the consumer to get deeper into that product,” Low says. That may include requesting coupons or free samples.
Broadcasters can use the technology to provide additional content to their viewers. Low says NBCUniversal used his company’s platform during the 2008 Olympic Games to offer the audience more information such as video highlights, statistics on the athletes, and the latest medal count. As more supplemental content is made available to TV viewers, Low says, public receptiveness increases. “The more the viewer experiences interactivity, the more likely they are to use it,” he says. “They get more comfortable with it.”
Furthermore, the longer the audience remains engaged with such content, Low says, the more ratings on shows tend to increase. For marketers, the additional content may help improve brand recognition and the likelihood of a consumer making a purchase. Holding the audience’s attention is crucial in the television industry as the public gets offered more entertainment options. “It becomes increasingly more important for the programmer and the advertiser to reengage with that viewer,” Low says.
The spread of tablet devices such as Apple’s iPad, Low says, offers more screens to reach the audience. On one hand, mobile devices can distract viewers with e-mail and social networks. However, Low says his platform offers ways to recapture the audience’s attention with enhanced content related to the television shows. “The viewer can go deeper into the content with the iPad as they are sitting in front of the television,” he says.
Though smartphones can also be used to access additional content, Low says tablets seem to be the go-to device as the proverbial second screen. “The tablet is a better medium for enhancing television content,” he says. “You want a bigger screen and the more robust capabilities of the tablet.”
The advent of such technology in consumer electronics, Low says, helped foster this new era of connection with the audience. “You have seen an explosion of interest since the introduction of the iPad,” he says. The spread of smart televisions also helps deliver more content to viewers.
Ensequence plans to hire more staff over the next two years, Low says, to further the platform’s development. The company currently has more than 70 employees, he says.
