This year, I didn't plan on watching the Oscars.
But then I opened up Twitter on a Sunday night and saw people tweeting about the red carpet.
I changed the channel to get in on the fun.
Twitter, the company, believes that lots of consumers behave the same way that I did that night – and that this behavior will allow Twitter to get in on the $70+ billion that Nielsen says is spent on TV advertising in the US every year.
After speaking with two sources familiar with Twitter's TV advertising ambitions, here's what else I can tell you Twitter believes…
- That more and more, people don't watch TV without looking at a tablet or a phone at the same time.
- That those people will tune in on their big screen to keep up with the conversation on their small screen.
- That it can sell ads that will "amplify" these conversations – and get people to tune into specific TV shows.
- That a brand like Coca-Cola will buy Twitter ads to get people to tune into TV shows that are sponsored by Coca-Cola.
- That brands will prefer to spend their digital advertising budgets driving consumers to TV, where they'll see commercials, which tell good "brand stories," rather than on banner ads.
- That TV networks will help Twitter sell Twitter ads to brands as part of a larger package.
So, now you know why Twitter bought Blue Fin Labs. Think the plan will work?
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