Twitter Gets Social With Viacom

Twitter took another step Wednesday toward supporting television. The social-media company signed a partnership with Viacom to target video ads built around the entertainment company's popular TV shows like MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon.

The agreement kicks off during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards from Brooklyn's Barclays Center in August. The agreement delivers the ability to send real-time tweet highlights of the show's most "outrageous" moments, performances and interviews.

Social networks have become more important to live events by enabling the user to participate in the experience. They also tie together TV viewing with actions on laptops, tablets and smartphones. Viacom and other entertainment companies are using agreements with these companies to connect with consumers across devices.

Cross-channel use by consumers continues to rise, according to Joe Apprendi, CEO at Collective, which released the "The Multi-Screen Dayparting Playbook" in February. The company commissioned Nielsen to conduct research that found 89.6 million users viewed at least two screen devices daily to access media, 95.6 million users viewed at least three screens, and 18.5 million opted for four screens per day.

However, the bulk of ad dollars still go to television, Apprendi said. Connected TVs, along with apps like Flingo, make tweeting easier from one device.

Viacom continues to partner with pure-play online companies to cross screens. Earlier this month, it announced a licensing deal with Amazon, which also focuses on its own content. In fact, more than 30% of customers who stream shows like "Justified" and "The Good Wife" will complete the entire season within two weeks, "so we know customers are binge-watching some of their favorite shows," an Amazon spokesperson said to Online Media Daily earlier this month.

3 comments about "Twitter Gets Social With Viacom".
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  1. Ted Rubin from The Rubin Organization / Return on Relationship, June 20, 2013 at 12:13 p.m.

    This is not "getting social," this is extending availability of content to another channel.

  2. Ted Rubin from The Rubin Organization / Return on Relationship, June 20, 2013 at 12:14 p.m.

    And building advertising around it in another place.

  3. Edmund Singleton from Winstion Communications, June 21, 2013 at 11:54 a.m.

    On-screen logos and hashtags, all I want is a clean screen, if it does not advance the story then it has no place on the screen...

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