Not long ago, roughly 5-6 years, many people used to claim that they had given up on the concept of owning a TV since the Internet was, and still is, more resourceful in matters of entertainment and information, and the quality of most of the shows and programs had decreased so much that people just lost interest. What will these people say about second screen marketing and second screen advertising? Or are they among the advocators of the second screen platform just because there is a chance for TV after all? And better yet, what do they think about second screen marketing?
In order to answer the question of what will turn people back into TV fans, and whether or not the second screen platforms can be built starting from this idea, we must first answer the question of what disappointed in the first place:
Decreasing quality of content: TV’s main role is that of providing information and entertainment.
Lack of interaction: you do not get to do anything, voice your opinions and present your ideas in real time and in a really meaningful matter.
Too many other distractions: a slower moment in a show is a great moment to check out a Facebook profile or see whether or not a certain pizza place delivers.
Product placement and branding have come at an all-time low and are not impressing or convincing anyone anymore.
Can second screen apps really bring any sort of improvement?
What people say on social networks about a show may be simple conversation and exchange of opinions among friends, but this is also a very valuable source of information for the companies and for the marketers and this is the essence of second screen marketing.
Having all of these comments collected by connecting the devices and providing a common space, where everything a viewer thinks about a show can be registered and processed, is like a free survey of all the shows, at all times, with brutal honesty and no other agenda than the need to create a more interesting program.
Will TV broadcasters lend an ear to the people complaining about the quality of certain shows? With the help of second screen apps they can start to focus on the ones people respond the most to.
The lack of interaction is exactly the type of challenge taken on by second screen platforms, while second screen marketing and second screen advertising can really turn around the more obvious branding techniques which can sometimes annoy consumers.
As far as distractions are concerned, there is no reason why all of your devices cannot give you a unitary idea of what is on TV, combined with easy access to your friends and a way in which you can get your ideas across.
Second screen apps may still be on the edge between basic and innovative as the industry has yet to take off in the proper sense of the word when taking into account the parameters of the modern day product frenzy. But the possibilities open for companies via second screen marketing and second screen advertising are worth getting in the game as early as possible.
