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Dish Viewers Get Interactive with VMAs

Dish Viewers Get Interactive with VMAs

MTV, Pepsi team up with Ensequence on interactive-TV component of Video Music Awards.

By B&C Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/4/2008 6:29:00 PM

Dish Network subscribers will be able to vote with their remotes during MTV’s live presentation of the 2008 Video Music Awards Sunday thanks to a new interactive-TV collaboration among MTV, Pepsi and iTV company Ensequence.



The interactive component, which uses software and services from Ensequence, began in late August, when Dish viewers were able to use their remote controls to vote for the Pepsi-sponsored Best New Artist Award and interact with co-branded voting spots the company is running prior to the event.

During the Sept. 7 awards show, Dish viewers will be able to answer questions from the VMA Best New Artist Pop Quiz, presented throughout the show, and win prizes.

Viewers will see eight questions in the lower third of their screens toward the beginning of the event, during commercial breaks and during Pepsi’s in-show presentation. The answers will appear on-screen shortly after the questions close.

Quote:

Madonna certainly got "interactive" at the Video Music Awards
MTV Networks previously incorporated iTV into its programming, having used polling in 2006 for The N’s Degrassi: The Next Generation and during the 2007 Video Game Awards on Spike TV.

“As MTV was developing its iTV strategy for 2008 and beyond, it was pretty clear that the 25th annual VMAs was the perfect opportunity,” said Tim Rosta, executive vice president of integrated marketing at MTV. “We’re always looking to offer innovative opportunities to our partners, and Pepsi is always at the top of our list as they’re consistently interested in broadening the manner in which we can work together.”

“We’re always looking for new and unique ways to interact with our consumers,” said John Vail, director of interactive marketing for Pepsi-Cola North America. “As a longtime sponsor of MTV and specifically the Video Music Awards, it’s important to consistently provide an engaging experience for viewers on multiple platforms. The iTV technology allows the VMA experience to expand to the television screen with viewers in control while giving Pepsi a central role.”