Categories: Marketing Strategy

Opportunities for Second Screen Marketing

With today’s increase in the use of technology, tablets and phones are constantly in the hands of a majority of the population. Smart marketers have adapted their strategies to target an audience that is dividing their attention between multiple screens.

Watching TV with my phone in my hand is something I am guilty of, as are many people in our ever-connected society.  Social media, news, and other applications usually have a percentage of my attention during a TV show.  Multitasking has become the norm for many people.  With one eye on the TV and one on a smartphone or tablet, consumers are able to connect to two devices at once. This new trend is a great opportunity for companies who wish to market their brands to this new type of consumer.

Challenges and Opportunities for Marketers

The problem is there is so little time during the commercial breaks to make a connection with the audience.  Getting them to engage with an application on their smartphone or go to a website is difficult with these time constraints.  When I watch TV, I am paying attention to my phone as soon as the commercials come on; This is a great opportunity for social media marketing to be influential on mobile devices.

Social Media Success: Tim Hortons’ “Mother of Donuts”

Twitter posts suggested content regularly on its users’ feeds, allowing brands to market their products to consumers. If someone is following the HBO or Game of Thrones Twitter account, then Twitter can recognize their interest in that type of content. This is a great opportunity for brands to start a conversation on social media centered around the show airing that night. Tim Hortons recently took advantage of this opportunity on Twitter and received over 400 retweets after posting a photo of three donuts frosted to look like dragon’s eggs in reference to one of the characters on Game of Thrones who is called the “Mother of Dragons.”

Tim Hortons did a great job of engaging with those that watch TV with their phone or tablet also in hand. The picture and short post engaged with the audience quickly and allowed them to focus on both the show and social media simultaneously. This form of marketing is not always easily done, and ad creators must take into account these multitasking users before creating content. This can be difficult, but is essential to engaging with this new kind of consumer.

Contact our healthcare marketing agency online for more information, or call 877-887-7611 to request a quote.

Brian Shilling

Brian is our Executive Vice President of Client Operations with experience leading diverse teams of marketers and designers in strategic marketing, content creation, and crafting comprehensive messaging and positioning platforms for our healthcare and tech clients. To learn more about Brian's experiences and qualifications, visit our leadership team page.