Now, with the 2021 awards season underway, we’re giving you the scoop from Karen Schuchardt, senior vice president of digital advertising sales & partnerships at NBCUniversal. Here’s how she and her team brought the E!’s People’s Choice Awards to life on Twitter and brought marketers in on the action.

The way people consume content today has fundamentally changed. We're no longer tied to one screen; we make our own schedules and watch what we want, when we want, on the device of our choosing. That’s exactly why we are transforming the way we do business, so we can bring our content to viewers no matter where they are. At the same time, we collaborate closely with our advertising partners to help them get their messaging in front of their targeted audiences in new, creative ways that move the needle for their business.

So when we think about moments like the PCAs with Twitter, we are very much bringing the video experience in every sense of the word — from TV broadcast and beyond. To meet consumers where they are today requires a focus on creating live, interactive, and VOD elements to help them stay connected to the stars, the community of fans, and the biggest cultural moments happening around the world. That's why, in all of our live streams — from pre-show to post-show to the custom live “look-in” — we are creating a plethora of opportunities for fans to feel that much closer to these pop culture interactions, as well as spark widespread conversations that can reach much further than a specific audience segment. It brings everyone that much closer together.

Twitter: Seems like that live-stream strategy really paid off.

We want to help brands capture attention and drive consumers down the funnel. That makes our partnership with Twitter all the more important. Twitter helps us capture audiences’ attention around the world with the iconic moments they crave. And in turn, consumers can influence the content we create with their votes, likes, and Retweets, which allows brands to connect and engage in new ways. 

We can tap into that reach and find new, engaging ways for marketers to connect with their audiences over a shared love of content and a desire to stay up to date on the latest trends. We can bring fans and brands closer together in a highly engaging experience, and transform conversation into culture. 

Twitter: How has your Twitter partnership evolved, especially over the past year?

Throughout our Twitter partnership, we've experienced tremendous growth across all of our content opportunities. Total campaign growth has exceeded a 10X trajectory, and global video views for all NBCUniversal Twitter handles have grown an average of 26%. 

But taking a step back and thinking about the unprecedented year we've all experienced, the power of conversation and connecting in a virtual world is more important than ever. And that's especially true for live events like award shows, which give people a chance to simply be entertained. 

So whether it’s fan voting that takes place on the platform, or stars and talent engaging in conversations with their followers, or people connecting over a shared love of an artist or trending moment, our partnership with Twitter helps bring people together — no matter where they are physically located. 

Twitter: Looking ahead, what’s the future of award show viewing on Twitter, and how can marketers be involved?

It all starts with our viewers and their passions. As we think through how we can innovate together and bring these entertaining activations to life while welcoming in our brand partners, not even the sky is the limit. 

We are always asking ourselves, "What is the ultimate Twitter watch party experience? What award show surprises can Twitter help us pull off in real time that will spark trending conversations?"

Not only have we been able to share the best award moments, highlights, Q&As, and live streams on Twitter, but we've also done things like letting fans choose the dress that one of our hosts, Zanna Roberts Rassi, wore on a “Live From E!” red carpet through a Twitter Poll. 

Looking ahead to this year, we are thrilled to be taking our partnership global. People across the world can now enjoy the must-see moments all awards season long that NBCU has to offer. And we'll continue to transform and evolve to bring our viewers the premium, engaging content they know and love, while providing engaging opportunities for brands and marketers to connect with audiences.