tvTrends: Check-ins and Viewer Interaction (+World Cup)
Here are a few of my most recent thoughts as I continue to track the intersection of business, entertainment, and technology.
Over the past couple of years it has been interesting to watch people increasingly experience television while on their smartphones and laptops - and more recently iPads. This “trend”, although I suspect it is a rather permanent one, has opened up a variety of possibilities for TV shows, brands and companies during commercials, and sporting events. (Check this video from Gary V. for more).
The Foursquare/Twitter approach to check-ins and conversation has been applied to many different niches. Within the past year there has been much talk and action in creating web applications for people to have conversations around events, TV shows, and sporting events. Twitter has always existed on the back burner with it’s hashtag functionality. HotPotato has been a pioneer in the space and has a supercool UI as well as neat smarphone apps. HotPotato, while perhaps relevant to TV in that it creates great conversation around sporting events, is more geared to people being at these events in person. HotPotato makes this distinction with the incredible amount of depth they add to the event with photo sharing, note comparing, etc.
A few more virtually focused services have popped up in recent months (maybe even weeks). Miso, once just a smartphone app, has launched a web app component allowing people to check into and create dialogue around TV shows, sporting events, and movies that they are currently watching. It is a bit lacking in the “realtime” department as comments are really not processed as conversations - but rather as mini-reviews or expectations for the show/event/movie.
TunerFish, a recent creation of Comcast, aims to do the same thing as Miso yet make it “a bit more social” (whatever that really means). TunerFish, in terms of design and user interaction/social integration with other networks (FB and Twitter), is a bit more advanced that Miso, but TunerFish’s database of shows is currently inferior to Miso’s. Miso goes deeper into sports programming than TunerFish does, yet neither are comprehensive.
FanPulse launched their app just in time for the World Cup. The app is a mashup between Foursquare and Twitter for sports programming. It allows people to check into games they are watching, place a vote on who will win, as well as converse with others about the game as it happens. FanPulse seamlessly integrates both Facebook and Twitter, and even allows users to turn off the public feed and only see the conversation and activity of friends.
The real value in these checkin/conversation apps, from a business perspective, is found in how these services integrate partnerships with networks, shows, and brands. If these apps can find a way to integrate branded conversations in a non-interrupting way these apps will stand to be very successful. FanPulse, upon their release, announced a deal with the NHL. TunerFish’s parent, Comcast, will no doubt commercialize it soon enough. Miso is still relatively independent as they navigate through their alpha.
The appeal of these services is fairly limited right now. TunerFish may see some early success because of their relationship with Comcast, and FanPulse has seen good growth already with World Cup fans. The future looks somewhat shiny for these apps, assuming they can overcome the skepticism of those who think the internet is made up of a bunch of narcissistic over-sharers.
Thoughts?
4 Notes