An inside look at social TV in Brazil

By Natan Edelsburg 

By all accounts, Brazil has one of the fastest growing global economies, and along with that, one of the fastest growing internet populations. comScore’s 2012 Brazil Digital Future in Focus ranked Brazil as the 7thlargest internet market globally, and with 50 million users on Facebook, it’s the second biggest country on the social network after the U.S. It is no surprise that Brazil’s social TV presence is tremendous, and will grow even further with the 2016 Summer Olmpics set to take place in Rio de Janeiro.

Recently, Brazil’s Globo TV teamed up with Mobovivo to generate buzz for the new Brazilian drama, Suburbia. Globo used an app built by the social TV company that allowed Suburbia viewers to use their phone’s camera to unlock bonus content. Viewers were able to capture and share photos from TV and newspaper ads to gain access to free music and videos. According to TV Globo’s Corporate Communication Manager, Bernardo Magalhaes,  “the Suburbia campaign was a great example how we utilized viewers’ smartphones alongside TV – as an effective way to engage viewers on their second screens.” We interviewed Magalhaes about social TV in Brazil and Globo TV’s strategy.

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Lost Remote: Describe social TV in Brazil – how is it different?
Bernardo Magalhaes: Brazilians have one of the fastest growing mobile device markets in the world. Like elsewhere, people use these devices while watching TV.

LR: How is it similar? What platforms are most popular among consumers?
Magalhaes: If by platforms you mean is Twitter and Facebook popular, then yes. GloboTV has over 4 million Twitter followers. Not as many as the New York Times, but more than CBS News.

LR: For GLOBO?
Magalhaes: TV is the most important platform for Globo, web and mobile are also part of an overall execution.

LR: How are you working with Mobovivo? What are some of the projects you work on?
Magalhaes: Globo and Mobovivo worked on an ad campaign that encouraged viewers to take pictures of ads on their smartphones and receive free bonus materials related to a new show that premiered on Globo TV on Nov. 1.Why is social TV important to GLOBO? How does marketing, communications, show creators, directors, producers and talent use social?
Globo has a large TV market share in Brazil. Globo helps seed the water cooler conversation from TV very effectively. Increasingly, web and mobile have played a larger and larger role. The Suburbia campaign was a great example how we utilized viewers’ smartphones alongside TV – as an effective way to engage viewers on their second screens.

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