Owner: Thinkbox
Agency: ORM
| Content | 24/25 |
|---|---|
| Usability | 23/25 |
| Branding | 20/25 |
| Monetisation | 23/25 |
| Total | 90/100 |
Thinkbox, the marketing body for the UK commercial TV industy, has launched its first iPad app aimed at the ad industry. The free app has been designed as a resource for advertisers, media planners and buyers, creative agencies, providing 13 sections of themed content spanning TV show ratings data, case studies, TV ad galleries and research.
Second screen, or as some prefer to call it – dual screen (so as not to cast aspersions on any screen being deemed more important that the other) – activity is a hot topic in the TV industry. The invested interest of major UK broadcasters including ITV, Sky, and Channel 4, to name a few, in actively exploring the commercial viability of added value content via a second or multiple screens is opening up new advertising possibilities.
Therefore it’s important Thinkbox leads by example, not only in providing an exemplary, content-rich tablet experience, but also in ensuring it continues educating people about the market opportunities.
This app does just this. The TV tech tab shows a variety of all the major multiplatform and multi-device products in the market from Google and Apple TV to connected TV sets, Xbox Kinnect, YouView, dual-screening apps Shazam and Zeebox, augmented reality app Aurasma, and social TV app Get Glue, and many more including Sy’s addressable advertising proposition AdSmart.
There are a multitude of emerging digital technologies that are, at times, hard to keep on top of, and this app provides an educational, easily digestible breakdown of what each technology does, where it has been used, and what the advertising opportunities are around them. In short, it’s a must-have app for anyone working in this space that has trouble remembering what the benefits of all are.
The ad gallery is updated twice a week with a curated selection of the latest and best TV ads. On each page multiple links lead to related content, whether it be additional information, case studies or research reports.
The tone of written content on the app, including the details on how the app works and where and when people can use it, is relaxed and humourous, which immediatey makes the user feel comfortable and not like an idiot for not knowing how something works. This is a clever detail given tablets are moving beyond early-adopter stage, into the main stream.
Those who register with the app can activate the Favourites section, as well as providing the latest BARB data, along with industry news and bi-monthly news letters. Enough incentive here to register, and Thinkbox can then gather more precious data about its users.
The app is well designed, offering a rich array of content in an easily navigable layout. A menu carousel at the top of the app signposts the content available, similar to a bar tab on a desktop.
The app links through to the web pages of its shareholders, including Channel 4 Sales, ITV Media and Sky Media pages. The only down side to this is that it takes you out of the app to a web browser, which can be irritating if you are not expecting it. But this is not likely to be an issue for regular users of the app.
Overall, an excellent, well-thought out tablet experience, and one which can be a real resource for anyone working in the TV advertising space.
Other apps in this sector:
See video below for video demo of the app.
Video:
Thinkbox
