NBC News Digital has signed up oil company Shell as the sponsor of its “Meet the Press” experience on the Zeebox second screen app. Zeebox, which launched in the U.S. late last year, will also use feature its new “SpotSynch” ad technology with the partnership. The tech will feature an interactive Shell add in the app, as a Shell ad appears on “Meet the Press.”
Zeebox, of course, adds a layer of interactivity to live or taped TV programs, with features like trivia, behind the scenes photos and other interactive features. With the sponsorship, NBC’s longest-running newscast will get the treatment.
“A primary mission of ‘Meet the Press’ is to educate and inform our viewers about the significant issues of the week,” said Betsy Fischer, Senior Executive Producer of “Meet the Press” in a statement. “This app fits perfectly with that mission allowing us to engage directly with viewers and provide even more content, real time while they’re watching the show on Sunday morning.”
More information, below.
NBC NEWS DIGITAL GROUP TEAMS UP WITH SHELL TO POWER “MEET THE PRESS” EXPERIENCE ON ZEEBOX
Sponsorship of second screen experience includes interactive surveys, integration with on-air and expanded content for “Meet the Press” audience
NEW YORK, NY—June 4, 2013—The NBC News Digital Group announced today it has teamed up with Shell for an exclusive sponsorship of the “Meet the Press” experience on zeebox—a free app that integrates “second screen” tools into the TV viewing experience. Launching July 1, 2013, this deal marks the first zeebox sponsorship of a NBC News property. The deal, which was brokered by global media agency MediaCom, includes a fully interactive second screen experience that will allow viewers in the zeebox app to participate in the show while they watch by answering topical survey questions, viewing behind-the-scenes photos and accessing additional content during the NBC program.
Viewers using the app will also be able to further immerse themselves in each episode with custom ‘zeetags.’ These live, contextual links present viewers with richer information about the topics discussed and the guests, the moment they appear in the show.
The zeebox experience will be further enhanced to include expanded content and social features so viewers can engage around the show topics either through their social networks or exclusively on the app using zeebox’s proprietary chat and commenting capabilities. Since launching in December 2011, zeebox has been downloaded more than 5 million times.
“Meet the Press” on zeebox will also feature zeebox’s proprietary new ad product ‘SpotSynch.’ SpotSynch presents viewers with synchronous Shell ads within the app at the same time they appear on TV. Viewers will be able to engage with the ad and the Shell brand message in a highly contextual way that never takes them out of the show experience itself.
As the longest running show on American television, “Meet the Press” is one of the most talked about programs on the web, according to Trendrr. The NBC broadcast is the only Sunday public affairs program that ranks in the top ten.
“A primary mission of ‘Meet the Press’ is to educate and inform our viewers about the significant issues of the week. This app fits perfectly with that mission allowing us to engage directly with viewers and provide even more content, real time while they’re watching the show on Sunday morning,” said Betsy Fischer, Senior Executive Producer of “Meet the Press.” “Within the zeebox app, users can watch as NBC producers and correspondents live-tweet the show, view special photos and join in the ‘Meet the Press’ conversation unlike ever before.”
“This sponsorship is a great example of how publishers like NBC News Digital Group are working with marketers to experiment and innovate around the second screen. Our research shows that synchronized ad exposure across multiple devices helps drive higher engagement metrics and increases the connection the consumer has with the brand.” said Peter Naylor, EVP of Digital Media for NBC News Digital Group. “’Meet the Press’ has a highly engaged audience on social media, and with this partnership, Shell will be able to reach this valuable audience in this new frontier.”
Meanwhile, Shell’s target consumers are embracing multi-screen behavior. By taking Shell’s partnership with “Meet the Press” to the next screen, the company will be able to directly measure enhanced engagement with the brand on a new platform.
About NBC News Digital Group
NBC News Digital Group is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and visually engaging stories on your platform of choice. NBC News Digital features world-class brands including NBCNews.com, tv.msnbc.com, TODAY.com, theGrio.com, NBCLatino.com, NBCPolitics.com, EducationNation.com, NightlyNews.com, Meet the Press, Rock Center, Dateline, Newsvine, Breaking News and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. We provide something for every news consumer with our comprehensive offerings that deliver the best in breaking news, segments from your favorite NBC News shows, live video coverage, original journalism, lifestyle features, commentary and local updates.About zeebox
zeebox is the new, social, interactive and immersive way to watch TV. It turns your smartphone, tablet or laptop into an interactive companion that enables consumers to engage with friends around TV shows, to buy what they see on screen, to remote control their TV, and to get more information about whatever program they’re watching including access to exclusive interactive content.By partnering with zeebox, networks and content owners can augment their TV shows on the second screen, engage interactively with fans, and monetize this new medium in synch with live TV.
zeebox was founded in 2011 by former iPlayer CTO Anthony Rose and EMI executive Ernesto Schmitt. The company is headquartered in London with offices in New York and Sydney.