We helped Channel 4 and Endemol create one of the most successful interactive TV formats of all time

Gameshow audiences have been playing along at home for decades - by shouting at the TV. Working with Endemol and Channel 4 we were challenged to create a TV format that gave fans a way to get closer to the action through a Play-Along app. We wanted to represent the fans themselves in the TV show, making the digital component integral to the show, not just an extension.

With a new drive to capture audience data for targeting and marketing, our product needed to deliver registrations to Channel 4’s CRM powered by Janrain.

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Results

3 million App Installs

Multiple Awards Including BAFTA

12.5% of live TV Audience Play Along

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What we delivered

The Million Pound Drop app is a real-time second screen game playable on web and through a dedicated mobile/tablet app on iOS and Android. It allows audiences to experience the show as if they were a contestant by answering the questions in sync.

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During the show, live performance statistics from players at home feed back into the show to create live on-screen graphics which compare North v South, Girls v Boys and other demographic stats. This makes the experience fully integrated with the show, encouraging record-breaking usage.

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The app has a free play-along version with paid unlock features allowing super-fans to purchase extra questions packs so they can play 24/7.

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In addition to driving engagement The Million Pound Drop Play-Along was the flagship launch product that drove Channel 4’s new user identity / CRM service for targeting pre-roll ads. By generating registrations with additional demographic data and preferences, Channel 4 increased their targeting capability significantly, now hitting over 10 million registrations.

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“Their software is flexible enough to cope with the demands of a live TV show, turning stats around rapidly, which are fed straight back into the broadcast.”

— Jody Smith, Multiplatform Commissioning Editor, Comedy & Entertainment - Channel 4

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Direct revenue generation

The app is free to play with TV, with additional paid question packs available for both iOS & Android.  

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Technology

Custom iOS and Android apps running on Monterosa / Interaction Cloud™ provide rock-solid infrastructure handling hundreds of thousands of concurrent users. Fast aggregation of data ensure that the show producers always have audience data they need, ready to feed into TV graphics.

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Key Integrations

• Monterosa / Interaction Cloud™
• Janrain (identity / registration)
• Facebook & Twitter
• Kissmetrics (tracking)
• Millenial (ads)
• Urban Airship (push notifications)
• Amazon Billing
• iOS Billing
• Omniture