Convince advertisers that the Internet - with programming such as a new Yahoo sitcom about an alternate universe - can be as effective as television for pitching brands. Mayer joined executives from AOL Inc., Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. at the annual Cannes Lions advertising festival to court potential clients with beach parties, gift bags and appearances by the likes of Mariah Carey, Kanye West and Sarah Jessica Parker. Netflix's moveYahoo and its peers are seeking to follow the lead of Netflix Inc. in creating original programming like "House of Cards," said Richard Raddon, CEO of ZEFR, a company that sells rights management software for online videos. Lavish beach partyAOL CEO Tim Armstrong attended the Cannes festival to promote the company's Huffington Post news website as well as the 16 online TV series AOL expects to introduce this year. Yahoo has also commissioned "Sin City Saints," a comedy about a pro basketball team in Las Vegas from Bryan Gordon, director of the TV series "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Taking viewersAs the Internet companies get more sophisticated with their offerings, they will continue to take viewers from traditional television networks, said Scott Symonds, managing director of media at digital ad agency AKQA.
Reported by SFGate 3 hours ago.
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