Entertainment
"American Idol" taught Americans how to text message. Now it seems that every reality show has a mobile voting mechanic as a means to reach beyond the screen and engage with viewers. Networks are also using mobile to drive "tune in" first by enticing viewers to interact, and then by reminding them to watch.
A&E's bountiful campaign
A&E tapped into the power of mobile to promote one of its most popular shows, "Dog the Bounty Hunter," and found that mobile programs drive short and long-term viewership, network loyalty and word-of-mouth exposure. "Dog the Bounty Hunter" is a series about the adventures of real-life bounty hunter, Duane "Dog" Chapman. Chapman is famous for bringing more than 6,000 fugitives to justice and also for his unique sayings, or "Dogisms." For example, according to Dog, "To be a winner, you have to know what losing feels like."
Viewers of "Dog the Bounty Hunter" were able sign up to receive weekly messages from Dog on their mobile phones and also send in their own shout outs or "Dogisms" by texting into a short code. Consumers benefited because they got time-targeted reminders that their show was about to begin. This is a great example of conveying your brand as a service.
Mobile messages
Results
Qualitative research conducted during the mobile campaign revealed that mobile marketing not only drove "tune in" for television programs but also increased brand perception of both the show and the network.
- 62 percent of participants said they are watching "Dog" more as a result of the text message campaign
- 65 percent said they would watch more "Dog" in the future due to the text message campaign
- 66 percent said they would watch A&E more in the future due to the text program
- 93 percent will recommend the network to their friends
