The popular A&E Network show “Storage Wars” now has a companion iPad app just in time for the new season. Powered by TVPlus — which powers the X-Factor app — the “Storage Wars Fan Challenge” app enables users to play along with the show for bragging rights and a chance to win $1,000 each week. If you’ve watched Storage Wars before, cast members bid for storage lockers with the hope of finding unexpected treasure inside. To play, you pick your favorite cast member, and as the season progresses, you earn points based on how well the cast member bids. Points are also awarded for answering trivia questions, checking in and sharing on social media.
The well-designed app is primarily built around a synchronized experience. We tried to sync the show to online playback on a laptop, but were unsuccessful. We were initially puzzled by the registration process required to launch the synchronized experience: connect your Facebook/Twitter account; fill out your password, email account and zip code, then sign off on a very long terms of service page. By the time we were ready to try to sync to the show, we had missed the first two minutes of the episode. But given the contest nature of the app, such a sign-in process is required.
Outside the synchronized experience, the app displays the contest leaderboard, cast members’ standings and show tweets. We spoke with Guy Slattery, A&E’s EVP of marketing, about the new app and the network’s push into the second screen:
Lost Remote: Why was this app made? What are the features?
Slattery: We made this app so fans can interact with their favorite show in real time. Storage Wars is sort of like a real-life game show, or a sport when you think about it, so we created the app for fans to play along with the action at home. The app syncs live with the broadcast of the show and viewers can bid alongside the cast members, share their opinions with other fans, and ultimately answer questions related to what’s going on in the show to earn points.
Lost Remote: How will this make the show more social?
Slattery: People playing the game are competing with each other nationwide via a live global leader-board which really adds an element of community to watching the shows. Fan’s also get rewarded for being social, with points being earned for sharing content on Facebook and Twitter for checking into the show. We’ve also tied in a fantasy sports element, where before fans can register in the app, the have to commit to a team player to support throughout the entire season of Storage Wars. When their player scores big on-air, they’re rewarded with bonus points in the app. It’s really a 360 approach where fans are encouraged to watch in real-time and are rewarded for engaging with the show and their favorite bidders.
Lost Remote: Why did you decide to work with the TV Plus platform?
Slattery: We always like to work with the best in any space, and TVplus has a great track record of creating second screen apps that provide an outstanding user experience. They’re also a nice bunch of people.
Lost Remote: How does A&E approach social TV?
Slattery: Social Media is a huge opportunity for all television networks, and we really try and make sure we are thinking about it in everything we do. A&E has a really passionate fan-base around all our shows and for us it’s about giving these fans greater access to the creators and talent of the shows they love in real-time. We are constantly looking at new ways to use the power of Social Media to deepen our relationship with our viewers.