Extending television advertising to second screen could encourage viewers to watch more ads and even share with friends and family, this contributing to a higher impact and increased ad reach. Rather than moving all marketing efforts online, brands and advertisers are looking to capture viewers’ attention on television with synchronized gamified second screen elements. We’ve seen some of the major brands creating a buzz with second screen apps that synchronized to TV ads. Coca Cola app Chok and Honda Jazz app are two such examples.
Syncing TV ads with gamified content on second screen
The idea that second screen would distract viewers from watching television, especially during commercial breaks, has determined advertisers to try and find creative ways to reconnect television ad content with viewers. Gamified second screen technology is proving that it is possible to increase awareness of TV ads when synchronizing them with linked content. The technology enables the detection of a TV commercial the moment it runs and it usually uses listening technology to identify content. It then activates interactive messages and gamified features that run on digital devices.
The fact that television viewership is changing it’s not something that broadcasters, brands or advertisers should worry about. TV is evolving and it needs to catch up with new technologies. This is in fact a chance for businesses to tap into these new opportunities that second screen introduces. Gamified second-screen synching can improve awareness of a television commercial, at the same time engaging the audience and allowing users to have some fun. This info graphic by Mobile Marketing shows that gaming ads have a higher ad engagement rate than non-gaming ads. Gamification is thus proving to be an efficient way to encourage users to engage with brands.
Most popular synched gamified content with TV ads
Users are already spending a lot of time with gaming apps. It shows there is potential here for brands to make the most of this trend. Some of the most popular gamified content is represented by rewards, small games, solving riddles and answering questions, the last two usually involving some type of a rewards system. Coca Cola Chok gave virtual bottle caps that enabled users to receive various prizes. The instant a Coca Cola ad ran on TV, the app prompted users to shake their device and it then measured the motion to grant the virtual bottle caps. The Honda Jazz app included game mechanics that allowed users, by swiping their devices at the ad, to “catch” characters on the TV screen.
The more creative game mechanics and design techniques are, the likely it is for a user to enjoy the experience. Content matters most even when it comes to gamification. Chances of having users engage with this content increase when the content is authentic.
