevin Fupler comes in handy….

What do you think? Is there another way to soften the branded-video-blow? Feel free to comment below!

The Fupler family unity is challenged when Kevin realizes that Mom has been supervising him on Facebook. Can you relate?

Watch my commentary on this episode.  Did you find “tressla” in this video? …TWICE??

PS. If you’re watching an advertisement with this episode — thank you. You’re helping to support an independent filmmaker. :)

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The Fuplers, made by Matt Koval

co-produced by Dan Cook
http://www.youtube.com/dancookflixtures

intro theme by Greg Benson
http://www.youtube.com/mediocrefilms

Thanks to Amy Stewart Aberg for donating Carol’s ring!

Matt on FACEBOOK
Follow Matt on TWITTER

A cheesy TV-style promo for the new episode of The Fuplers, returning next week in HD!

In the “season finale” of Season 1, The Fuplers have a serious discussion about proper manners at the dinner table.

The idea for this episode came from the creative genius in my family – my mother. It’s a little painful to admit it, but she and my Dad used to sing this song when my sisters and I were young. You can imagine how quickly it got old.

I apologize to any kid whose parents have now adopted this song because of this video!

Carol Fupler is beyond insulted when her family refuses a glass of nature’s goodness – organic milk.

As I’ve mentioned before, the hardest part about making The Fuplers is the continuity of the props. I didn’t think curdled milk would be very difficult; just mix regular milk with cottage cheese, right? Wrong. They didn’t mix well at all. All the cottage cheese sank to the bottom, so the milk would pour out first, then the cottage cheese would clog the spout. You should see the footage of me sitting there, cussing in Mrs. Fupler’s wig.

After adding feta cheese and soy milk – and going through eight wine glasses – I got the nastiness I was looking for. Now imagine taking a gulp of that concoction after it warmed under the hot lights, would you? (Afterwards, I had to eat mouthfuls of tortilla chips so I didn’t yak.)

I’ve had a lot of people ask questions about how I make The Fuplers (FOO-plers), so I thought I’d edit together some odds and ends. I guess they’re not really bloopers… but more like busted takes. Thanks for watching and supporting my wacky family!

- Matt

Kevin Fupler is encouraged to share his true feelings with a heartfelt “song” at the dinner table.

A few people have asked why I don’t change the characters’ clothes and get them away from the table. The obvious answer is that it’s too much work.

But thinking about it further, I realized that The Fuplers isn’t really a web series. It’s more like a comic strip — perhaps a “video comic strip.” You can check it out and hopefully get a chuckle, without worrying about what you missed in the previous episode.

I got the idea for this one after coming across an extremely morbid poem online. It was so bleak, it made me snort with laughter. Oh poor teenagers…. I don’t miss those confusing days.

The Fuplers realize they’re a little rusty when it comes to saying grace at the dinner table.

The Fuplers discuss the night of romance that Kevin has planned for a special lady friend.

It recently dawned on me why I like making The Fuplers. It’s a chance for me to be as completely uncool as humanly possible. And I have to say, it’s kind of cathartic to just let go in front of thousands of people.

In this episode, I decided to push Kevin further into the “dark” trenches of teenage life. And now I have a new Halloween costume, so that worked out.

The Fuplers play a game of Scrabble.

My Mom came up with the Scrabble idea (thanks Mom).  I jumped right on it, especially since it meant I didn’t have to deal with the continuity of food.  Of course, the game had its own challenges.  I wanted “supine” to be in a specific place, along with the other word.  But working backwards to create the entire board was surprisingly difficult.  Who knew it was so hard to reverse-engineer a frickin’ Scrabble board?!

This one got featured on the front page of YouTube and reached 1 million views a couple months later.

Did you find “tressla”?