Magazine Publisher Seeks to Extend Reach

When Vice Magazine, a leading voice in countercultural publishing, sought to extend their media reach into online broadcast, they turned to Code and Theory. The alternative magazine publisher wanted to produce an alternative to traditional network television, with content that covered a range of topics from entertainment to international news reportage.

VBS.tv was born.

Culture Savvy Meets Tech Savvy

Building an engaging and interactive experience required cultural relevance and technical know-how. Code and Theory was well-positioned to take charge. We designed and developed a highly customized broadband Flash video destination for VBS.tv, with the tag line “Rescuing you from television's deathlike grip.”

Using Brightcove's video player, VBS.tv provided the feeling of being in front of one's own TV, with fast access to a wide range of news, music, travel, and other video content straight from the pages of Vice Magazine. The content was sorted into relevant channels and a custom onscreen guide that also allowed users to search all of the videos for exactly what they are looking for.

A Context for Communication

Providing a space to consume content is just a part of what an online experience can be. VBS.tv also included hooks for viewers and would-be producers to engage with Vice as well as each other. An integrated email list kept visitors in touch with what's new in each show. Users used built-in chat features to share thoughts and interact live on the site. Changeable backgrounds, variable video sizes, a user-controlled list of favorites, and sharing capabilities further enhanced VBS.tv's unique broadband Flash video experience.

The Results Are In

By 2009, VBS.tv had served content to over 2.5 million unique visitors and 5 million visits, according to an independent analytics company. The launch was a thoughtful and highly effective step forward for the international media brand.