The 82nd annual Oscars are airing on March 7, and you’ll be interested to know that this iconic event will look a little different this year. With last year’s awards’ show garnering its third lowest rating in Oscars history and its lowest rating in 2008, the pressure is on for marketers to appeal to a demo they’ve missed out on recently: the Gen-Yers. As AdAge reports, this is a group who has shied away from the telecast in recent years due to the lack of blockbuster-esque film nominations that they are more prone to recognize. With plenty of big names nominated this year, however, the time is perfect to reach out to them. The solution? Social media.
Plenty of buzz has been made about what social media tactics the Oscars will employ and much of it has already come to fruition, beginning with a new tagline that reads, “You’ve never seen Oscar like this.” The Oscars’ next huge step came on February 2, when the Academy of Motion picture Arts and Sciences and ABC announced its full list of nominees live via their website, Oscars.org and their Facebook page complete with a livestream. Oscars.org was also spruced up making interaction key with widgets, videos and more content straight from the nominated stars themselves.
The final step? There’s an app for that! The Oscars unveiled its new application for the iPhone and iPod Touch just in time for this year’s show, and there is truly something for everyone. Users can get caught up on all the nominations by watching movie trailers on the Flixter app, follow all the fashion with the Style App, and learn Oscar-related trivia with the Movie Challenge Oscar Special App. The Oscars iPhone App will also allow its users to make predictions and share them through Facebook, Twitter, text and email as well as release behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals and preparations leading up to the show. Overall, it’s been a valiant effort for a show known for its orthodoxy. Whether or not this translates into more viewers and higher ratings remains to be seen, Will you be watching?
