Skip links

Why the Second Screen Needs to be Part of Your Media Strategy

Why the Second Screen Needs to be Part of Your Media Strategy

An item in PR Week is a clear indicator of how the media landscape has changed:

The Super Bowl is often described as the biggest branding stage in the world, but not if you’re trying to reach young audiences.

More than half of Gen Zers are unlikely to watch the live broadcast of the Super Bowl on CBS on February 7, according to a recent Morning Consult poll. In general, Gen Zers are half as likely as millennials to watch live sports regularly, opting instead for gaming and esports.

So in addition to their multi-million-dollar commercial buys during the game, brands also have to seize on the earned media buzz for the event with thumb-stopping campaigns on the platforms where Gen Zers spend their time.

Budweiser, which has opted out of a Super Bowl spot for the first time in 37 years, is running a digital campaign supporting COVID-19 vaccine awareness on social media.

Other brands primarily looking to reach younger audiences, including Frank’s RedHot, DiGiorno, and Tums, are skipping the $5.5 million in-game buy altogether to connect with fans on second screen platforms including Twitter, TikTok, and Twitch.

When I first started working in newsrooms there were three types of media: radio, TV, and print. But now anyone looking to increase their brand has to incorporate social media and other digital platforms into their PR and marketing strategy. That’s why I’m placing more clients every month on podcasts and digital platforms like America’s Voice and Cheddar, which are reaching millions of people without carriage on many cable and satellite systems.
 
The bottom line is there are more media platforms out there than ever before. You just need to take advantage of them.