The next generation of TV apps will put brands in the picture

If you’ve got a tablet or smartphone the chances are you’ve downloaded the various live streaming and VoD apps to get your TV fix on the go. More sophisticated apps will even let you get involved with your favourite show, like this year’s X Factor app where you get the chance to be the fifth judge, if you’re that way inclined. Call it schadenfreude, but I prefer to follow the outrageously rude Tweets. However, this still takes place as an add-on to the show, so you’re not really interacting directly with the show.

But there’s a new breed of TV apps on the horizon that are going to blow the old broadcasting model out of the water. These apps will turn the second screen into an interactive remote control that will allow viewers to interact directly with the show they’re watching. It’s still early days, but there’s talk of a new kind of product placement where the viewer can click on their second screen to find out where they can get an outfit someone’s wearing on their favourite show – lots of scope for the likes of Made in Chelsea I reckon. This will provide brands with golden opportunities to connect directly with consumers, as technology continues to transform TV viewing into a connected, integrated experience.

I got a sneak preview of what this brave new world of TV could look like in an interview with zeebox founder Anthony Rose. He shared his insight on how second screen viewing will radically change TV advertising through clickable touch screens, synchronisation with the TV screens, rich data and personalisation.

nthony will be an expert panelist at Rethink TV, the DMA’s TV summit on Friday 8 November.

For more information visit the Rethink TV microsite.

By Smarayda Christoforou, Copywriter, DMA