Have you heard of YouToo?
YouToo. Be On TV.
YouToo is the world’s first social tv network allowing viewers to interact with one another over a national cable television network.
Youtoo claims to be “the next frontier of social networking” because it’s both a social network and a television network which uses “advanced technology that makes them work together.”
What about Trendrr?
Trendrr. More signal. Less noise.
Trendrr is a tech solution that helps content producers process and understand the multiple streams of data from television, online, and social media, and put that data to use.
Trendrr measures the social media activities tied to television broadcasts, and the increasingly significant impact that social has on brands and audiences.
You must have heard of Revolt, right?
Sean Combs is launching a new network called Revolt.
Revolt is the new music video cable network of Sean “P Diddy” Combs that’s slated to launch next year on Comcast.
With a focus on artists, Revolt’s mission is to revolutionize the way artists are promoted using social as a platform.
These are just a few of the brands that are focusing on ‘social television‘ the intersection of television, social media, connected devices and audiences.
So what does it all mean?
It means that there is a growing nexus between television and social interaction, and businesses are paying attention.
The recent record-breaking numbers in viewership and social chatter with the Super Bowl, Grammy Awards and the Oscars, aptly demonstrates this point.
More importantly, the availability of low-priced, more powerful smartphones and tablets, means that more people will have the ability to take advantage of these intersections.
Connected devices make it even easier for brands to interact with their audiences, regardless of whether they’re in front of traditional television screens or not.
It also creates opportunities for brands to engage audiences in ways that simply didn’t exist as recent as a year ago.
Twitter hashtags, on-screen QR codes, text calls-to-action, voting and integrated mobile apps are just a few of the methods television programmers have embraced to become more social.
Home shopping networks, like HSN, have been leading the way for years, giving shoppers the ability to browse for products and make purchases from the convenience of their couches, home computers or mobile phones.
I suspect that this trend will continue well into the conceivable future, which will undoubtedly provide even greater opportunities for brands to interact ‘socially’ with their audiences.
Stephen Chukumba 