Interactivity. Convergence of web and TV. New monetization opportunities to target an audience and convert them more quickly from intention to purchase. Like that living room set on your favorite TV show. Push a button on your remote and connect to Pottery Barn and get more info on the item and hopefully agree to purchase.
That is what all the hoopla is about. And who controls that process. Which box controls the interactivity. For the cable companies, its hope now rests with Project Canoe, a new venture to link the six largest cable companies together to simplify the advertising process and create a more national footprint. Cable seems to have the inside track until other devices can prove that they can just as easily use the internet pipeline to achieve the same results.
Where once cable touted itself as local, technological change and competition has forced them to act more national and global. That local distinction and differentiation is gone; no longer do you think of your LOCAL cable company. It is anew ballgame.
For content creators, that neutral position continues to serve them well. Regardless of the distribution path, half of the connection requires the content itself to build an interactive experience. The other half, the ad and e-commerce angles, is more interesting. Who controls the experience; does cable have an advantage to best target its audience by geography, demographics, and psychographics. Or will the content itself be appealing to the right target audience without further segmentation. Interactivity brings more challenges, but it is also bringing forth many new opportunities as well. The landscape is changing before our eyes!
