Rising popularity of sending valentine video messages online.
It is official; the era of conventional Valentine’s Day traditions is over. The younger generation are now using video messages to express their feelings to loved ones, signaling a new way means to say ‘I love you’, according to social networks and Flip Video.
Whilst Valentine’s Day customs can be traced back to ancient Rome, the date still proves popular today, with a billion Valentine’s cards sent each year worldwide. Loved ones are increasingly looking for new innovative ways to convey their love - with Flip Video research revealing that nearly one in five (18%) 18-24 year olds and 17% of 25-34 year olds are already creating and sharing their own videos online at least once a week.
Deserting customary cards and flowers, social networks such as MySpace have noted a strong increase in the sending of Valentine video messages, and have developed a new channel to allow people to post these videos.
Katie Marsters, 27, from London, was proposed to on her iPod, after her fiancée created a video using his Flip Video camcorder and uploaded it onto Katie’s iPod. Katie said: “It was such a great surprise and so different to the stock-standard way of getting down on one knee! He created a video proposal played alongside my favorite song ‘Heartbeats’
Ray Sangster of Flip Video said: “We are seeing significant numbers across the UK creating videos to share emotions as well as simply keep in touch. It isn’t just for those that are technology savvy, it is so easy to share video online or upload to an iPod or MP3, and it is increasingly popular for Valentine’s Day messages to be shared in this way. Maybe there will be less mystery, but it could certainly spark more actual romances.”
Dom Cook, Head of Entertainment at MySpace UK said: “More than 75,000 videos are uploaded onto MySpace everyday – it’s therefore no surprise that users are using the medium to create romantic messages and propose to loved ones.”
The UK has nearly 18 million active web users between the ages of 16 - 54. As a nation, 45% of the UK admit to watching more videos online compared to the last year, made easier with the introduction of a new generation of camcorders developed with video sharing in mind.
Flip Video camcorders are simple, slim line, and easy to use. They plug directly into a PC or Mac through a signature flip-out USB arm, allowing swift and easy upload of videos to social media websites including MySpace and YouTube. The cameras come with everything on board, including built in software that includes simple templates to add video so that video messages can be sent safely and securely to loved ones.
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U.S. Greeting Cards Association
2Independent Flip Video research of 2,782 participants undertaken by Lightspeed Research
3 Independent Flip Video research of 2,782 participants undertaken by Lightspeed Research
Notes To Editors
For more information about Flip Video, visit www.flipvideo.co.uk
About Flip Video UK Ltd
Based in Windsor (UK) with headquarters in San Francisco (USA), Flip Video UK Ltd is a pioneer in developing simple, affordable digital imaging solutions for the mass market. The revolutionary Flip Video family of camcorders ignited a new category of video cameras that puts the power to shoot and share video into the pockets of everyday consumers.
Flip Video camcorders are the world's first with on-board software to enable editing, organising, and seamless video uploading to YouTube, MySpace and other video sharing sites. As part of its Flip Video Spotlight Programming, the company pledged to deliver 1 million camcorders to help non-profits use the power of video to change the world.
For media information contact
Paula Figgett/ Sarah Mayer
T: 020 3043 4191
E: flipvideo@kaizo.net
