Since the “Super Bowl” of award shows happened a few days ago I thought I would take at look at how the Oscars tried to revamp its image. The image shift was an attempt to connect with younger viewers and the millions that often use social media sites while watching television shows. The major way the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tried to change its image by going social. The Academy had redesigned their website to offer new interactive features as well as Apps for the iPhone and iPad (Ryzik, 2011).
The Academy did not just offer live backstage video and access to the shows after party. They also looked to younger host to reach a diverse audience. Anne Hathaway and James Franco are among the shows youngest to ever host the event (Ryzik, 2011). The Academy has cashed in on the popularity of the hosts and created several promotions for this year’s show somewhat spoofing the hosting gig.
The approach to this year’s Oscars is unlike any other before. The show seemed to by trying to open up the line of communication and reach a larger audience. “The goal is to fuel conversations and build buzz among consumers before, during and after each uttering of the word ‘And the winner is’. Those efforts, which included promotions, brand websites and e-mail marketing, are indicative of how much Madison Avenue is shifting gears to keep pace with the rapid changes in the consumption of media” (Elliott, 2011).
While I think trying to update the Oscars broadcast to offer consumers an inside look at the show and finding out what they think is a great idea. Instead of just being another stuffy awards show the Oscars really tried to make the show interesting for all viewers by providing them with multiple ways to follow what was happening. Even though it may have backfired, since most viewers thought the show and the hosts were bad, I think it was a great start. Consumers or viewers cannot expect change unless companies or shows try something new. While I will agree that the show lacked the signature moment that often happens on Oscar Night I will applaud the Academy for adding several social media outlets to their broadcast. Hopefully they will learn and work to create something even better for next year.
The Oscars were not the only group going social during the broadcast. Many companies airing commercials during the awards show were promoting their websites or Facebook pages in their ads. Companies like LivingSocial, Best Buy, and J.C. Penney tried to drive consumers online and in stores.
J.C. Penney (JCP) by far took the biggest step to social media. Besides introducing a new slogan and logo JCP “also [had] separate digital initiatives going on” (Elliott, 2011). J.C. Penney turned to Facebook, social shopping site Polyvore and Twitter. JCP used their Twitter account and Twitter hash tags to run a contest for followers. Trivia winners received a 20 dollar JCP gift card (Elliott, 2011). The companies also ran several commercials during the show and offered promotions through their Facebook page.
I really think J.C. Penney is doing an excellent job embracing social media. At the end of 2010, JCP began offer Facebook users the opportunity to make purchases without leaving the Facebook website. In my opinion, J.C. Penney is doing something right. They have weathered the storm for years and continue to be successful and reinvent themselves to remain current.
Social media is not something that is going to go away anytime soon. As the popularity of sites like Facebook and Twitter continues, many companies and even awards shows will not be able to ignore the benefits of going social. Using social media provides companies with the opportunity to reach millions of consumers and make a deeper lasting relationship. These relationships will without a doubt have an effect on how consumers feel about a brand and their purchasing habits.
References
Elliot, S. “Campaigns Begin as the First Stiletto Hits the Red Carpet” (2011, February 23). Accessed on March 2, 2011. Retrieved from <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/business/media/24adco.html>
Ryzik, M. “Serious? Snarky? Oscar Courts a Social Medium” (2011, February 24). Accessed on March 2, 2011. Retrieved from <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/movies/awardsseason/25bagger.html>
