Does Whisper Have a Place in the Social TV Sphere?

By Adam Flomenbaum 

whisperIn May, we wrote about how NBC, Universal Studios, and Hulu have begun to use the anonymous confession app Whisper for social integrations. Now – in what is maybe the most appropriate social TV program with the app – Season 5 of VH1‘s ‘Couples Therapy,’ which premiered last night, will team up with Whisper to ask their users about relationship issues they’ve experienced.

Dr. Jenn (the show’s host and lead therapist) will then take the top responses each week and give her advice in a companion web series that will run on VH1.com and on her Sirius Satellite Radio show. Throughout the season fan Whisper’s and Dr. Jenn’ videos will be featured throughout VH1 channels and even on air during episodes 6 through 10 of ‘Couples Therapy.’

More networks will likely turn to the rising social app – which skews heavily towards the teen demographic. Still, it is interesting to consider whether something anonymous has a place in the social TV sphere. For more on this, and why VH1 turned to Whisper for ‘Couples Therapy, we spoke with VP of Digital and Social Engagement for VH1, Tom Chirico:

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Lost Remote: Why is Whisper the best social network for this pairing?

Tom Chirico: Like other brands, we’ve had our eyes and thumbs on anonymous and messaging based social apps for some time now. We’ve partnered with Whisper for Couples Therapy as it was such a natural integration to conversation that’s already being created there as relationship issues are one of the top “Whisper’d” topics. In addition we thought this execution with Whisper could help create really compelling content outside of Whisper as relationship issues aren’t something people want to publicly air their dirty laundry about, but would still welcome expert advice to address. Having Dr. Jenn, host of Couples Therapy, address some of these Whisper’s every week is something we hope our fans find both relatable and shareable.

LR: How will Whisper help promote this partnership through its own channels? 

Chirico: Each week Whisper is going to create a ‘promoted’ Couples Therapy Whisper that launches a few hours before premiere & prompts their users to reply to a relationship question that will also be tackled on that week’s episode of Couples Therapy. Whisper users who don’t see the promoted prompt will also be able to get involved as anytime they type a message with certain relationship keywords they’ll be served a Couples Therapy branded background. Of course, both Whisper and VH1 will also be promoting this through their owned and operated social channels and starting mid-way through this season of Couples Therapy, Vh1 will be promoting on air.

LR: Is there an issue with running a social TV program where the participants are anonymous? 

Chirico: Given the subject matter of Couples Therapy – relationship issues, we actually see the anonymity as a positive vs. an issue. So often we see relationships that may relate to us, but we’d never raise our hand to publicly to tie ourselves to that. Everyone who’s been in a relationship can relate to some of the issues tackled on Couples Therapy, so giving fans an anonymous outlet to connect to those issues and maybe even find resolution from an expert felt more inclusive than any kind of activation we could have executed on a more ‘public’ social network.

What was the last thing you fought about with your bf/gf?

 

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