Sky has become the latest brand to sign up to Twitter's 'Amplify' video advertising platform in an effort to integrate its content and sponsorships online. The Amplify platform first launched in May 2013 and now has more than 70 partners (including both ITV and the BBC) in 10 countries. The basic idea behind it is to allow brands and media companies alike to take their TV content and distribute it to fans through Twitter.
The Amplify platform first launched in May 2013 and now has more than 70 partners (including both ITV and the BBC) in 10 countries
David Fisher, Sky's head of futures, believes the partnership will let the broadcaster to bring content from across its vast media empire to Twitter's equally vast and dedicated audience and create unique opportunities for the Sky brand, the rights and partner sponsors. He said that content was at the heart of their business, but that “Sponsorship is at the heart of it as well.” He adds that they have spent a long time “Building a very smart activation model around sponsorship and making sure that our sponsorship is multi-platform and reaching as many people as possible, and believes that taking those sponsorships online with Twitter Amplify is “The next evolvement of that.”
A “Behind the Scenes” look at the 2014 Champions League Final by Sky Sports. An example perhaps of the kind of content Sky will be promoting via Twitter Amplify
The primary content and sponsorship areas Sky are keen to 'Amplify' is their enviable sports and entertainment portfolio. On the sports side, they are already working with the NFL and Fisher had revealed that with their entertainment content, they are interested in posting trailers, clips and DVD style “Making of” content, which hasn't really been done before on Twitter, at least not by a company of Sky's size.
David Fisher, Sky's head of futures, believes the partnership will let the broadcaster to bring content from across its vast media empire to Twitter's equally vast audience
Glenn Brown, director of promoted content and sponsorships at Twitter, suggests that episodic TV and unique scripted content might have the most potential for the platform, so Sky might also want to consider this. He said they have “Seen some work with scripted television and think there’s a lot of promise; it’s the area with the most room for growth.” He adds that where he believes the real potential is, though, is in the “Idea of two-screen storytelling (viewers engaging with both TV and mobile) where you can imagine alternate points of view being shown or outtakes or behind the scenes content.” As someone who never watches TV anymore without his phone on stand-by, I'd hasten to agree.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK
