Commentary

Media And Consumer Reviews: Will TV Networks Take The Hint?

Amazon is pushing for more consumer engagement -- consumer reviews -- as a lure for advertisers. Is this something TV networks can consider?

Amazon's new review format is targeted to consumers who buy specific products, asking them to post reviews with “stars.” Adjoining advertising formats will be sold to brands on a “cost-per-review” basis, according to one account.

This builds on what Amazon has done for some time, putting a “Verified Purchase” marking on reviews. Amazon says these consumers “didn't receive the product at a deep discount” only that it verifies the person writing the review purchased the product at Amazon.

TV networks already have much data from social media accounts -- the good, the bad, the indifferent -- from their sites and other areas to determine future programming decisions, which in turn means revenue for advertisers.

But to gain even more consumer engagement, viewers may be lured to submit detailed, perhaps short reviews of not only the programs they have watched but advertising around those ads.

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Tell us about your favorite shows, the best actors, and about the most engaging writing -- and the best commercials -- and we will feed all that to TV advertisers so they can sell stuff to other like-minded people.

Over the years, specific entertainment promotional app platforms, not owned by TV networks, were already doing some of this, especially with regard to TV program content, where consumers get promotional discounts and the like.

Some would say TV ratings -- showing viewership of a TV show -- are already a powerful return-path data source for advertisers, especially when it comes to those marketers needing major reach for their media plans.

But what if there was a more direct connection for marketers?

NBC doesn’t have a platform to sell a wide range of consumer products as Amazon does. But consumers spend a lot of time on NBC -- and other networks. What can they do to make a bigger connection?

Consumer reviews.

Modern consumers are already highly engaged in blurbing, writing, opining on the likes of Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook.

Modern consumers have no problem riffing on anything on social media platforms -- short blurbs, positive recommendations and snarky rants.

It comes down to a relationship. And in that regard, TV networks should do with consumers what they would do with anyone else in Hollywood -- appeal to their growing opinionated egos.

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