Big Brother on Socials and Online

[Brekkie]

We've talked a bit about how the broadcast show is put together but how do you think they've done in terms of utilising social media especially.

I think it is fair to say there have been two major successes. The first was the pre-series marathons on YouTube - they worked really well in building hype, though perhaps a bit too well in building expectation. The second is the live stream on TikTok - you have to accept now that sometimes you need to go and find the audience on the platforms they use rather than expect them to come to you.


I'm not really across their socials but Instagram and TikTok seems to be quite regularly updated, though with carefully curated content which I suspect other than the sneak peak comes from the shows rather than the streams. YouTube was going well at least making the episodes available until they blocked international viewers - can't really see now if they're doing anything else.

I do think it's a shame shows in general, but especially Big Brother, have moved away from using their own websites for anything other than the bare minimum (so just episodes and any live streaming) when the content they offered used to be as big as part of the show as anything. I followed the first 3-4 years of BBAU via the website only and never really felt I missed out by not watching the shows as they were that good. Even if they're not updating news live from the house having a place for information and a few extras that isn't their socials would be welcome.


I do think socials could as well be used to plug some gaps - for example I'm not someone who thinks the live eviction interviews need to be as extensive as they once were (although they certainly need the nominations and best bits) but something like the "10 questions" would make really good bonus content to put online.

 

[AngelStorm]

They need to loosen up on socials!! Give us clips we won’t see on the daily show, give us behind the scenes stuff, exclusive stuff! Have fun with it! This should be the platform they go a bit rogue (within parameters of course) Do fun stuff with evicted housemates, get the family and friends involved. Get former housemates in the camera runs with a camera, just make it unpredictable and fun.
They ticked a massive box getting the live stream on TikTok, and it worked, they just need to stop muting it so much and give us some choice ie let us choose what cameras to watch, that would be epic.

 

[dasnico]

They need to loosen up on socials!! Give us clips we won’t see on the daily show, give us behind the scenes stuff, exclusive stuff! Have fun with it! This should be the platform they go a bit rogue (within parameters of course) Do fun stuff with evicted housemates, get the family and friends involved. Get former housemates in the camera runs with a camera, just make it unpredictable and fun.
They ticked a massive box getting the live stream on TikTok, and it worked, they just need to stop muting it so much and give us some choice ie let us choose what cameras to watch, that would be epic.

Small note: they opted for no camera runs this year. There are sporadic mirrors placed around the house, so there must be viewing spots into the house throughout the layout.

These are all good points though. The social team seems to have shifted gears from the run up to the show. We’re mostly getting previews of daily shows and posts heavily focused on the curated showmances. The social feed could act more like the non-existent spinoff rather than a regurgitation of heavily edited content already featured on the highlights.

 

[kamui]

YouTube was going well at least making the episodes available until they blocked international viewers - can't really see now if they're doing anything else.

They do compilation videos on YouTube: one per week, one for each shopping task and one for each evicted housemate, but they're a bit behind on the latter ones. They've just uploaded almost 40 minutes of Holly's most memorable moments yesterday. Those compilations hardly get any views though, even before they locked out most of their international viewers they got very low views. Which probably comes down to them being very uninspired and not offering any additional value to the regular episodes.

They also upload their Instagram/TikTok reels to YouTube shorts. Some of their videos choices are a bit odd, too. They've just uploaded a 30-sec compilation of housemates being super aware of the cameras and looking directly into the camera. It just feels odd to focus on it when it's been a hot topic among fans and people disliking them making eye contact all to time. So I guess thanks from anyone that needed a good reason to go back to the two-way mirrors next year.

I do think it's a shame shows in general, but especially Big Brother, have moved away from using their own websites for anything other than the bare minimum (so just episodes and any live streaming) when the content they offered used to be as big as part of the show as anything.

This 100%. It's really a shame seeing the show that utilized the internet to its full extend and in the best way possible, is cutting down their offerings and just do what everyone else is doing. I understand them shifting their focus and budgets towards social media in hope of attracting new audiences, but it's a double-sided sword really. On the socials, you have to play by their rules and these rules can be quite ridiculous at times.

Take the live stream. While I agree it's a good choice that they've provided the live stream on TikTok as well, it's also limiting them on what can be shown on the feed. On platforms where people have to unalive instead of killing themselves, they will always have to censor more conversations than they would have to on their own platforms.

 

[Brekkie]

They do compilation videos on YouTube: one per week, one for each shopping task and one for each evicted housemate, but they're a bit behind on the latter ones. They've just uploaded almost 40 minutes of Holly's most memorable moments yesterday. Those compilations hardly get any views though,.

Who wants to sit through that, even if she was a memorable HM worthy of 40 minutes. Bet the others barely get 4 minutes.

 

[kamui]

Who wants to sit through that, even if she was a memorable HM worthy of 40 minutes. Bet the others barely get 4 minutes.

Michael's video was the shortest with 18 minutes, the others got 22-24 minutes.

 

[dasnico]

Good god who wants a 40 minute compilation of Holly?!

Prodanon was around on Discord again yesterday and stated Emily is the chosen winner, and revealed some other details too. Apparently most of the crew is unhappy with this season and won’t be returning next year. Went into details about how much the show is being winged and why communication with park patrons is being allowed. Also some more Holly tea.

The video of housemates constantly looking at the cameras really sucked. The mirrors need to return.

 

[the Theorist]

Good god who wants a 40 minute compilation of Holly?!

Prodanon was around on Discord again yesterday and stated Emily is the chosen winner, and revealed some other details too. Apparently most of the crew is unhappy with this season and won’t be returning next year. Went into details about how much the show is being winged and why communication with park patrons is being allowed. Also some more Holly tea.

The video of housemates constantly looking at the cameras really sucked. The mirrors need to return.

Any chance you can post what they’ve said somewhere for the forum to read?

 

[dasnico]

Any chance you can post what they’ve said somewhere for the forum to read?

Was easiest to screen shot that general section of the chat. Hopefully the upload in order. Might need more than one post…

 

[dasnico]

Continued

 

[dasnico]

Continued

 

[dasnico]

Continued… I think this is the last. Very difficult to see what I uploaded or missed.

 

[the Theorist]

INSANE! Hard to say if true but so far so much already points to there being some truth behind all these allegations (based on other websites), so no reason not to believe at least some of what’s said above. But who knows anymore. The fact they’ve commented on some quite meagre things is interesting. What does everyone else think?

@Tim, check out the above.

 

[kamui]

With the latest comments, I'm even more convinced that the prodanon account is fake. Just to pick out a few things:

I call this bullshit:

Oh this is interesting. Everyone loved the OG eye static branding, but it was always placeholder.
The overlay with the vector eye (I don't know what else to call it) was to give some continuity between old and new.

For one, when they were asked about next week's task, they claimed that they are not involved with creative and would find out later. But they want to know what was planned before the show (and their work on the show) even started? Sure Jen..

Also, there is no chance in hell, that they've always planned to switch to the current branding. They wouldn't have handed out these eye masks with the old branding if they always wanted to switch to hte current design.


Another weird answer was in regards to the diary room:

Battery changes are done in the laundry. Production doesn't need an excuse to talk to anyone, they're all checked in with at least once a day. A bigger problem is trying to keep the diary room vacant a lot of the time.

Have they watched the live stream? They call housemates into the diary room all the time. Why should they try and keep it vacant?


This also convinces me that the prodanon account is fake: Somebody asked if it is true that Conor said the n-word like TVTonight has claimed... and they replied:

Like I said he's said a lot of choice things.

In my reddit post I said that Colin isn't the only problematic housemate.

I'll leave it at that.

But it misrepresented what the TV Tonight article about Conor said. David doubted that they would have kept the N-word in if Conor said it, so he doesn't understand why they keep the "That's gay" in.

And the one that convinces me the most. When he showed up the first time, he was asked about the voting disclaimer and their answer was:

Voting is real. That line about entertainment just protects them in case the voting system goes down or is spammed or something.

When they reappeared after a break and claimed that Emily is the winner, somebody asked if if it is based on votes or rigged. And the answer was suddenly this:

I can neither confirm nor deny (as a gif)
A vote you say? (with a laughing gif)
Like it matters. We make this shit up as we go.

180 degree U-turn from one day to the next.

They are fake. They make claims based on what we say on here. Anything that goes beyond the stuff that was said here and he becomes extremely vague.

 

[jessy_girl]

I must be very cynical because I never seem to believe them!

 

[timmy]

They are fake. They make claims based on what we say on here. Anything that goes beyond the stuff that was said here and he becomes extremely vague.

Yeah I just read through that and the answers could have been written by anyone. Even me.

 

[Melore]

Sounds less intelligent than original poster on reddit account.

 

[ccole2006]

Was easiest to screen shot that general section of the chat. Hopefully the upload in order. Might need more than one post…

That Discord bright theme though..

 

[dasnico]

That Discord bright theme though..

 

[Caramel]

Plus correct me if I am wrong, wasn't there a job advertisment for Endemol Shine / relating to BB for production crew such as cameras and live stream? They emphasised low experience needed and I am pretty sure there was an article talking about this too. So assuming this short season is a trial run, it would make sense not to use an expensive "elite" crew and that the majority of this current crew wont be returning next season.