Video Battle Claims Two Revver Founders

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Video Battle Claims Two Revver Founders

By: David Utter
2006-12-20

In a market where YouTube represents the dominant force in sharing videos online, Revver has found a need to shake up its leadership by shaking out two of its founders.

The creative spark doesn't always lend itself to supporting a tech startup as it tries to transition from cool new thing to corporate chic. Even the brainy Google co-founders had to pluck Eric Schmidt from Novell to satisfy jittery Wall Street institutions, and his contribution to Google has been to talk on quarterly earnings calls and do the occasional softball interview.

Revver wants to be a good guy, by offering the chance for uploaders to earn a piece of the advertising action. The company inked a deal with Verizon in late November to be one of the wireless network's video providers to the V Cast service.

It's likely the kind of growth Revver's Ian Clarke and Oliver Luckett wanted for Revver, but probably not at the expense of their positions in the company. As AdAge reported, Clarke and Luckett, two of Revver's founders, will clean out their desks in favor of new blood. Steven Starr, the third founder, will keep his CEO role.

Other support staff will exit Revver, as part of a move that looks like a repositioning of the company to prep it for a quick flip, before the market for online video companies completely vanishes along with the venture capital money invested in them.

Revver said in a statement the personnel moves, which include bringing in fresh faces to the executive offices, "are intended to advance the company's infrastructure and bolster its marketing and advertising efforts in 2007."

Being an online video concern, and thus an object of attention in the blogosphere, several bloggers weighed in with opinions on Revver's revolving door. Among them, Pete Cashmore wrote at Mashable that "they still have a strong product and their value has almost certainly increased following YouTubes acquisition."

HipMojo's 'Froosh' blogged his disagreement with Cashmore's assessment of the state of Revver:

As such, we respectfully disagree with Mashables Pete Cashmore when he states:

their value has almost certainly increased following YouTubes acquisition.

Why, because of the greater fool theory?

While Mr. Cashmore is right to state that Revver could have added more content, the truth is that YouTube won the game by cheating and ripping off content. Its that simple. I love YouTube and admire the founders and all, but I also liked Napster but knew it was not exactly right and legit.

The business of video, from today's online arena all the way back to the silent movie days, has always been noted for being a cutthroat business. Even Walt Disney reputedly had a less-than-gentle side when it came to the bottom line. Revver is facing some sharp incentive to make something happen soon, just like Veoh and Metacafe and everyone else.

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Tag: Revver

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