Viacom said its Viacom Lab is working on a number of projects that look at fan experiences and consumer engagement.
Viacom says the lab will help it find new ways to create cross-platform content and storytelling. It will use Viacom’s intellectual property and work with partners inside and outside the company.
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Some of the projects in the works at the lab include:
The Lab is working with Airbnb to let people stay in a replica of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ lair in New York. Other similar immersive experiences are being studied.
The Lab has a partnership with Giphy, a GIF platform with a searchable database, to create and distribute GIFs from fan’s favorite shows across the Viacom portfolio.
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Viacom is expanding its use of Citia, a mobile-first publishing system that allows content and advertising to be re-arranged and republished in multiple operating systems and social platforms. A recent pilot with MTV News saw a 20% spike in engagement using Citia’s interactive card technology.
The Lab is testing a technology that enables fans to livestream directly to a live Viacom television show, creating new storytelling formats.
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The Lab is also developing ways to enable fans to bring their favorite character and moments from Viacom content into the physical world using technology and materials. Viacom calls this “Fanufaturing.”
The Lab reports to Ross Martin, executive VP of marketing strategy and engagement, and Kern Schireson, executive VP of data strategy & consumer intelligence.
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“Viacom’s brands have always led the way in delivering breakthrough new content for our audiences, everywhere they are,” said Martin. “The Viacom Lab builds on that unparalleled legacy, empowering visionary creative talent to bring their biggest and best ‘fans first’ ideas to life in powerful new ways.”
