Renton-based Splat Interactive is making television more relevant by tapping into what viewers really want and using social network devices.
Ever wonder what song is playing in the background of a favorite TV show, what brand of clothes the characters are wearing, or where the episode is filmed?
Well, if you have access to the Internet or a Smart TV, the answers are just a click away with Splat.TV, a product of Splat Interactive. It is a social software website and a TV application for Smart TVs or connected TVs. It allows a person to see what connections popular TV shows and movies have to real-world services, places and products.
For example, a visit to the website and the latest episode of “Chuck” reveals the songs that were in the episode, the location where it was filmed and nine products that were featured.
That’s just one example of what Splat.TV can do.
There are two sides to this company which is a year old and was started by Tom Freeman, the chief executive officer. One side is a professional services company that produces connected TV applications and mobile apps for the TV, similar to iPads for other clients.
The other side of the business is their products, such as Splat.TV for connected TVs and the web.
“The tagline is powerful apps for a multi-screen experience, because the way television wants to be in the future is not confined to your set, but to be able to go any place, any time, anywhere and be able to consume video content,” said Freeman.
So far the company has had 38,000 downloads.
The idea came from Freeman and his colleagues thinking about what would be the next big wave to integrate the web, entertainment and information. They had seen it done on phones, iPads and in cars, but nobody had done it in the living room.
“The living room kind of wants to do that because it wants to be a shared experience,” Freeman said.
The application on an actual Smart TV or connected TV allows users to rate a particular show after they’ve watched it and choose what to watch based on how others have rated shows and movies. Summaries are available of the shows and their corresponding songs, products and location information. Users can also share with their friends on Facebook and Twitter while they’re watching their show.
“Think of a Smart TV as being a really big iPhone,” said Freeman. “So there’s kind of like an apps store and you can load the apps there. And then the app is able to run at the same time that the TV show runs.”
Splat has about 200 correspondents who watch the most popular TV shows and “tags” the songs, places and products featured. They have 20 employees working in Renton and a couple in Arizona and California. This includes a couple of Renton High School students who’ve been working with the company for about six months.
The company makes its profit from the professional services they offer and from affiliate relationships they have with companies like Amazon and iTunes. They identify where the products can be purchased and as users make purchases, they get a small percentage of the revenues.
Freeman said it was dumb luck that led the company to its present location in downtown Renton, but they love it.
“It’s Ballard without the attitude,” he said. “It’s funky and it’s fun and it’s alive. It’s a very exciting place to do business.”
Splat Interactive
221 Wells Ave., Suite 203
Renton, WA 98057
For more information visit www.splatinteractive.tv
