USA is releasing versions of the WWE Tough Enough application for iPhone, iPad [iTunes link] and Android mobile phones and tablets. The applications are meant to enhance the show watching experience and encourage viewers to tune in live.
“We want to push the boundaries of social television as much as possible,” says Jesse Redniss, USA’s vice president of digital. “We want to change the way people are watching television.”
USA will be seeding three to four keywords per episode during the broadcast through Facebook and Twitter, via its own Chatter social stream and on air. Should app users locate these keywords, the y can enter them to earn show rewards such as access to deleted scenes, blooper reels and other exclusive WWE Tough Enough app content.
USA has also introduced app-specific game mechanics to its show affinity program “Tough Club.” Members can log in to earn additional points, compete against fans for leader board status and exchange points for show merchandise.
“We want to provide fans with another touch point so that they can engage, in real-time, from whatever device is easiest to access at that time,” says Redniss.
This time around USA has stripped out GetGlue integration in favor of a more frictionless user on-boarding experience. The network will be charting real-time engagement as opposed to encouraging fans to explicitly “check in” to episodes.
The initiative marks USA’s second attempt at engineering an engaging second screen experience. Psych Vision, released late into the past season of the Psych< /em> television series,...
