The second-screen space continues to heat up, now with an announcement from one of television’s biggest producers. Mark Burnett Productions has teamed up with the technology company ACTV8 to create customized second-screen experiences for upcoming TV shows.
“It has always been my dream to create a deeper and more engaging relationship with the audiences of our shows,” Burnett explains about today’s announcement. “ACTV8 enables us to give the audience exactly what they want: interactivity, metadata, behind the scenes views, scoops and insights, social relevance and connectivity. Today’s audience brings a whole new set of expectations from the shows they connect to and embrace.”
The deal is huge news for social TV because Burnett produces some of the most engaging and interactive TV shows on the air, from reality shows like Survivor and The Voice to award shows like the Emmy’s. While they’re not announcing which shows will get the second-screen treatment, we discovered a new iPad and iPhone app on iTunes for Celebrity Apprentice (below), powered by ACTV8.
ACTV8′s technology synchronizes second-screen experiences with an on-air broadcast, live or recorded, then serves up content and interactivity to enhance the show. The second-screen platform includes hooks to Facebook and Twitter as well as advertising opportunities. Viewers who participate are rewarded with special offers and coupons “from many of the leading TV advertisers in the US.”
“ACTV8 creates a world where viewers won’t skip branded messages and integration, because ACTV8 unlocks their value for consumers,” explains ACTV8 founder/CEO Brian Shuster. “We are working with the largest brands in the world to enrich their connection to the consumer and establish new relationships between their brands and their audiences.”
We’re talking to Mark Burnett Productions to gather more details, which we’ll post soon…
