It’s no secret that Big Brother Brasil is an established success in the country. Beyond entertainment, the show has the power to mobilize passionate fan bases, raise important social issues and, of course, exponentially increase TV Globo’s audience ratings (during the eviction vote between Bárbara, Arthur and Natália, for example, the show recorded the highest television audience in Brazil in 2022). That’s why it’s a gold mine not only for the broadcaster but also for advertisers that sponsor BBB and capitalize on its visibility.
But a behavior that emerged a few years ago has been gaining increasing momentum and attracting attention: the use of multiple screens by reality show viewers. After eviction nominations, an eviction or a Head of Household competition, it’s almost certain that BBB will appear in Twitter’s trending topics. More than that, events in Brazil’s most-watched house are constantly narrated in real time on the social network. This emerging trend offers insights that go beyond understanding viewer behavior: it provides valuable lessons for brands about integrating online and offline experiences and the use of multiple screens throughout the user journey.
Twitter and TV – Complementary experiences
The BBB phenomenon generated activity across all social media platforms even before the new season premiered, but Twitter was the main channel where the conversation took place. According to Twitter’s own data, the reality show generated nearly 2 million posts before its premiere. This figure represents a 50.8% increase compared to 2021 (which, in turn, had also seen an increase in pre-premiere tweet volume compared to 2020). In other words, the social network’s relevance to the show’s audience has only continued to grow.
After the premiere, the show generated 95 million tweets. A large proportion of them were posted in real time: viewers watch the show on TV with their phones in hand, ready to comment on what’s happening live. Data from the platform, in partnership with MindMiners, indicates that 91% of surveyed users see Twitter as a complement to television. In addition, 94% of respondents say Twitter is the best channel for staying up to date not only on BBB but also on other reality shows, such as A Fazenda.
What about sponsoring brands? Opportunities and reputational concerns
This integration between channels presents both an extremely valuable opportunity for sponsoring brands and a challenge that requires close attention and the ability to make quick decisions.
On the one hand, the audience’s multiscreen behavior allows brands to expand their consumer touchpoints within the same period of time. In 2022, sponsoring brands are taking advantage of this opportunity particularly during the show’s broadcast, pairing activities carried out inside the house and broadcast live with content in sponsored spaces on Twitter, such as trending topics. This allows them to extend the conversation about their products or services beyond the already substantial audience watching the show live.
On the other hand, sponsoring brands face pressure to take a stand following controversial incidents inside the house (and the reputational risks involved). To mitigate these risks, constant monitoring is necessary, not only of BBB events that could develop into a reputational crisis for brands but also of the public’s response to these situations. Generally, when a controversy involving BBB arises, the public actively demands that brands take a position. In many cases, depending on the seriousness of the incident, posts even encourage boycotts of brands that remain silent. Therefore, daily, active social listening is essential.
What’s the lesson for brands (across all industries)?
The integration between Twitter and TV is also a great opportunity for other brands, which can capitalize on a highly popular topic such as BBB in a free (or relatively low-cost, in the case of sponsored hashtags), highly relevant space. According to the MindMiners survey, 71% of users see the social network as the best place for brands to talk about reality shows.
And what kind of BBB-related posts does the audience want to see? Unsurprisingly: memes! (mentioned by 57% of respondents). Beyond this format, audiences are also very receptive to posts connecting products to the show’s universe (mentioned by 55% of respondents). This shows that, with consistent planning and respect for the timing of events, Big Brother Brasil offers a wealth of opportunities for brands, regardless of the industry in which they operate.
The example of the connection between TV and social media is very interesting, but BBB is not an isolated case. In fact, it reflects a behavior that has been growing rapidly in recent years – the integration between online and offline environments. Today, it no longer makes sense to think of these environments separately. The audience journey is complex and involves many touchpoints (and screens!). Communication strategies must therefore identify the touchpoints along the target audience’s journey and be present across all of them.
Here, we don’t separate online from offline. We think about communication in all its diversity and complexity. We think about business impact. And to achieve this, we consider every possible channel and format for delivering a message. Want to learn more? Get in touch with us here.
