MTV has been leveraging social media around their Video Music Awards for the past several years. Their ratings have been increasing noticeably since. All tent-pole events like the VMA’s, Oscars and other award shows have benefited from the social tune-in that Twitter delivers. Real-time earned media creates awareness that no upfront advertising can provide.
The insights from the data around these events are telling. This year, we see mobile as the dominant device and Twitter (real-time and open) as the social media service that is driving the experience home.
Twitter, in this case, was deeply integrated into the show: the pre-show, the media buys, the on-air promotion – well…everywhere. And it paid off.
The other significant insight is that it was a female demographic that drove the experience, and while maybe that was due to Beyonce announcing her pregnancy, whatever the reason, females led the way on mobile devices.
IPTV advocates cite that this two screen behavior is destined to return to a single screen. I do not see that happening anytime soon. The ability for many people in the same room to have unique tightly coupled experiences with their friends is one obvious reason. The 17-year old teenage girl wants to share with her circle of friends though her mobile phone – that conversation is not one they would share with the room physically around them.
The below graphic highlights the challenge of all networks – how do you monetize the points of attention across different devices and services? It is clear that the millions of engagement activities are taking place. What is important how to unlock their value.
Let me count the ways this can be done:
1 – Increase Awareness That Drives Tune-in:
Example: Bolster legacy revenues like on-air advertising and GRP’s
2 -Tailor Sponsored Advertising To Programs:
Across different devices and services
3 – SEO/SEM:
Both can be impacted positively by social programs
4 – Brand Engagement:
Brand lift correlations can be shown through the data, driving higher advertising rates.
5- Less marketing dollars spent promoting the show:
Done right, you can understand demand and awareness and channel marketing dollars to where they are most effective.
By activating and surfacing the talent in the audience, MTV drove the value for the shows sponsors by engaging celebrities who would normally charge millions for any association.
I continue to hear and read high level network executives question the value of social. Let me rephrase the question if the above list does not check all the boxes needed to gain their attention.
What is the ROI of putting on your pants? You get to show up to the conversation.
#win
