Before holidays I visited presentation of the project “Snob” – a multimedia social network for millionaires. There was a late breakfast on the territory of the factory Arma (future office of the company), dedicated to the official launch of media group “ЖV!” (translated from Russian into English as a verb to Live).

The group positions itself as media of a new type, for which Internet space (where text, sound and video are used simultaneously) is a priority. It is based on co-creation of content both by users (participants of the project) and editors. Media group plans to launch 4 projects.

“Snob” number 1. “3 in 1” project – site, magazine, TV  channel – starts in July. Snob’s target audience are insiders. Quoting Andrey Shmarov – CEO of the project, the number of such people is around 5 000, they are rich, influential and they have what to say. Now they will have a place where to say. Exactly they will become hero-members of a “social net for millionaires” – club Snob.ru. It necessary to mention that it will be possible to enter the club only with a special invitation. Other users will have an access to an open part of the site Snob, where they will be able to enjoy posts of influential people and also video and audio content. At the same time for common users it will be possible to watch but impossible to write. In such a way creators of the project plan to protect snobs from “Internet chaos”.

It is not clear how will open and closed part of the club communicate. And what will motivate and attract common users (CEO of media group “ЖV!” Juriy Katsman plans to have 45 000 visitors per day)? It’s obviously that users won’t be satisfied just with news of “bloggers”. And if a user can’t have an influence on what’s going on and doesn’t have possibility to communicate in interactive online space (for example, he or she has no opportunity to comment the post of smb he reads) he will finally go somewhere, where this possibility exists.

At the same time Vladimir Yakovlev – founder of publishing house “Kommersant”, and nowadays chairman of board of directors of media group “ЖV!”, announced at the presentation that possibilities of blogs several times outnumber traditional journalism, and Mikhail Prohorov – the main investor of the project even suggested the journalists who were on this presentation to say good bye to their profession because of its’ coming death. 

Answering the question “How will your project differ from Livejournal.Com and how will you attract famous bloggers” Andrey Shmarov said that “Snob” is not an alternative to Livejournal and this project is not a “blog project”.

“Yes-yes, we understood that the project is multimedia and multi format. If it is impossible to transmit smth online, magazine or TV format will be chosen. But still how will you attract famous bloggers?”- questions continued to come from the hall.
- To copy their blogs and to agree with famous bloggers to come,” – continued Shmarov.
- And why should they come to you?
- Because.
- ???
- They will feel better at our space, all conditions will be created for them.
- Will you invite Dima Bilan? (Famous Russian pop star)
- Who’s that?
- How will you promote the project?
- With the help of acquaintances, – joined Katsman, – and with the help of all other familiar ways.
- How will you earn?
- Two sources of income: advertising on the site and in the magazine and paid services, subscription.

It is necessary to say that it will be invested near 150 mln $ in 4 projects of the new media group before 2010. Each project will have around 30 mln $. At the same time it is planned to earn on the site Snob.ru not less than 3,5 mln $ per year.

3 in 1:

Magazine – a traditional monthly printed edition. Without informational occasions and rubricators – not to fill sections with rubbish.

TV-channel – all the best for insiders. It is planned to attract 20 000 of subscribers who (paying around 65$ monthly) will enjoy only interesting programs.

Internet-portal – site is divided into 2 parts. The 1st: club of highly successful people. 2nd: open for everybody. Not highly successful. Yet.

My photos from presentation