Building connections through the new entertainment

The human passion for sharing experiences is finding new expression through digital media and transforming entertainment in the process. It’s now down to advertisers to make the most of the opportunities that this creates.

The latest research from the European Entertainment Futures study demonstrates how technology is transforming traditionally personal activities into shared entertainment experiences. Gaming spearheads the trend, with more than 80 per cent of gamers in all markets playing with other people – either online or in person. Meanwhile, the opportunity to share video and discuss content such as TV and films online is turning communication itself into a connected entertainment channel. Entertainment that contained a social element in the offline world (passing on TV recommendations or watching films together, for example) is now more connected and more shareable than ever. Entertainment accounts for five of the top ten favourite conversation topics in instant messenger, according to MTV and Microsoft’s Circuits of Cool youth research.

For advertisers, this extended world of entertainment offers a wealth of opportunities, provided they remain focused on the importance of sharing. Channel sponsorship positions brands alongside the content-sharing process; branded entertainment experiences allow them to go further still. Warner Bros, Burger King, Unilever and Ford are among the brands working with Microsoft Advertising’s Branded Entertainment Experiences Team to deliver the entertainment connections that consumers crave.