Supermarket private label sales on the rise in Europe

Own-label products are increasing their share of value and volume sales in Europe, a new report by SymphonyIRI covering six major markets has revealed.

The insights firm stated that the volume share taken by these offerings rose by 0.5% over the 12 months to 16 June, hitting 45.1%. Results improved in every food category, and in many non-food sectors.

Within this, the UK remains the leading nation, as own-label products attained almost 60% of the market in unit terms, while Spain and Germany came in around the 50% level.

Indeed, Spain saw an expansion of 1.2 percentage points on this measure during the assessment period, a figure standing at one percentage point for the Netherlands and 0.7 percentage points in Italy.

The total value share held by retailer-manufactured lines also delivered a lift of 0.5 percentage points to 35.6%. Performance here peaked at 50.5% in the UK.

Spain logged growth to 41.5% here, but in France, more customers "still need persuading" when it comes to buying such items, with private label's share of value sales up from 29.7% to 30% exactly.

While the comparative reading fell to 16.8% in Italy, the analysis found that 40% of market growth in the country was attributable to these goods, indicating their importance is rising.

Similarly, private label has a relatively modest 14.3% share in Greece, but this is double the amount registered five years ago.

"We are seeing dynamic change in what is already the most mature PL market in the world," said Rod Street, executive vice president of international consulting at SymphonyIRI.

"However, almost all shoppers will continue to fill their shopping baskets with a mix of PL and brands. As a result in many categories PL could reach a ceiling regardless of how far retailers promote it."

One trend noted by the report was that the volume of private label offerings on deal or promotion is "consistently lower" than the FMCG average, with the gap typically standing at ten percentage points.

This is partly because of the natural price advantage boasted by many of these goods, which generally cost 30% less than than the competing national brand, rising to 40% in France and Germany.

What does this mean for us?
With Australia often being seen as a follower of international trends, this idea of own-brands out-selling or even rivalling established brands in the near future is uncertain. While the growth of these own-brands in Australia can not eb disputed, the consumer mindset is slow to change, with brand loyalty being one of the major factors to be taken into consideration.

Despite this, major supermarkets are pushing ahead, with Coles launching another new range of own-brands called "Simply Less", marketed as a low-fat alternative. To help this along, they have also reduced the shelf-space available in some stores, adding extra spots for the Simply Less range. Coles have also been targeting their TV advertising to own-brand products (sunscreen and bread) in recent weeks, although this is tipping back to a more even spread of own-brand and established brand products.

There is still space for new own-brand products to be brought into the market, so long as the correct mix of advertising and support is there. Out Of Home, Digital, and experiential are all fantastic ways for consumers to interact with a new arm of an established brand/

 

News Corp rallies after Murdoch confirms split

News Corporation shares rallied yesterday after chief executive Rupert Murdoch assured investors the media giant was well placed for a strong performance.
 

Mr Murdoch said the company's landmark decision to split its entertainment and publishing businesses would deliver an improved performance and greater shareholder value.

Speaking at News Corp's annual meeting in Los Angeles yesterday, Mr Murdoch said he believed the decisions being made by the company would be validated by the market.

"I believe the numbers will bear out that the market likes the work we are doing and has confidence in our future," Mr Murdoch said.

Mr Murdoch said the decision to split the company was driven by moves to realise the full potential of the business, which he said was "undervalued".

"This separation will free up each company to better deliver on its promises to customers across the globe," he said.

"As we do, it will also mean unlocking more value for our shareholders."

The chief executive said the new listed companies would have separate names and different missions. News Corp is expected to offer details about their management and board structures by the end of the year.

Mr Murdoch successfully fended off a shareholder challenge to his dual role as chief executive and chairman of News Corp.

The proposals were defeated in preliminaries.

The Murdoch family controls about 40 per cent of voting stock, but Mr Murdoch said he was conscious of investors' views.

Mr Murdoch also guaranteed the completion of a company buyback from shareholders with $US4.6 billion ($4.51 billion) of a $US10 billion authorised fund pool spent to date on Class A common stock.

News Corp in August reported net profit for the year to June of $US1.2 billion, down from $US2.7 billion the previous year.

News Corp's voting shares closed up 1.1 per cent, or 27c, at $24.54 while its non-voting shares gained 29c to $24.11.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/business/companies/agm-push-to-oust-murdoch-fails/story-fnda1bsz-1226498180842

News Corp annouces split

Rupert Murdoch confirmed Thursday morning that News Corporation, his $54 billion media conglomerate, will proceed with a plan to divide the company in two — separating newspapers like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and The Times of London from the fast-growing entertainment unit.

In a news release, the company said the split would be completed within the next 12 months, with Mr. Murdoch serving as chairman of both companies and chief executive of the entertainment business. Chase Carey would remain chief operating officer of the entertainment group, which would include cable channels like FX and Fox News, the 20th Century Fox studio and Fox Broadcasting. In the coming months, the board of directors would decide the leader of the publishing business.

“News Corporation’s 60-year heritage of developing world-class brands has resulted in a large and unparalleled portfolio of diversified assets,” Mr. Murdoch said in a statement. “We recognize that over the years, News Corporation’s broad collection of assets have become increasingly complex.”

He added: “We determined that creating this new structure would simplify operations and greater align strategic priorities.”

News Corporation shareholders would receive one share of common stock in the new company for each same-class share they hold in the current company, the news release said. Both companies would maintain their controversial dual-class share stock structure, which enables the Murdoch family to control nearly 40 percent of the voting power.

The publishing company’s stock would be worth between 50 cents and $1.40 a share, according to Richard Greenfield, an analyst with BTIG Research.

In a memo to staff, Mr. Murdoch cited the company’s “spirit of innovation” in the decision, which he viewed as an opportunity to free his beloved newspapers from their ugly stepchild status within the giant corporation.

“Our publishing businesses are greatly undervalued by the skeptics,” he wrote. “Through this transformation we will unleash their real potential, and be able to better articulate the true value they hold for shareholders.”

In a phone interview Thursday morning, Mr. Murdoch said newsroom

2012 ACRA Winners List

WINNERS FOR 2012 AUSTRALIAN COMMERCIAL RADIO AWARDS (ACRAs)
Please note: Category Finalists are denoted with the following letters: Country>Provincial>NonMetropolitan>Metropolitan

MOST POPULAR STATION MANAGER
Darren Inglis; Star FM, Dubbo NSW, Southern Cross Austereo C
Gina Hogan; Hot FM & Sea FM, Cairns QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Sean Ryan; Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, DMG Radio Australia M

 

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
Max Healey, Alastair Reynolds & Bill Barrington; Fairfax Radio Syndication, Fairfax Radio Network

 

BRIAN WHITE MEMORIAL
Sarah Morice; 2UE, Sydney NSW, Fairfax Radio Network

 

BEST NEWCOMER OFF-AIR
Mick Shannon; 3WM, Horsham VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C
Ant Middlemiss; TRFM, Traralgon VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters P
Mark Adams; Nova 969, Sydney NSW, DMG Radio Australia M

 

BEST NEWCOMER ON-AIR
Amber Wheatland; Star FM, Mildura VIC, Southern Cross Austereo C
Nick Gill; Hot FM, Cairns QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Matty Johns; Triple M, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M
Ella Hooper; Today Network, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST MUSIC PRESENTER
Chris Holland; Star FM, Dubbo NSW, Southern Cross Austereo C
Jack Laurence; Sea FM, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Dylan Lewis; Nova 100, Melbourne VIC, DMG Radio Australia M

 

BEST TALK PRESENTER
Adrian Renzi; 8HA, Alice Springs NT, Alice Springs Commercial Broadcasters C
Mike Welsh; 2CC, Canberra ACT, Capital Radio Network P
Ray Hadley; 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Radio Network M

 

BEST ON-AIR TEAM – COUNTRY AND PROVINCIAL
Kewy & Karis Breakfast Show; Karis Britton & Richard Kew, Coast FM, Warrnambool VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C
Heath & Normy; Heath Piper & Lucas Dorrell, Star FM, Albury NSW, Southern Cross Austereo P

 

BEST ON-AIR TEAM – METRO FM
Jonesy & Amanda; Brendan Jones & Amanda Keller, WSFM, Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network M

 

BEST ON-AIR TEAM – METRO AM
The Continuous Call Team; Ray Hadley, Steve Roach, Darryl Brohman & Bob Fulton, 2GB, Sydney NSW,
Macquarie Radio Network M

 

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PRESENTER
Pete Davies; Mix 104.9, Darwin NT, Grant Broadcasters NM
Neil Mitchell; 3AW, Melbourne VIC, Fairfax Radio Network M

 

BEST SPORTS PRESENTER
Jock Brady; 3CS, Colac VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C
Simon Corr; 2AY, Albury NSW, ACE Radio Broadcasters P
Ray Warren; Triple M, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST SPORTS EVENT COVERAGE
2011 AFL Grand Final; K-Rock Football, K-Rock, Geelong VIC, Grant Broadcasters NM
2011 NRL Grand Final; The Continuous Call Team, 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Radio Network M

 

BEST NEWS PRESENTER – COUNTRY & PROVINCIAL
Lois Chislet; 3YB, Warrnambool VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C
Kate Taylor; 104.7, Canberra ACT, ARN/Southern Cross Austereo P

 

BEST NEWS PRESENTER – METRO FM
Emma Blackwood; Triple M, Brisbane QLD, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST NEWS PRESENTER – METRO AM
Steve Blanda; 2UE, Sydney NSW, Fairfax Radio Network M

 

BEST SHOW PRODUCER – ENTERTAINMENT / MUSIC
Jaimi Robinson; Holmsey & Flan, Hot Tomato, Southport QLD, Hot Tomato NM
Tom Ivey; Fitzy & Wippa, Nova 969, Sydney NSW, DMG Radio Australia M

 

BEST SHOW PRODUCER – TALK CURRENT AFFAIRS
Matthew Hepworth; 360 With Pete Davies, Mix 104.9, Darwin NT, Grant Broadcasters NM
Shannon Reid; 3AW Drive, 3AW, Melbourne VIC, Fairfax Radio Network M

 

BEST MUSIC DIRECTOR
Josie Fitt; Snow FM, Jindabyne NSW, Capital Radio Network C
Dan Hill; NXFM, Newcastle NSW, Southern Cross Austereo P
Mathew Eggleston; Fox FM, Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Michael Moffett; 2EC & Power FM, Bega NSW, Grant Broadcasters C
Ryan Khay; Sea FM & Mix FM, Maroochydore QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Derek Bargwanna; 2Day FM, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST DIGITAL RADIO FORMAT – LONG TERM
Radar; Jaime Chaux, Olivia Belvedere, Reegan McLaughlin & Zoe Sainsbury, Southern Cross Austereo

 

BEST DIGITAL RADIO FORMAT – SHORT TERM
Elf Radio; Nick Condon, Australian Radio Network

 

BEST STATION PRODUCED COMEDY SEGMENT
Alan Joyce Announcement; John Sutherland, 2NZ, Inverell NSW, Super Radio Network C
And I'm a Mormon; Paul Gale, Sea FM, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Nova 106.9 Funny Phone Call; Ash Bradnam & Dan Anstey, Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, DMG Radio Australia M

 

BEST NETWORKED PROGRAM
Jon Vertigan for Breakfast; Jon Vertigan, 3YB, Warrnambool VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C
Nayta & Kristie; Nathan Robb & Kristie Mercer, TRFM, Traralgon VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters P
The Kyle & Jackie O Show; Kyle Sandilands & Jackie Henderson, Today Network, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST SYNDICATED AUSTRALIAN PROGRAM
My Generation; My Generation, MCM Media

BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Todd Langley Story; Geire Kami & Jerimiah Busniak, Radio West, Bunbury WA, Southern Cross Austereo NM
Kristian Anderson 'Rest In Peace'; Sideshow Mike Andersen & Gus Worland, Triple M, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Sophie Jackson; Radio West, Albany WA, Southern Cross Austereo C
David Huth; Sea FM & Mix FM, Maroochydore QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Sideshow Mike Andersen; Triple M, Sydney, NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST MUSIC SPECIAL
History of Rock n Roll; EJ & John Young, 2PK, Parkes NSW, Super Radio Network C
Gold FM Unflogged 400; Al Dobie, Trent Towson & Andrew Very, Gold FM, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Lady Gaga Live From Sydney Monster Hall; David Konsky, 2Day FM, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST STATION SALES ACHIEVEMENT
104.7 Sales Team; 104.7, Canberra ACT, ARN/Southern Cross Austereo NM
2Day FM Sales Team; 2Day FM, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST AGENCY SALESPERSON
Ashley Pope; Regional SCA, Adelaide SA, Southern Cross Austereo NM
Lena Rapley; ARN National, Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network M

 

BEST DIRECT SALESPERSON
Luke Witton; 2GZ FM & STAR FM, Orange NSW, Southern Cross Austereo C
Justine Price; Hot FM & Sea FM Mackay, Mackay QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Danielle Jarvis; Fox FM & Triple M, Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL – SINGLE
Logans Restaurant - Julia & Kevin; 3YB & Coast FM Creative Team, 3YB, Warrnambool VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C
Coastal Water Dive - Shark Shield; Andy Macleod & Sophie Jackson, Hot FM, Bunbury WA, Southern Cross Austereo P
Breakdown; Rusty Graham & Shelley Klum, Smooth FM, Sydney NSW, DMG Radio Australia M

BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL – CAMPAIGN
Elite Smash Repairs; Cameron Horn & Marc Dwyer, 2CFM, Gosford NSW, Southern Cross Austereo NM
Delux; Jonathan Williams & Chris Gates, Fox FM, Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST MULTIMEDIA EXECUTION – STATION
The Fast & The Fuel Efficient; Sarah Duffy, Ant Middlemiss, Jarryd Haefele, Kristie Mercer & Nathan Robb, TRFM, Traralgon
VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters NM
Australian Belly Flop Aquatic Team; Ash, Kip & Luttsy with Scott Tonges, Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, DMG Radio Australia M

 

BEST MULTIMEDIA EXECUTION – SALES
2CC Christmas Lights; Peter Davidson & Richard Phelps, 2CC, Canberra ACT, Capital Radio Network NM
Subway Runner; Kelly Miller, Nathan Russell, Anna Bloor & Samantha Townend, Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, DMG Radio Australia M
Kyle & Jackie O's Cruze Car Chase; 2Day FM Content, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST SALES PROMOTION
Jingle Bell Rock 2011; Benny Hope, Janie Birchall & Michael Coote, B-Rock FM, Bathurst NSW, Bathurst Broadcasters C
90.9 Sea FM Car Full Of Stars; Andrea Hodgetts & Luke Parsons, Sea FM, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Chemist Warehouse Mix90s; Julia Gumbleton & Sasha Jones, Mix FM, Melbourne VIC, Australian Radio Network M

 

BEST STATION PROMOTION
Win Your Way To Byron Bay; Jon Vertigan, 3YB, Warrnambool VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C
Hot FM's Angry Dads; Ben Erbsland & Courtney Ganderton, Hot FM Mackay, Mackay QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P
Fitzy and Wippa's Bob Katterpult; Ryan Fitzgerald, Michael Wipfli, Tom Ivey & the Nova Integration Team, Nova 969, Sydney NSW, DMG Radio Australia M

 

BEST PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR
Cassie Grentell; Star FM, Central Coast NSW, DMG Radio Australia NM
Chantalle Taylor; 2Day FM, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

 

BEST COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
David Rixon – Radiothon; 2012 Team, 92.9FM & 2TM, Tamworth NSW, Super Radio Network C
i98 FM Camp Quality Convoy with Marty & Bianca; i98 Convoy Team, i98 FM, Wollongong NSW, WIN Network P
Cerebral Palsy Appeal; Radio 2UE, Sydney NSW, Fairfax Radio Network M

Channel 9 cricket contract set to expire

Nine may have been thrown a last-minute lifeline last night but the biggest loser from the events of the past few days could in fact prove to be Cricket Australia.
  
The network paid $315 million over seven years for the rights to all home Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20 internationals in 2006.

That contract expires at the end of this summer.

"With less money to spend under new owners, that does open the door for Seven or Ten to outbid Nine," Fat Prophets media analyst Greg Fraser said. "I think with Kerry Stokes having a bit of a war chest, more than $500 million at last count after his recent equity raising, he could certainly lob in a bid for those rights."

Seeing a sporting code that has always commanded pride of place on Nine's summer programming mantle either fall to rival Seven or be broken up across several broadcasters is the worst-case scenario for Nine. A CA spokesman said the body was dealing exclusively with Nine at the moment, with the fine print yet to be discussed.

Also in the firing line could be the channel's top-rated programs.

While programs including The Big Bang Theory, Two And Half Men and The Mentalist are not expected to face any immediate chops, media analyst Peter Cox said the deal could affect them in the future. "Nine's $500 million production deal with Warner Brothers is going to expire in 2014 and Gyngell has hinted he won't guarantee it going forward," Mr Cox said.

"If audiences aren't going to turn up and watch these programs, any news owners won't want to waste their money shoring up those programs if they can't get the advertising dollars to justify it."

Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/finance-woes-could-hit-the-cricket-coverage-for-six/story-e6freon6-1226497340893

Network Seven says fast-tracking new content is "jumping at shadows"

Seven boss Tim Worner has talked down the impact of illegal piracy on broadcast television, in the wake of much discussion about TEN’s low ratings for Homeland.

This is despite Seven having previously been a part of AFACT’s failed bid to make internet service providers accountable for illegal activities of their subscribers.

It’s fair to say that Seven is less impacted by downloading than TEN and Foxtel, because its audience skews older.

Seven is holding off the second season of Revenge and the third season of Downton Abbey until 2013.

It also has Last Resort and Mrs Biggs amongst its upcoming international titles.

“I’m confident that those shows won’t be greatly affected by the fact they have been on somewhere else first,” Worner told Daily Telegraph.

“I know there are other people in the industry who feel differently (about the ratings effects of illegal downloading) and they are making their programming decisions based on that feeling, but I think it’s jumping at shadows.

“By saying that I am not saying we have our head in the sand and we don’t think that there are challenges we are facing, but I don’t think it’s going to kill television.”

Seven has strategically chosen to fast-track a selection of shows that are established such as Grey’s Anatomy and The Amazing Race but holding new titles to next year. Nine has adopted a similar approach. But TEN is seeking to lift its performance with fast-tracked shows.

But viewing habits are constantly changing, and some shows are susceptible to both downloading as well as timeshifting on PVRs.

What is rarely reported in media is the boost from Consolidated data. Last week The Good Wife pulled 490,000 viewers but increased by 123,000 viewers on Consolidated numbers to reach to 613,000 viewers, -another 25%. Yesterday TEN CEO James Warburton noted with frustration that the US industry focusses a lot more on Timeshifted data than Australia.

Meanwhile, Worner also told SKY News Business yesterday that he hoped TEN would improve, if only to help take eyeballs away from Nine. No doubt, Nine is feeling mutual about that one.

Source: http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2012/10/seven-boss-fast-tracking-strategy-can-be-jumping-at-shadows.html

Keeping up with Generation A : Two current mobile trends - dual screening and clickable things

Summary

This paper discusses and provides examples of two current mobile trends: 'dual screening' and 'clickable things'. Dual screening describes the increasing number of people (80%, according to some research) who use mobile devices whilst watching TV. It will be a strong tool for broadcasters and brands, particularly around narrative-driven, immersive drama and other genres such as reality, comedy and sports. For example, the free NHL pre-play app allows TV viewers to play along with a game by making live predictions. 'Clickable things' (related to the idea of the 'internet of things') enables the use of mobiles to 'click' images and objects in the real world. An example is Tesco's clickable store front in the South Korean Metro, in which consumers are able to shop for home delivery groceries by simply clicking pictures of grocery items on the Metro wall. Technology is not far away from allowing mobiles to recognise 3D objects, which will open up new opportunities.

There's plenty of speculation on where technology may be taking us in the future. But there are two significant mobile trends that are happening right now, pretty much everywhere in the world: 'dual-screening' and what could be called 'clickable things'. How should brands be responding?

Dual screening

Dual-screening has been going on for a long time. One could argue that it dates back to days of black-and-white TV when people would chat on the phone while watching a show. With the rise of connected devices, we have seen a huge increase in internet searches driven by TV. Google has published plenty of data showing huge spikes in search terms during popular TV shows or ads. One study shows that today, 80% of respondents are mobile multitasking while watching TV.

So why are we not taking more notice of what is probably the biggest consumer trend since the emergence of the web? Brands have taken the first step; many no longer put their web URL on ads, replacing it with the line 'search for Volvo'. Perhaps soon this will be replaced with something like 'Shazam now for a 3D test drive on your iPad'. (Shazam, an app that started off as a name-that-tune service, now recognizes ads by their soundtrack and allows consumers to access more information on the brand, plus coupons and discounts. According to reports in the US, up to one-third of the 2012 Super Bowl ads were Shazam-able.)

A few years ago people started supplementing the old-style TV-plus-telephone-conversation with Facebook posts and then Twitter messages. Today people have an array of apps at their disposal to use while watching TV. People still like to connect with friends while watching a TV show - especially if they are not able to come round to watch it together - and social apps are facilitating that connection. Some research from Deloitte (August 2012) confirms this:

• Nearly half of all 16-24-year-olds use messaging, email, Facebook or Twitter to discuss what they are viewing on TV.
• Voice conversations remain powerful distractions - 80% talk to other people in the same room while watching TV.

But what is a brand's role in this? Is there more that it can do? How can we work with dual screening in a way that people will love?

There are several examples of brands that have tried to respond to this. Mobile agency XS2 worked with broadcaster Channel 5 in the UK on a promotion for The Gadget Show. The result was a dual-screening broadcast experience. This work offers the audience a lot more if they watch the show while using the iPad app at the same time. An audio cue at the beginning of the online version of the show tells the app that the TV show is at the right point for the dual-screening experience.

Viewers of the mobile experience could use their phone to turn around and see what was going on behind the TV cameras, above them or anywhere off-screen. Specially scripted scenes and action was happening all around the studio exclusively for the mobile viewers. Directional movement of the mobile device resulted in synchronized movement from the 360-degree TV cameras - the viewer could look anywhere around the studio along a horizontal and vertical axis.

In this case the scriptwriter, director, set designer and presenters have all put dual screening (and, with this example, a 360-degree mobile experience) at the heart of the broadcast. This is where brands can really do great things. Imagine how a TV show would be scripted if the audience could move the camera around themselves? They can look up, down, left, right and see everything. The storyline, script, the set design - everything - opens up for more interesting storytelling.

Another example is the companion app to TV show The Walking Dead, called 'Walkers Kill Count'. This is not a 360-degree film experience, but it does offer a wider element to the show. The dual-screening app keeps track of events within the show by using audio watermarks. It's a zombie drama and we have protagonists killing zombies with various weapons. Each time a zombie is killed, the iPad responds, keeping track of weapons used and the protagonist's progress. Viewers are invited to participate more closely with the storyline by predicting the kills/outcome.

The goal of the app was to deepen the audience's engagement and build buzz for The Walking Dead's second season on UK channel FX. Redbee Media, the company that made the app, cited a YouGov poll from October 2011 that showed that more than three-quarters of UK viewers are now using other devices while watching TV.

It is clear that 'dual screening' will be a strong tool for broadcasters and brands - especially when it comes to narrative-driven, immersive drama. Audiences are using other devices, but the main screen experience is what makes the work so successful.

Certain programming genres lend themselves to dual screening of this kind. The main categories that might get us reaching for our iPad would be reality, drama news, comedy, sports and food. There is much more to come, other recent examples are listed below - watch this space.

Some other examples:

• NHL: The free NHL PrePlay app allows TV viewers to play along with a game by making live predictions on the action.
• Celebrity Apprentice: Interactivity, social game mechanics, community sharing, and e-offers in the form of real-time digital coupons and currency from major TV advertisers.
• New Girl (sitcom): interact in real-time with the show and earn badges by watching and answering trivia.
• Million Pound Drop: first mobile play-along app in the UK, boosting the second-screen credentials of its gameshow The Million Pound Drop.

 

Clickable things

The 'internet of things' has been talked about for many years. In fact, the term was first coined back in 1999.

A few years ago, the latest advances in making the real world 'clickable' came from image recognition. Six years ago, I the first image recognition campaign launched using UK outdoor media, and a drive to promote the film Mr Bean's Holiday. The campaign used an image recognition algorithm - which some said had been invented for the Bush administration to identify people's faces in airports - to map Mr Bean's face, which was plastered all over outdoor posters in and around London. People were then invited to take a 'snap' of the post and send it in via MMS. The system would then recognize the image and respond with entertaining ringtones, recorded by the film's star, Rowan Atkinson.

The technology has advanced dramatically. We are almost at the point where computer vision can recognize objects. It is infinitely more difficult for an algorithm to recognize a car than a flat poster. Imagine how many angles it must understand. It is even more difficult at a time when cars bear so many similarities. Still, this kind of stuff is coming pretty soon.

Back to today. For a great example of clickable things', see Lego's product 'Life of George'. It is a game which is all about using the mobile (or iPod Touch) to 'click' on the Lego model you have made in order to proceed. 'George' asks you to make a simple Lego model, say a car. Then he starts the clock. You must build the car, grab your phone and 'snap' it with the camera within the app. The technology recognizes if you made it correctly and how long it took you. If you do it quickly you get more points. It's the perfect vehicle for a little father-son competition.
There are countless examples of 'clickable things' today. Tesco's clickable store front in the South Korean Metro is already well known.

It is incredible because the 'mobile clickability' transforms a large poster site (in the metro) to a real-life grocery store. While people are waiting for the train they can 'click' on groceries and have them delivered home. The best part is that the posters look exactly like the shelves of the store. (This work uses QR codes for the 'click' bit - not image recognition or computer vision.)

I used to call this 'real world connection', but it now goes much further. How will this 'internet of things' evolve? It follows that digital objects and machines will be controllable from various locations by 'clicking'. And as gadgets such as Microsoft's Kinect put 3D scanning technology in people's homes, maybe one day robots will do the clicking for us.