Open Invitation to Social TV

There is an elephant in the room.  And I think I’ve found a way to get him out.  We need to concentrate on the hole, not the drill.  We need to concentrate on the consumer.  Social TV is about the consumer.  If the consumer engages, we now have a Currency.

In my opinion, Currency is what is necessary for us to survive and thrive. If we can give the networks a regular report of consumer interaction through mobile and social interactivity because the content on the screens encouraged this action, we now have a Currency.  If we can deliver consumer-behavior based accountability to advertisers and package the data professionally, we now have a Currency. Advertisers want customers.  They want to speak to them and create a relationship with them.  This is our opportunity. They want accountability. This is our opportunity.

Are you aware that as an industry we have the largest untapped network for Social TV?  By way of the rVue platform alone we can deliver 240 million daily impressions. This is due to the network owners and operators.  And bless the networks owners and operators for taking on so much.  I’ve built many ad-based networks in retail and I know the pain.  To design, deploy, manage and operate a network is a huge undertaking.  And why do they do it?  It looks pretty logical but things are more complex today due to digital accountability of other media.

But wait, we can play that game too.  This is how.

The real issue is the content.  The content needs to be interactive by way of the second screen.  The smartphone.  The tablets. The growth of tablets and smartphones is having a significant impact on content. Fifty percent of smartphone users have clicked on a QR code at least once.  According to a study released by Yahoo, about 86% of mobile Internet users are using these devices while they’re watching television. The bottom line? A significant number of mobile Internet users are accessing the Internet in-store, often to search for competitive shopping information. By targeting these engaged consumers, marketers can reach a receptive audience at or near the time of purchase – and the consumers can be rewarded. A win-win.

Shazam, GetGlue, Viggle. Check these companies out. Download the app and explore the possibilities.  These well-financed organizations created alternate ways for audiences to interact with content, to “check in” and receive rewards. Social TV has experienced explosive growth year-over-year.  It’s about the consumer. We’re not inventing it. We’re adapting it.

So here’s your invitation.  We are participating at the Social TV Summit in San Francisco on April 3^rd.  It is an invitation-only conference.  We are inviting you.  Take a look at the agenda.  Take a look at who is attending.

Do you know what is the largest untapped network for Social TV?  We are….