A Brief Introduction to Second Screen

I've had a number of people ask for a more basic introduction to the concepts of Second Screen and to answer the question of "so what?" with some current statistics.

Let's try this:

- The concept. This picture says it all.   The simple act of watching television (sports, movies, or your favorite TV series) with a smart phone, tablet, or laptop in your hands.

- What to do. The idea is to further engage the consumer in the event or show in front of them with 3 basic use cases (see this infographic):

1. Videophile/sports enthusiast. Additional fan-based content about the show or sporting event. This could be as simple as the details about the careers of the cast or as complex as relevant information about the current scene synchronized to the playback of the show itself.

2. Commerce. Presenting relevant information to the viewer so that they can purchase that hat, that handbag or dress, that jersey, etc.

3. Advertising. Putting relevant and engaging advertisements that the consumer would actually be interested in seeing.

I discuss the apps themselves based on their ability to control the 1st screen (Simple), to connect viewers (Social), to aggregate multiple content sources (Seamless), to engage the consumer (Stimulating), and to allow the consumer to find relevant new content (Discovery). Further explained in this blog.

Perhaps a better explanation is this Disney Tron Legacy video.

So what?  check out some of the stats here: