11/01/07: C4 sees CBB downloads surge due to ad-funded mobile clips
Mobile IQ worked with Channel 4 to design and deliver a number of highly successful advertising packages for their mobile service including banner ads, content sponsorship and video pre-rolls.
Read more about the success of the video pre-roll campaigns during Celebrity Big Brother 2007:
Author: By Sam Matthews | Source: NMA magazine | Published: 11.01.07
Channel 4 has experienced a ten-fold increase in mobile downloads for Celebrity Big Brother since introducing ad-funded clips.
The broadcaster revealed it has seen hundreds of thousands of downloads since it swapped to an ad-supported model from pay-per-view.
Previously, Celebrity Big Brother mobile highlights cost fans 50p to download. Now users watch a ten- second pre-roll ad from the likes of Lionsgate Films (for Employee of the Month), Nintendo or Domino's Pizza to get the 90-second clip for free.
Matthew White, Channel 4 interactive editor, said, "Last year mobile download figures for Celebrity Big Brother were a tenth of where they are now. It's exceeded our expectations."
Channel 4 launched the ad-funded model on mobile for several of its UK TV shows, including teen soap Hollyoaks and reality show Shipwrecked last year, but none saw anywhere near the same take-up.
"Celebrity Big Brother is a premium show for Channel 4 and has been a phenomenon for the channel," said White. "Unfortunately we don't see the same kind of numbers for the likes of Hollyoaks and Shipwrecked."
However, he remained positive that mobile advertising will be a big moneyspinner for Channel 4 and E4, with Big Brother returning in the summer and issues of simulcasting TV shows on the web being addressed.
"When issues of rights around US shows and simulcasting on Channel 4 and E4 are sorted out, probably later this year, we'll move to put advertising in all our mobile and online programming," said White.
This would pave the way for more premium shows like the newly launched US sitcom Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives to be offered free to mobile users.