ITV is to become the exclusive distributor for the Shazam audio recoginition functionality on the UK market.
ITV Commercial will act as the exclusive UK sales force, offering advertisers the opportunity to have their traditional 30 second TV spots ‘Shazam-enabled’ for the first time.
More than 10 million smartphone users in the UK currently have the Shazam app enabled. It means they will be able to enter competitions, get additional information about a brand or product, view additional special content or download free music from advertisers who take the Shazam option.
Simon Daglish, group commercial sales director, ITV said: “Shazam’s audio-recognition technology is at the forefront of the second screen movement which is transforming the way consumers interact with content including advertising. This exciting and exclusive partnership means that ITV is able to offer customers a real first for UK media and allow brands to innovate their spot campaigns and connect directly with audiences on a large scale.”
In the United States Shazam has been used alongside some of the most popular TV shows, including American Idol, the Grammy Awards and the Superbowl.