entertainment Archives - Kingfluencers

In part 1, we answered the Q, “Just what is TV,” examined the growing popularity of TV, and how it remains a powerful medium for connection. In part 2, we’ll explore how TV and influencers make a powerful combo for brands, then consider innovations that could be on the horizon.

Crossovers with TV & Influencers

We may think of TV stars and influencers as two distinct types of celebrities, but there is overlap. Some influencers first stepped into the spotlight through means other than social media, then leveraged that fame to grow a social following. For example, Patric Haziri from The Bachelor, and Sara Leutenegger from Germany’s Next Top Model. The same is true for comedian Jonny Fischer, model, and former Miss Switzerland Christa Rigozzi, and singer Linda Fäh. Lina Senn is one of several influencers Kingfluencers has worked with on an ongoing basis to build successful long-term collaborations for L’Oréal. Lina also hosts the TV show, “First Dates Switzerland.”

Crossovers are also predominant amidst screens and programming. With YouTube integrated into new smart TVs, audiences consume social media on their large, wall-mounted TVs, while also watching TV programming on their mobile phones and tablets. Consumers seek quality content that resonates, and they consume it through a blend of channels and devices.

TV + Influencers = Powerful Combo for Brands

As we wrote in, “Influencer Marketing vs. Legacy Advertising,” traditional ads are a deviation from the content audiences want to consume. Conversely, influencer marketing fuses ads into the desired content. Influencers are seen as trustworthy opinion leaders and their content as authentic, unlike traditional advertising. People relate to influencers, and their recommendations are imparted with relevance and credibility. To their community members, an influencer can feel like part of their friendship circle, helping drive high levels of engagement.

Partnering with influencers is a powerful tool for brands to create engaging and authentic video content, build trust, and connect to consumers in order to fuel growth. Meanwhile, television in general remains the video channel with the widest national reach. With our new Influencer TV Spots service, Kingfluencers combines all this into one effective and efficient advertising format.

Working with Kingfluencers, influencer content can be broadcasted just like a TV commercial in the style of a social media story, such as a TikTok or Instagram Reels, lasting for up to 15 seconds. Repurpose your existing influencer marketing content for a second lifecycle on television. Promote your stories in new ways to increase campaign reach and maximize ROI. You also have the option to place fresh, new ad content on the sides of your spot to fill the TV frame. By embedding trackable CTAs like QR Codes with scan-to-shop features, discount offers, and integrated contests, you can generate direct engagement.

Through our exclusive partnership with Admeira, Kingfluencers is the only influencer marketing agency to offer this unique cross-media synergy between social media and TV in Switzerland. Reach your target audience on channels such as SRF 1, SRF 2, Swiss 1, TF1, RTS1, or more. Frank Zelger, CEO of Admeira, told Werbewoche, “With this new form of advertising, the digital campaign is optimally extended and generates additional reach thanks to the power of TV.” Then Admeira TV is in the top 4 behind YouTube, Instagram, and general TV – and still 4 places ahead of TikTok in terms of Swiss reach. In total, 5.29M people can be reached weekly via the Admeira TV channels, which is more than 60% of the Swiss population.

What’s Next? A Look Ahead

TV continues to be a powerful medium in the lives of people of all ages, worldwide. We may see linear (live) television events merge with the connective power of the metaverse. With virtual worlds, TV viewers can transcend merely “viewing” to achieve the feeling of physical presence during exciting events of global significance, such as expanding space travel.

Incorporating the metaverse can drive more intense experiences and drive a variety of deeper connections on a global scale. Reality TV programming, including contests, no longer need to be limited by physical borders. Dr. Alen Lipuš, PhD, R&D Manager @ Pro-Bit, stated, “There’s nothing better than physical touch, but the metaverse is the next best thing.” We might even just sit down on a virtual couch, ‘together’ in the metaverse to enjoy a soccer game.

In 2017, Netflix began offering “interactive” shows in a “Choose your own adventure” style. Fusing such viewer participation with the sense of togetherness the metaverse brings could generate fresh, new immersive experiences.

Having started in 1927, TV may be nearly a century old, but it’s far from a dying format. Kingfluencers’ Influencer TV Spot merges the power of TV with the trustworthiness and unmatched appeal of influencer marketing to gain unbeatable reach at an accessible cost. Contact us to learn more about this unique offer or to book your exclusive advertising package.

Author: Megan Bozman, Owner @Boz Content Marketing

Electronic television was first successfully demonstrated in San Francisco on 7 Sept, 1927. In Switzerland, television transmissions first commenced in 1939. In 1963, TV surpassed newspapers as an information source for the first time.

Considering the medium could now be deemed “ancient,” is it still relevant? What role –if any– does it play for modern brands?

Just What is TV?

Maybe that sounds like a strange question, but with the broad landscape of digital media, we do need to provide some clarity. While it’s clear that video ads on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook are social media ads, there’s much overlap. For example, many people watch shows on their wall-mounted television set via YouTube. Is that “TV”?

Yoeri Gabriel Callebaut, Co-CEO and Chief Growth & Marketing Officer, Kingfluencers, said, “I only watch streaming services like Netflix, Disney +, Apple +, or live CNN.” It’s the same for Kingfluencers content writer Megan Bozman, whose family “cut the cord” back in 2017, eliminating cable services for exclusively streaming, accessed via Roku.

Without live TV, are we actually watching “TV”?

The Changing Landscape: TV Defined

We’ll start with some definitions, taking insights from StackAdapt, a self-serve programmatic advertising platform. “Linear TV is essentially live television…It’s called ‘linear’ TV because of how the content is consumed. Viewers can only watch programming at its scheduled time, and via a specific channel.” Linear TV includes broadcast (free) as well as cable.

Regarding advertising, “Connected TV (CTV) includes any ad that plays before or after the streaming of content on connected TV devices, whereas linear TV ads are delivered during the commercial breaks of traditional TV programming.”

“Over-the-Top (OTT) is the term that describes the delivery of TV content through the internet and over the standard, closed TV system.

CTV is a subset of OTT. OTT is the method for delivering video content, and CTV is the device on which a viewer sees that content.

For our purposes in helping brands generate meaningful connections, Kingfluencers will refer to all of the above as “TV.”

The Historical Growth of TV Advertising

TV has had numerous, varied impacts on history. Kingfluencers writer Megan recently watched, “The Food that Built America,” which aired on the History Channel. (Yes, she’s a cord-cutter. The History “Channel” is available via streaming on Hulu.) The Swanson company had 260 tons of frozen turkey left over after Thanksgiving and dreamed up the “TV dinner,” a frozen-meal on a tray. In 1954, the first full year of production, Swanson sold ten million trays.

In this case, TV influenced not only the explosive growth of the product through advertising but the very creation of the product itself. The fictional series Mad Men is dedicated entirely to the lives of executives at ad agencies creating such campaigns.

The Rise – and Fall – of Cable TV

From 1980 to 1990, the number of cable networks grew from 28 to 79, fragmenting the TV landscape. The early 2010s has been described as the golden age of cable. In October 2010, over 105 million U.S. TV households were pay-TV subscribers, a penetration of over 90% of TV homes. By 2013, the average TV household had over 189 channels. Considering they watched only 17 of those 189, the frustration over bundles is easy to understand. Consumers in all industries want to avoid being forced to pay for things they don’t want. In Switzerland the rise of cable TV implied many different programs, considering that Switzerland speaks 4 different languages, whereas regular broadcasting began in German and French, but also Italian and even a few Rhaeto-Romantic channels were introduced. Apart from a few local attempts though, the SRG long held a monopoly-like position as a provider of Swiss television channels. For a long time, self-produced entertainment was almost exclusively limited to show and quiz programs, while fictional offerings came mainly from (neighboring) countries or the US.

Unsurprisingly, streaming has had a significant effect on cable TV, in the same way cable TV had on broadcast TV decades ago. Streaming is now leading to a decline in cable subscriptions. Cable companies have long fought to keep the profitable “fat cable bundle” business model intact, but in 2015, began paring down bloated bundles to stem the tide of cord-cutters.

A 2017 TechHive article outlines multiple events that “portend disaster for the bloated TV bundle,” as cable subscriptions decline and an intertwined set of forces are ripping apart the TV bundle. Meanwhile, streaming services are taking extensive action to win – and retain- consumers’ attention. In 2018, for the first time, streaming platforms such as Hulu and Amazon Prime delivered more original series programming than broadcast and cable networks.

The Growing Popularity of TV in Switzerland

TV viewership among Swiss people aged 15-29 has increased 57.7% since 2020. According to IGEM, 6.3 million Swiss people (94% of the total population) watch TV, and 65% of the Swiss population watches television every day (excl. streaming services). On average, Swiss people aged 15-29 watch 108 minutes of TV daily. This number is even higher for older age groups. Classic television has more than twice as many viewers as Netflix (2.8 million / 42%). Compared to YouTube (4.6 million, 68%), TV has 1.7 million more viewers.

Globally, the number of TV viewers has continued to steadily increase and is set to reach approximately 5.68 billion people by 2026. This year’s Tour de France attracted the biggest TV audiences for European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Members overall in terms of hours viewed since 2015.

Recognizing these opportunities, media organizations are making a variety of increased investments. Sky Studios is targeting a “significant increase” in drama and comedy investment and will be producing 200 originals this year alone. The pay-TV giant recently hired Academy Award-nominated producer Tobias Rosen in the newly-created role of Vice President in Germany.

TV is a Powerful Medium for Connection

The role of TV in the lives of people far exceeds mere entertainment. TV keeps us informed worldwide, beginning decades back with events such as the first moon landing and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

TV builds connections across borders, as well as within towns and living rooms. Watching our favorite local sports team, we can celebrate (or mourn, as the case may be) alongside our neighbors. We can watch expectantly to see who The Bachelor gives a rose or who doesn’t dance well enough behind Lizzo and gets kicked out of the house.

People can enjoy these events together, whether we’re sitting on the same sofa or not. When combined with the power of social media, we can discuss programming in real-time, on a global scale. A quick glance at platforms from TikTok to Reddit reveals numerous TV-related posts — sometimes rebelling against the show creators with hilarious outcomes.

In part 2, we’ll explore how TV and influencers make a powerful combo for brands and take a look at what could be next on the horizon.