Tag: ott

Now You Can Order Papa John’s Pizza On Apple TV

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Papa John has introduced an Apple TV app for people to order pizza straight from their couches, beating its rival Domino’s to become the first pizza delivery brand to bring online ordering to Apple TV. Users are encouraged to log into their Papa John’s accounts to facilitate a seamless checkout experience. To celebrate the launch, the company is applying a 25% discount automatically to all orders made through its Apple TV app.

What Brands Need To Do
When Apple debuted the 4th generation Apple TV last fall, its ecommerce feature was one of the key highlights we suggested brands to look into. At the moment, Papa John’s Apple TV app lacks integration with its loyalty program and Apple Pay, leaving some room for improvement. For brands that wish to reach customers across all digital sales channels, Apple TV is one of the new frontiers for brands to explore as ecommerce evolves.

To read more on how brands can reach shoppers on OTT platforms with shopping apps and branded content, please check out the Appified TV section in our Outlook 2016.

 

Source: 9to5Mac

Hulu Shuffles Ad-Supported TV Content To Yahoo

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Hulu is set to end its ad-supported TV service as it aims to push for paid subscriptions. The free-to-watch content will be distributed via Yahoo as part of an expanded deal it inked with Yahoo for the impending launch of streaming service Yahoo View, for which Yahoo will be using Hulu’s video player and running ads sold by Hulu’s sales team. Hulu, which recently added Time Warner as a minority shareholder, has amassed 12 million subscribers and launched a completely ad-free subscription tier last fall.

Why Brands Should Care
As viewers get increasingly accustomed to the ad-free experience that popular OTT services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video provide, it is understandable that Hulu is revising their content structure and focusing on building its paid subscription service instead. Soon, Hulu will most likely carry no ads in its SVOD service. (It will most likely still carry ads in its upcoming Live TV service.) But for advertisers, the ad inventory that Hulu provided will simply move to Yahoo’s new streaming service.

For more information on how brands can effectively reach consumers who are actively choosing to avoid ads, please check out the Ad Avoidance section of our Outlook 2016.

 

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

ABC Relaunches OTT Streaming Service With Back Catalogue And New Content

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
ABC has relaunched its over-the-air streaming service, adding seven short-form, web-exclusive series and 38 shows from its back catalogue. The service will remain free and ad-supported. The relaunch also comes with an interface redesign for its iOS apps that improves content discovery and navigation, as well as expanding its local live streaming to 14 markets in a new pact with Hearst.

What Brands Need To Do
ABC is taking a decidedly different approach in building out its OTT streaming service than its broadcast competitors. Last year, CBS and NBC both launched their own subscription-based SVOD services, CBS All Access and Seeso, respectively, whereas the alphabet network is sticking with the ad-supported model. Regardless, all three networks share the same strategy of developing exclusive content for their streaming services in order to capture an audience that is shifting away from linear TV. For brands, this primarily means two things: One, brands should consider increasing ad buys on ad-supported streaming services. Two, brands need to develop branded content or work with content creators on brand integrations in order to reach viewers on ad-free services.

For more information on how brands can reach viewers on OTT platforms with ads or branded content, please check out the Appified TV section in our Outlook 2016.

 

Sources: Variety

Twitter In Talks With Sports Leagues And Turner For More Live Sports Content

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Following its entry into live sports streaming with a test Wimbledon broadcast on Wednesday, Twitter is reportedly in talks with the NBA, Major League Soccer (MLS), and Turner network to seek more live sports content. Turner, in particular, holds the broadcast rights of games from several popular sports leagues, including the NBA, MLB, and the NCAA.

What Brands Need To Do
It should come as no surprise that Twitter is doubling down on its quest for live sports content, given it is the kind of premium content that the microblogging network needs to expand its stalled user base and make a compelling case for its ad products. As more and more audience turns online, media owners and sports leagues will have little choice but to follow along and embrace live streaming. Even ESPN, king of sports broadcasting, is reportedly considering launching OTT streaming packages to deliver live sports content directly to viewers so as to capture the cord-cutters and cord-nevers. Therefore, brands targeting sports fans need to closely follow the developments in this field and start exploring live-streaming channels to see if it provides a viable channel to reach your target audience in a cost-effective way.

Source: Re/Code

HGTV And Food Network Launch Shoppable Apps For Amazon Fire TV

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
HGTV and Food Network are launching four streaming apps on Amazon Fire TV that allow viewers to purchase the products featured in their shows without putting down the remote. With these new apps, viewers will be able to browse products in a small side window without pausing the shows and, should they be interested in certain items, click on them to see more information and even complete the purchase. All transactions will be processed by Amazon and Prime members can opt for free two-day shipping for eligible products.

The two cable networks, both owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, also scored launch partners for each of their new apps, with LG sponsoring HGTV’s Smart Solutions app and Bose sponsoring Food Network’s Summer Entertaining app.

What Brands Need To Do
Amazon has been experimenting with shoppable content on Fire TV as it looks to expand its ecommerce prowess into the streaming space. The home and lifestyle programs of HGTV and Food Network are natural fits for shoppable TV, as they can organically integrate a number of CPG and household products. For those brands, these new apps present a new channel to reach an audience that is increasingly shifting from linear TV to on-demand viewing.

To learn more about how brands can reach viewers on OTT platforms with sponsorships and product integrations, please check out the Appified TV section in our Outlook 2016.

 

Source: AdWeek

 

Ford Sponsors A Car Chase-Themed Show On Verizon’s Go90

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Ford has struck a deal with Go90, Verizon’s ad-supported OTT streaming service, to sponsor its new show The Runner, set to debut on July 1 with three new episodes daily on both Go90 and AOL.com. Throughout the car chase-themed reality show which is executive produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, all contestants will be driving the 2017 Ford Escape, which will be integrated into the episodic challenges. As part of the deal, Ford will air pre-roll spots before episodes, and the show will also distribute Ford-branded content across its social platforms such as YouTube, Snapchat, and Facebook.

What Brands Need To Do
With this campaign, Ford is hoping to reach younger consumers on Go90 who are more likely to be cord-cutters or cord-nevers and therefore harder to capture with traditional TV campaigns. Its deep integration with the show also sets a good example for brands looking to reach viewers on OTT streaming services, showing that with the right sponsorship arrangement brands may just be able to get on the ad-free streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

To learn more about how brands may score new marketing opportunities on OTT streaming services with sponsorships and branded content, please check out the Appified TV section in our Outlook 2016.

 

Source: AdAge

AMC Networks Launching An SVOD Service For International Gamers

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
AMC Networks has become the latest media company to jump on the eSports bandwagon, as its Iberian subsidiary announced the launch of its first SVOD channel focused on gaming and eSports content. With some help from video gaming network Machinima, AMC International Networks Iberia will be making this new on-demand service available for gaming enthusiasts in Spain and Portugal via pay TV, smart TVs, and mobile apps. Last week, the U.K.’s biggest pay-TV broadcaster Sky also announced it is set to launch a dedicated eSports channel.

Why Brands Should Care
The rapid growth of eSports in recent years has drawn attention from media companies as ESPN, Turner, and Yahoo all entered the field with dedicated online content portals. Turner, in particular, brought eSports programming to primetime on TBS to further broaden its reach. As they race to capture the vast eSports audience, brands, especially those seeking global recognition, should consider leveraging the massive reach of eSports events to get in front of international audiences via sponsorships and ads.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

McDonald’s And Coca-Cola Sponsored “Carpool Karaoke” For A Viral Ride

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Coca-Cola and McDonald’s teamed up to take a ride on the viral side in a joint campaign. To kick things off, the two companies sponsored the latest installation in the popular “Carpool Karaoke” series, part of  James Corden’s late night talk show on CBS, for some prominent product placements. In the video, which has racked up over ten million views on YouTube in the first three days after publishing, singer Selena Gomez and Corden drove to a McDonald’s drive-thru and ordered some French fries with two cups of Coke, which stayed on screen for about four minutes.

In tandem with the sponsorship, the parties involved are also launching a sweepstakes campaign in McDonald’s stores. Customers can enter it by using the Shazam app to record themselves singing to the songs featured in the video while holding custom Coca-Cola cups with lyrics printed on them. Winners will be treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to L.A. to attend a taping of Corden’s show and receive a year-long reward from StubHub.

What Brands Need To Do
This joint campaign is a great example of how brands can reach viewers who are watching less linear TV by sponsoring digital content and then amplify the impact with a corresponding campaign that encourages customer participation. With 70% of U.S. internet users now watching TV content via OTT streaming services, brands gain new opportunities to reach consumers with branded content that is as discoverable as traditional media content, thanks to advanced TV interfaces. Therefore, brands should consider working with popular content creators for product placement or creating branded video to reach those viewers.

To read more on how brands can reach viewers on OTT platforms, please check out the Appified TV section in our Outlook 2016.

 

Source: AdWeek

Header image courtesy of The Late Late Show with James Corden’s YouTube video 

Amazon Fire TV Gets New Business-Friendly Alexa Features

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Amazon’s Fire TV devices have enjoyed Alexa integration since September, and now Amazon is adding even more useful voice-command features to those streaming devices. After updating to the latest software, Fire TV users will be able to ask Alexa to search for local businesses and restaurants in the same way an Echo user does now, thanks to Alexa’s integration with Yelp last year. Besides this business-friendly feature, Alexa can also help Fire TV users launch and navigate the HBO and Hulu apps via the Fire TV remote, look up showtimes for movie theaters, and even read them Kindle ebooks.

What Brands Need To Do
In January, Amazon claimed that Fire TV was “the best-selling streaming media player in the U.S.” With this update, Amazon is extending Alexa’s reach into more living rooms. For brands operating physical stores, especially chain restaurants, it is important to make sure their business information is correctly indexed on Yelp in order to aid discovery.

For more information on how brands can develop authentic brand voices and navigate the new rules of discovery, check out the Conversational Interfaces section in our Outlook 2016.

 

Source: TechCrunch

 

How Amazon Is Working With Uber To Promote Its Shows In L.A.

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Amazon has partnered with Uber for a campaign to promote its original shows in Los Angeles. From now till May 14th, Uber users in L.A. may see an “Amazon” option in their app, which, upon selection, will upgrade their rides to an UberLUX with no extra cost. During their rides, they will be given a Kindle Fire HD tablet to watch Amazon’s original shows with. The campaign is limited to L.A. as its goal is to generate some award buzz for the Amazon shows as we enter Emmy season.

What Brands Should Care
This campaign is illustrative of how Uber is positioned to capitalize on the idle attention of its users during rides. Previously, Uber launched Trip Experiences to offer a way for third-party services to integrate with the Uber app and grab the passengers’ attention. This Amazon campaign sets a precedent for more opportunities for brands to work with Uber – or Lyft for that matter – to vie for consumer attention in the backseat.

 

Source: The Verge