Social TV leader begins charter program offering active companion ads to TV advertisers
EMERYVILLE, Calif. – ConnecTV, the social network for TV fans, announces the launch of the television industry’s first-ever fully synchronized advertising network. Leading local affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CW will be the first participants in the new ad platform. ConnecTV’s Ad Sync Network provides a companion marketing experience that is triggered by TV ads as well as TV words across more than 400 national and local channels. Now brands will be able to optimize their $80 billion investment in television advertising by extending the marketing experience directly to the viewer for immediate action.
ConnecTV Ad Sync allows brands to synchronize a companion experience with their TV spots, delivering the ability for viewers to instantly buy what they see, get promotional offers, enter contests, find the nearest store, receive marketing alerts, watch related product videos, schedule viewing reminders and more. The new ad network is available via ConnecTV’s free companion app or any ConnecTV syndication partner.
ConnecTV TV Words allows advertisers to dynamically expand their inventory across all channels and enables a companion campaign to instantly synchronize to a free-form natural language index of terms and names appearing on television. With ConnecTV TV Words, brands can create new inventory that is completely contextual and relevant to what a viewer is watching in real-time.
“ConnecTV Ad Sync and TV Words are bringing the power of Google-like products such as Adsense and Adwords to the $80 billion TV advertising industry,” said Ian Aaron, ConnecTV Co-Founder. “Our ConnecTV companion ads make TV spots more effective, marrying the powerful sights and sounds of traditional commercials with the lead generating capabilities from digital ads. By working closely with our broadcast partners, we look forward to bringing our new ad sync network hyper local.”
“Broadcasters have been in business for more than half a century because we help local businesses build relationships with our viewers in their communities,” said Pat LaPlatney, VP Digital Media and Business Development at Raycom Media. “ConnecTV’s new ad sync platform enables us to deepen those relationships and offers viewers the ability to act on the ads that are most relevant to them: In the market for a new car? Schedule a test drive at your local dealer – while you’re watching the ad. A promo for a news story catch your interest? Add your local news to your Watch List for an instant tune-in alert on ConnecTV.”
Ad Sync and TV Words are available via ConnecTV’s Social TV Network and can be syndicated to activate synchronized ad services across all web, iOS, Android and smart TV platforms. The synchronized ad network utilizes ConnecTV’s patent pending proprietary content recognition and ad identification technology and empowers advertisers to fully customize their companion advertising experience.
At launch, ConnecTV is offering an exclusive “Charter Advertising” program for brands and their agencies. Charter partners will be allowed to customize companion-marketing experiences, lead detailed second screen research panels, and be able to prioritize their TV Words within the network. The network will be sold both by ConnecTV as well as its broadcast partners, Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television Inc., Media General Inc., Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations Inc. and Raycom Media, representing nearly 250 ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and CW network-affiliated stations across the country with an aggregate sales force of more than 2,000 local Ad Sales Executives.
About ConnecTV
ConnecTV is the biggest social network designed specifically for TV fans—a “second screen” companion entertainment experience that complements the video programming delivered from Cable, Satellite, Telecom, Over-the-Air or On-Line Service providers. ConnecTV is accessible on iOS or browser-based devices. It is coming soon on Android tablets and smart phones. ConnecTV automatically connects television viewers while they watch their favorite programs and synchronizes engaging second screen content, including latest news, celebrity information, trivia, polls and play-by-play sports stats. ConnecTV subscribers can see what TV shows their friends are watching, invite them to a “viewing party” and start a real-time conversation. ConnecTV also makes it easy to share viewers’ favorite TV moments using Facebook, Twitter and email. ConnecTV has partnered with 10 leading broadcast groups, including Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television Inc., Media General Inc., Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations Inc. and Raycom Media. Several of these broadcasters – the joint venture that is Pearl – have made an undisclosed investment in ConnecTV. ConnecTV was founded by pioneering executives at the intersection of media, entertainment and technology: Ian Aaron, Alan Moskowitz and Stacy Jolna. ConnecTV’s Board of Directors includes James Zukin, the founder and former Chairman of investment bank Houlihan Lokey, and Roger Keating, Senior Vice President of Hearst Corporation.
