First global awards show to launch interactive Facebook Messenger bot
MTV taps Brazilian pop culture star Hugo Gloss and global pop-rap duo Jack & Jack as social correspondents
*Follow along: @MTVEMA / #MTVEMA / MTVEMA.com
SINGAPORE, 27 OCTOBER 2016 – Ahead of the world’s biggest night in music, MTVunveiled its digital and social 2016 MTV EMAs integrations, embracing fans-first innovation and bringing the audience at home closer to the show than ever before. From virtual reality to Messenger bots to social celebrity correspondents, MTV is using new technology and platforms to provide fans with an up-close look at the EMAs, experiencing content from the show everywhere, live.
The 2016 MTV EMAs are the first-ever awards show to launch a Facebook Messenger interactive bot to give fans an exclusive way to engage with the live show.
This year, fans can also watch show content live wherever they want. In addition to catching the EMAs on TV, the audience can follow along live across all devices for custom experiences offered from our social MTVEMA hosts, Hugo Gloss (for Instagram) and Jack & Jack (for Snapchat). Additional EMA content will also be updated live within a Snapchat Live Story. MTV VJ Becca Dudley will host the official backstage show, which will stream on MTVEMA.com and Facebook Live, and feature exclusive interviews with the night’s hottest talent.
The network is also evolving its virtual reality strategy, giving viewers around the world a true 360-degree video experience via the MTV EMA app, which puts them inside the Ahoy Rotterdam arena LIVE during the show.
“We are constantly evolving the way fans experience our brands’ big moments, giving them new ways to be part of the action no matter where they are,” said Karmelina Parouka, Vice President, International Digital Production, Viacom International Media Networks. “Last year, the MTV EMAs were the first global music award show to broadcast the full event live in VR; this year, we’re taking it a step further, as the first network to roll out a real-time Messenger bot experience as part of a live awards show. We’re giving our international fans a front row seat to the incredible music, moments and performances that make this show the world’s biggest night in music.”
Full details regarding the digital activations at the 2016 MTV EMAs follow:
EMA Facebook Messenger Bot
The 2016 MTV EMAs are the first-ever award show to launch a Facebook Messenger interactive bot to give fans an exclusive second-screen experience. During the live broadcast, fans at home can interact with the MTV EMA bot on Facebook Messenger, asking questions related to the show, interacting with Facebook Live backstage host Becca Dudley, and accessing live updated show GIFs powered by GIPHY. The technology is a collaboration between MTV, Viacom Velocity International, Viacom Labs, GIPHY and Conversable.
Social Correspondents, Custom Content and Additional Digital Integrations
The 2016 MTV EMAs will feature influencer red carpet correspondents, providing fans with new perspectives for following and immersing themselves in the show, wherever they are. Brazilian pop culture personality and co-host of MTV Brazil’s Ridículos (Ridiculousness) Hugo Gloss (Brazil, 13.7M followers collectively) will host the night’s @MTVEMA Instagram Story, focusing on pop culture coverage, while pop-rap duo Jack & Jack (USA, 26M+ followers collectively) is tapped to host on MTV EMA’s Snapchat account as the night’s music correspondents. MTV VJ Becca Dudley will host the official backstage show, which will stream on mtvema.com and Facebook Live and feature exclusive interviews with the night’s hottest talent. Additional live access will be available during both the red carpet and the main show through the MTV EMA Snapchat Live Story, and exclusive content on Vine and Twitter. Additionally, the MTV International Snapchat Discover channel will have special EMA editions throughout the weekend.
Viewers at home have more ways than ever before to show off their EMA fandom while joining the social conversation online, with special MTV EMA geofilters on Snapchat; custom Twitter emojis, triggered by EMA-related hashtags; and live updated GIFs powered by GIPHY.
Virtual Reality
The 2016 MTV EMAs will evolve its live virtual reality viewing experience of the main show, giving fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with their favorite music and celebrities in real time. By placing cameras in the main show, fans from around the world will be able to choose where to look, giving them a unique and individual interactive virtual reality experience. Accessed via the 2016 MTV EMA app and used in conjunction with an easy-to-use cardboard viewer, the real-time experience lets fans feel as though they are on stage with their favorite artists as they perform at the EMA. Fans without a viewer can still access a 360-degree viewing experience via the MTV EMA app.
MTV Bump
Fans will also get the opportunity to have their social video posts featured on air via MTV’s social-to-linear initiative, #MTVBump: All night-of social posts tagging #MTVBump and #MTVEMA will have the potential to be featured on air in as little as two hours. #MTVBump connects the Internet to the network’s linear broadcast system, allowing social media videos on Instagram or Vines shared on Twitter with #MTVBump to be up on-air in as little as two hours. MTV collects the videos using a custom content management system (CMS) developed together with B-Reel Creative that allows MTV teams to curate the content, filtering for local relevance, pop culture topicality or number of fans, and then seamlessly scheduling it to be up on-air and across platforms. Users can submit video content directly on Instagram or with Vines shared on Twitter, or go to MTVbump.com, where they can also view the “bumps” that have made it on-air around the world.
- Best Southeast Asia Act x musical.ly
MTV has partnered with musical.ly for a #MTVEMA challenge in Southeast Asia giving musers the opportunity to tell MTV who they think should be the Best Southeast Asia Act winner. Between 4 to 7 November, musers can pick from the nominees’ music videos in an exclusive song album created by musical.ly to create a Musical. Participants stand to win official artist merchandise and MTV EMA goodies.
- Watch It Anyway You Want! x live.ly
MTV also teamed up with live.ly where musers get to show MTV how they watch the MTV EMA in their own creative way during the prime-time telecast on Monday, 7 November at 8pm (WIB) and 9pm (MY/PH/SG). Fans can live-stream themselves enjoying the MTV EMA using the hashtag #MTVEMA and show MTV their biggest reactions. They stand a chance to win special MTV EMA prizes and #MTVEMA live-stream sessions will be featured on live.ly’s homepage during the night.
- MTV x foodpanda
Between 7 to 13 November, fans in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines are invited to catch the show while enjoying discounts on their foodpanda orders using the promo code MTVEMAPANDA. In Singapore, enjoy 15% off a minimum order value of S$30 for the first 1,000 redemptions. In selected regions in Malaysia, get 20% off a minimum order value of RM40. In Manila and Cebu, take 15% off a minimum order of P850, with a maximum discount of P300 per order. More information at www.mtvasia.com/mtvema.
- Live Twitter Chat
Fans in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore can live tweet during the MTV EMA evening repeat telecast on Monday, 7 November at 8pm (WIB) and 9pm (MY/PH/SG) using #MTVEMA and watch selected tweets go on-air. Those with the best tweets stand a chance to snag Évos headphones and exclusive MTV EMA merchandise.
The 2016 MTV EMAs voting is open until 6 November at 6.59am Singapore time so visit mtvema.com to cast your vote!
For artwork, press assets and further information please visit press.mtvema.com.
The 2016 MTV EMAs, in partnership with Évos headphones, will broadcast LIVE across the globe on Monday, 7 November at 3am (TH/WIB) and 4am (MY/PH/SG)** from the Ahoy Rotterdam, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with support from Rotterdam Festivals, Rotterdam Partners and the city of Rotterdam. The show repeats on MTV on the same day at 8pm (WIB) and 9pm (MY/PH/SG). One of the biggest global music events of the year that celebrates the hottest artists from around the world, the MTV EMAs bring music fans a unique, multi-platform experience across MTV’s global network of more than 60 channels and over 300 digital media properties and platforms. Follow @MTVEMA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine, and join the conversation with #MTVEMA. Fans are invited to participate in the 2016 MTV EMA campaign using MTV Bump. Bruce Gillmer and Richard Godfrey are Executive Producers for the 2016 MTV EMAs. Debbie Phillips and Chloe Mason are Producers. For MTV EMA news, updates and press materials please visit press.mtvema.com.
**Check local listings.
Press Contact
Viacom International Media Networks
Loh Bi Feng
Manager, Communications, Southeast Asia
t: +65 6420 7154 m: +65 9002 9607
Twitter: @VIMNAsia_PR
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Philip O’Ferrall