Loyalize, a startup that’s created a social TV platform that can be white-labeled and used for polls on TV, has made a global expansion by launching the first social TV app in Australia. In “conjunction with the Seven Network and its internet and digital media interest Yahoo!7,” the San Francisco-based company has launched Fango, an app that will let you chat with fans, vote on polls and “win points, badges and real prizes by proving yourself the biggest fan.”
This is an important play in the social TV market for a few reasons. First, Loyalize has managed to ink a deal with a major network (which controls 42% of the viewing audience and 41% of advertising revenue) in Australia. Second, the technology makes possible for viewers to, “interact with all free-to-air primetime TV programs and major sporting events from Channel 7 and other networks,” meaning that Loyalize’s instant polling technology won’t be for just one show, but across a linear schedule.
Lastly, this partnership has poised the company to expand further across Australian linear TV. “Yahoo!7 has confirmed that the Loyalize platform will not be locked to the 7 Network,” the company said. “Yahoo!7 plans to expand to the other Australian television networks as early as February 2012,” they added.
Loyalize CEO Todd Greene gave us an interview about the launch.
Lost Remote: How does the app work?
Todd Greene: Loyalize’s Social TV app is branded by Yahoo!7 in Australia as “Fango”. Fango gives TV watchers four new benefits:
- Interactive Experiences: Real-time interactive experiences with other viewers before, during, and after a show airs. These experiences include real-time polls, trivia, games like mood-o-meter, smacktalk, chat, and more.
- Show Sharing and Viewing Trends: A guide of what’s showing, what’s hot, and sharing their viewing habits with friends on Twitter and Facebook
- Awards: Users of Fango win both virtual awards like badges, points, and climb “loyalty levels” by achieving different objectives within the app. Yahoo!7 also is launching real, tangible awards based on activities performed while using the app.
- Related Content: Users of the app can find related videos, blogs, pictures, and lots of other content related to the show they are watching.
LR: What’s the social tv market like in Australia?
TG: Yahoo!7 is excited to be the first-to-market with a Social TV app launched by any content provider in the country. Australia is the world’s most competitive TV market, with a high percentage of the population watching a few hit shows, with many fewer channels than the USA. Seven Networks is the largest TV network, and owns 42% of the viewing audience and 41% of all advertising TV revenue. Australis is also the world’s most “social” country, with citizens spending more time online with social apps than any other country in the world. Finally, Australia has the 2nd highest penetration of smartphones worldwide (37%) and also a big growth in the tablet market. So, Australia represents the best country for rolling out Loyalize’s highly social “Audience Participation” platform.
LR: How does the partnership work?
TG: Yahoo!7 has licensed the Loyalize platform to use across every show broadcast in Australia, on every channel. Yahoo!7 also works as a strategic partner, helping with new product ideas and shares audience usage data and usability studies for helping Loyalize improve the product.