SmartClip Connected TV Vice President Shirlene Chandrapal says it is imperative in 2012 that advertisers take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the new medium of Connected 2012.

The European video advertising firm VP notes that Connected TV has been touted as the next big marketing trend with the promise of a wave of innovation for the TV industry.

She cites research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics estimates that there were over 400 million Connected TV devices in use at the end of last year and 1.6 billion will be installed worldwide by 2014.

That many manufacturers, including LG, Samsung and Panasonic, have developed Connected TVs indicates that the technology is here to stay, she says. Chandrapal offers six key predictions for Connected TV in 2012.

1. Big events will drive demand

Recent research from YouGov predicts that the big sporting events scheduled for 2012 will be instrumental in driving sales of Connected TV.  Companies such as Samsung, a market leader in the Connected TV space, have developed breakthrough technology for TV and will gain traction from the demand that these big events will bring. Connected TV can provide supplementary information about the events and also marry social media with the video content so people can share their experiences of the events. Furthermore, people will be working and travelling while the events are on TV, so being able to watch content on demand and on the go will be crucial. Everyone will want access to these major events and Connected TV lets viewers engage on their own terms.

2. Multichannel presence

A multichannel brand presence will enable marketers to deliver amazing advertising opportunities that are both targeted and effective. For example, Apple TV will add to Apple’s digital ecosystem and open another more social channel to consumers. As Apple TV is synced seamlessly with all other devices and with iCloud, it capitalises on multichannel marketing to reach consumers from different media.

3. Social television

Real-time communications for viewers will become commonplace. The Social TV Trends Report 2011 reveals that more than three quarters of people use other technologies while they watch TV.  For example, 43% of British adults comment on TV shows they watch using Twitter, Facebook, other websites and mobile phones while 76% of viewers use the internet or a games console, or listen to the radio while they watch television. Broadcasters will unite Video On Demand, web video and communities such as Twitter and Facebook to give viewers the chance to engage with TV content and offer advertisers a revolutionary new way to introduce consumers to their products and brand identity.

4. Freedom to demand

With all their content in one place, consumers will demand video whenever and wherever they want it. Like the iPlayer and 4oD, Connected TV brings a new dimension to viewing which makes life easier for consumers. As surfing the internet on their TV becomes possible, consumers will demand the same experience on their tablet, gaming device and smartphone and they expect it at the click of a button. With Connected TV, viewers will vote, access rich content, blog, tweet and access a plethora of applications all via their TV sets.

5. Search and data

Data preferences will overtake the TV guide as Connected TV enables advertisers to learn about audience behaviour. Connected TV provides entertainment discovery solutions for television, movies, and music, and lets consumers connect intuitively to new entertainment from many sources and locations. By complementing this with industry-leading entertainment data, connections between people and technology can be created that enable them to discover and manage entertainment in an enjoyable form. Being able to understand viewers’ preferences will let brands target their messaging more effectively. Brands may also struggle to be noticed, however, and will therefore have to work harder. Watching the same programmes repeatedly can lower viewer attention as we become familiar with the content we consume.

6. Interactivity is key

Interactive online video advertising will be effective in the era of Connected TV and offers the chance for advertisers to produce more sophisticated content. Competition will become fierce as brands compete with more video on the internet. Ads will need to be engaging and worth watching so brands will become more creative. Techniques such as gamification and incentives will generate ROI with ideas such as pop up shops and competitions gaining popularity. The added value of interactive video ads will be adopted by consumers as the use of HTML5 creates an easy-to-use interface for video content that is easier to engage with than on linear TV.