We now all realise that YouTube is media giant in its own right, right?

Just consider some new stats from the Yankee Group that highlight how videos are "becoming the primary form of media entertainment for many people," as Tech News World puts it.

According to Yankee Group, Americans viewed 9.5 billion online videos in November, with  2.9 billion viewed at YouTube alone. On average those Google-eyed viewers (geddit?) watched  3.25
hours, or 195 minutes, of online video during the month.

Which got us thinking: with that type of audience, just how are the major brands looking after their YouTube presence?

Over the coming weeks we’ll be reporting on many a major brand’s YouTube profile (intended or otherwise).  But let’s begin with that uber-brand, Starbucks.

The first three entries for Starbucks out of over 10,000 on YouTube (based on relevance) are these.

1, a New York comic who makes a film of trying to visit all of Manhattan’s 171 Starbucks’ locations (and eating or drinking something there) in 24 hours.

Views: 266,995, Comments: 600!

Brand Reputationometer – Good, if you over look the comments about how Starbucks is saturating the world with stores.

2, a homage to a Starbucks advert featuring "Eye of the Tiger" band Survivor.

Views: 128,262, Comments: 164!

Brand Reputationometer – Good

3, The "ad Starbucks doesn’t want you to see". A damning piss-take against the prices Starbucks charges and how that money could be better spent.

Views: 166,305, Comments: 433

Brand Reputationometer – Really Bad.

So two good and one negative….not too bad for a medium you can’t control I guess.

- Matthew