In one of the latest examples of branded Web video, Holiday Inn Express has partnered with Blip.tv to release the second season of its Web series “The Smart Show” starting July 8.

The Web series is designed to showcase the “quirks, challenges and charms” of business travel. It was developed by ad agency Digitas and its new branded content unit, the Third Act.

The episodes were produced in partnership with production house Endemol USA, which is best known for “Deal or No Deal” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

The Web series will run twice a week from July through October at the show’s own Blip.tv-hosted microsite, hiexpress.com/the smartshow, and on the travel site Tripadvisor.com.
Blip.tv has engaged some of its existing Web shows to promote “The Smart Show,” such as “Beet.tv,” “Geek Entertainment TV,” “Experiment of the Week” and “Break a Leg.”

The partnership with Holiday Inn Express is one of Blip.tv’s first significant forays into branded entertainment. “We all know that soon tons of people will have DVRs and TiVos and some ways of skipping ads, and brands need to find new ways of engaging people who enjoy watching video content,” said Dina Kaplan, co-founder and chief operating officer of Blip.tv.