iPowow, in partnership with Red Bull Media House and ServusTV have created what they claimed to be the world’s first soccer match utilising fan participation. The iPowow Participation TV platform allowed audiences to interact live during the Red Bull Media House presentation of the Bayern Munich vs Red Bull Salzburg match. This aired via ServusTV where fans could control on-screen elements from their digital devices and see the results live on TV.
The programming aired across the Red Bull Media House-owned network in Austria, Germany and Switzerland and was streamed by Red Bull Media properties. Viewers were asked to explore their views during the game, and were able to engage on connected devices by interacting and responding to questions and events happening around the game and its players.
The results of these digital interactions were displayed on a second-by-second basis within the broadcast through graphical imagery rendered directly onscreen. These graphical outcomes showed the exact audience views as they were delivered.
“Red Bull has been an incredible partner,” commented Gavin Douglas, chief commercial officer, iPowow. “Their vision for how to engage their fans and enhance the experience for the viewer has been revolutionary. The key to a successful execution is always how well you can include the fan in the story and enhance the viewing experience. Red Bull did just that with the soccer match, giving fans a chance to be a part of the story throughout the entire experience.”
iPowow was conceived four years ago and the company now has clients including ESPN, Fox Sports, USA Network, A&E, Lifetime and Reelz Channel. Asked what makes the platform stand out from the crowd, Douglas commented: “Most importantly, we ensure the user experience is the best it can be. We make sure the barriers to entry are as low as possible, the platform is simple to use and always looks slick. Couple that with the fact that our platform is the fastest and most robust of its kind on the planet, and you get a full 360 experience as a user that is in sync with your TV, where you know you are part of the story.”
