Earlier this month, we were talking about tweets as currency and how more and more brands are starting utilise Twitter’s popularity. Just this weekend, Channel 4 then used Twitter in a completely different and innovative way.
Last Friday (10th July), Channel 4 pulled a “world first” stunt and allowed their audience complete control of their ad break. In conjunction with British electronica trio, Years & Years’, eagerly anticipated album, the broadcasters’ 9.45pm ad slot was completely driven by the bands latest single.
With three different visual styles to the track’s music video, fans could use the #ChooseDark #ChooseLight or #ChooseShadow hashtags in order to witness the version they want to watch. Tweets were tallied every thirty seconds and the most popular played in full screen, with the other two displaying as insets. On top of that, a selection of participants’ Twitter handles was shown at the top of the screen too thanking them. #ChooseLight was the most popular with a total of 4,727 tweets in total. The ad break generated 12,469 tweets and a reach of 19.9 million impressions on Twitter. The stunt most likely drove sales of the band’s debut studio album as well – which was released on the same day.
This isn’t the first time Channel 4 has delved into interactive ad breaks though. Last year, we saw the broadcaster turn Sam Smith’s live-streamed performance from the Roundhouse into an advert. We also saw Ed Sheeran ask fans to pick a track for him to perform during an ad break on E4.
This new advertisement format is not only really exciting to witness, it’s also very clever. We live in a world where most television is consumed online and with the chances of ratings dropping, these adverts essentially reward viewers for returning to their trusty television screen. Ad breaks are short and often missed or not watched at all, however, buzz can also be generated from Twitter alone. Some consumers may be so inclined to check out the band after seeing people tweet about the ad break so it’s a win-win situation for the broadcaster, band and record company.
You can view the ad here.