Bauer and Channel 4 in social TV push
Bauer Media has partnered with Channel 4 to launch a social TV initiative this summer in a bid to expand the digital footprint of its celebrity gossip magazine Heat.
The Heat4…Live! tie-up will centre around three episodes of Channel 4 shows over the next two months, starting with the Hollyoaks ‘Savage Party’ special next week (8 June).
Each episode will run alongside a digital hub on both E4.com and heatworld.com that will host Twitter feeds and behind-the-scenes content relating to the events happening on-screen.
A live and interactive online ‘show-about-the-show’ will air after each of the three episodes and feature appearances from cast members and Skype chats with celebrity fans. The show will be fronted by T4 presenter Will Best and Heat editor Lucie Cave.
The tie-up launches today (29 may) with a marketing campaign across all heat brands as well as in More magazine and on Kiss FM.
Bauer says the initiative aims to reflect viewers “bantering with their friends.” The move aims to capitalise on the growing trend of dual-screen viewing that has seen shows such as ITV’s X-Factor and the BBC’s The Voice foster huge online followings over the last 12 months.
Lucy Banks, executive creative director at Bauer Media, says the collaboration allows the publisher to “editorialise excitement about great C4 shows.”
She adds: “Borne out of the huge increase in dual viewing behaviour, driven by Twitter’s increasing popularity, the campaign shows off the complementary relationship between linear TV viewing and social media, and the natural synergies between the heat and Channel 4/E4 brands.”
The venture comes as Heat gears up for the small screen with a celebrity and music TV channel. The channel will launch later this summer (3 July) as a joint venture between Channel 4 and Box TV.
