Canada’s Got Talent: Integrating Social Media to the Voting Strategy
For a country as vast and diverse as Canada, you’d better believe there is some homegrown talent worth celebrating. From a Bollywood dance troupe from Toronto to an opera singer from Montreal, Citytv’s Canada’s Got Talent was showcasing the best of the country’s unknown artists – all hoping to win the hearts (and votes!) of the nationwide audience and take home the cash prize of $100,000.
The “Got Talent” franchise is fast becoming one of the strongest to ever hit international airwaves, and with Citytv already enjoying the successful airing of America’s Got Talent, it’s no surprise that Canada would soon join the Talented ranks. And join they did – complete with a judging panel of Canadian stars including actor Martin Short, musician Stephan Moccio and opera singer Measha Brueggergosman.
Another important factor in the crucial audience participation element is the use of Social Media. The show’s Citytv website gives contestants the space to share their personal thoughts on the process with their own blog, which allows the viewers to learn more about their favorite acts – and hopefully, be inspired to vote for them following the next performance.
In spite of the fact that the reality show format is no stranger to Canada, the originality of this show lies in the integration of social media to the voting strategy. Additionally to the traditional SMS and phone calling, the TV Show allows the audience to vote on Facebook (through an App) and Twitter, both with no cost.
Since the participation of the public starts only at the semi-finals, we can appreciate a huge increase before and after this point of the competition. Considering that Social Media is a very important tool for doing the promotion of TV Shows, the integration of this strategy just at the end of the season achieved the objective of increasing the social media participation but paled in rallying a new audience.
Canada’s Got Talent vs The Voice: Who’s the winner on social media?
During the final of Canada’s Got Talent, we identified almost 27 000 interactions coming from Twitter by more than 3 000 unique participant. This results in the amazing frequency of 7.8 interactions by user. This can be considered logical since the limit of votes on Twitter for each participant over one period was 10. However, we have to highlight that the participation showed a 450% increase since the average value was about 600 unique users. The same trend can be seen on Facebook where the participation over the final is more than 500% higher than the average one observed during the previous episodes.
As The Voice’s final was last week, it is interesting to compare the performance of the two shows on Twitter. We identified around 13 000 interactions for the final coming just from Canada for The Voice (CGT has 113% more interactions). However the key is the frequency when integrating the voting on Twitter has permitted Canada’s Got Talent to reach a frequency 293% higher than The Voice. However, when we count just the unique participants, CGT has half of the social audience than The Voice. This matches the viewing ratings that also show the same trend. Therefore, we can say that the Social Media participation rates for both TV shows are very similar.
Gala les Olivier: A 280% stronger buzz in 2012
One year after the release of the first study performed by Seevibes on social TV audience, we celebrate the anniversary with a special infographic for the 2012 edition of the Gala les Olivier – which rewards the greatest humorists of the Quebec scene.
Just like last year, the broadcasting of the Gala les Olivier was transmitted between two special TV shows on ARTV: La fièvre des Olivier (before the show) and La Liste des Olivier (after the show). The winning trio, “the Chick n’ Swell” was hosted this year again the night that found a large echo on social medias. Its popularity can be compared to the TV Show “Tout le monde en parle” broadcasted on the same channel on Sunday evenings.
Facebook vs Twitter: Broadcasters have chosen their strategy in Canada
Facebook and Twitter are the two major social networks used by broadcasters to promote their shows and engage the public. At Seevibes, we wanted to underline how these interactions work around the flagship programs of broadcasters in Canada.
For the English Canadian market, we selected CBC, Citytv, CTV and Global, and for the Francophone/Quebec market we studied Radio-Canada, TVA and V. Seevibes analyzed the interactions connected with their major shows over the period of April 1st to 30, 2012.
Facebook vs Twitter: Broadcasters have chosen their strategy in Canada →
International Phenomenon “The Voice”, the Challenge of Analyzing Global Audience Participation
In the weeks prior to NBC’s The Voice premiere in April 2011, broadcasts on CTV in Canada, more than a few people could be heard saying, ‘what? another reality talent competition?’ With hit shows like FOX’s American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, as well as NBC’s own America’s Got Talent already dominating primetime scheduling, what could another reality talent show possibly bring to the genre that would be fresh and exciting? Enter The Voice, a singing competition with a unique twist. And no, it’s not those crazy red judges’ chairs that look like something off a Star Trek movie set.
The Voice‘s gimmick, the twist that makes it different, is the focus on the vocal talent of each performer. Unlike other talent shows, where performers are critiqued and judged from the moment they appear before the judges, The Voice uses blind auditions to choose their cast for the season. Hopefuls perform their chosen cover song while the judges sit with their backs to the stage, only turning around if they want to have that performer become part of their team for the season. It’s a different twist on the usual set-up, adding a much stronger sense of artistry and professionalism than is usually associated with these types of shows. It really is about The Voice.
International Phenomenon “The Voice”, the Challenge of Analyzing Global Audience Participation →
New Girl’s Winning Social Media Strategy
Since premiering on FOX on September 20, 2011, New Girl has quickly become a fan favorite and garnered significant critical acclaim. Following the misadventures of quirky Jess Day, played brilliantly by actress Zooey Deschanel, and her three male roommates, this sitcom celebrates the odd ducks – the thirty-somethings that haven’t quite got life figured out yet. From dating disasters to the fun – and occasionally embarrassing – trials of co-ed cohabitation, it’s Friends for the artsy, hip crowd. A crowd that – judging by the show’s overwhelmingly positive reception – isn’t afraid to laugh at itself. And now, we can also follow Jess adventures in Canada on Citytv.
And laughing they are – so much so that after only two episodes had aired, FOX ordered an additional 11 episodes to add to the 13 they had originally ordered. In a time when broadcasters seem less than enthusiastic to take risks with their programming, it certainly appears that FOX’s gamble on this new, not-so-ordinary show has paid off big time. But while they were willing to roll the dice on Deschanel’s ability to not only make an oddball character relatable and lovable – and dare we say it, popular – it’s the buzz they created and encouraged off-camera that really sets this show apart from the competition. By using social media, FOX created a show that isn’t just a sitcom, it’s a phenomenon – and they’ve got the Twitter followers to prove it.
Social TV and business opportunities
On the occasion of the Connect 2012, the week of digital business that will be held from 9 to 17 May, the Group Evolumedia organizes the edition of Montreal Web Video 2012 dedicated for the first time in Canada on the phenomenon of Connected and Smart TV.
A week before the C2-MTL, Seevibes is glad to participate Thursday, May 17th at a panel on commercial potential of television in the social context of the Montreal Web Video Conference. Alongside Prakash Venkataraman – Partnerships and Business Development Manager of Miso, Laurent Maisonnave- President of Seevibes – will exchange on the future of the second screen, the valuation of television and optimization of cross-media campaign through the engagement of viewers on social media.
Seevibes, selected for the premiere of C2-MTL
We are glad to announce that Seevibes is part of the selection of 25 emerging companies invited to participate in C2-MTL – the new international business conference that mixes commerce and creativity. Seevibes is well recognized for its dynamism and innovative ideas.
We will participate in a workshop dedicated to startups and lead by Lotfi El-Ghandouri – founder of The Creative Society & The Hub Madrid and we will have the opportunity to meet Robert Safian – editor of Fast Company.
Revolutionizing TV: What if Oprah is right?
Oprah Winfrey may yet become the symbol of the TV revolution. The queen of talk show TV has shown that, although it isn’t easy, TV can go beyond traditional audience measurement.
One of the most influential women in the world left a comfortable spot on ABC in January 2011 to launch her own TV channel, OWN – Oprah Winfrey Network. If you look at audience figures, Oprah went from an average 8 million viewers on one of the major American networks – 16.4 million for the finale – to only 180,000 on her specialty channel.
Star Academie 2012: A season to remember – on social media as well as on TV [Infographic]
![Star Academie 2012: A season to remember – on social media as well as on TV [Infographic]](http://blog.seevibes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Seevibes-Infographic-Star-Academie-2012-mini.jpeg "Star Académie 2012: A season to remember – on social media as well as on TV [Infographic]")
The fifth edition of Star Academie has beaten audience records again this year with 2.4 million viewers for the March 25, 2012 finale. Seevibes also recorded a peak social media audience showing nearly 50,000 interactions about Star Academie.
We wanted to celebrate the event in our own way by listing the highlights of Quebec’s flagship TV show. The stars of the small screen also shone on Twitter and Facebook during this 2012 season with Jean-Marc Couture in first place, far ahead of Sophie Pelletier and Olivier Dion (unrelated to Céline!).
Star Academie 2012: A season to remember – on social media as well as on TV [Infographic] →
An Expert View — Todd Spencer: Let the audience really have an impact
As part of our series An Expert View, this week we welcome Todd Spencer, Executive Director, CBC News Network. Todd talks about the social TV experiment deployed for the show Power & Politics. Using a technology developed by the Norwegian company never.no, CBC gave the floor to Power & Politics viewers, who could vote and comment in real time.
An Expert View — Todd Spencer: Let the audience really have an impact →