TV Viewing: Super Bowl Meets HoloLens

TV viewing is overdue for a real change

The TV viewing experience does not change drastically for years. Bigger screens, better resolution, smarter interfaces. But the core behavior stays familiar.

That is why sophisticated headsets like Microsoft HoloLens feel like a genuine breakpoint.

They do not just improve the screen. They change the environment around it.

Microsoft and the NFL re-imagine the Super Bowl

In a recently released video, Microsoft and the NFL re-imagine how a Super Bowl game could be watched with multiple friends and family members.

The scenario pushes beyond passive viewing. It turns the living room into an interactive layer, where the game experience becomes more immersive, more social, and more spatial.

This is the kind of concept that makes the future of TV feel tangible.

In mass-market entertainment, the constraint is not what immersive concepts can show, but when consumer hardware becomes affordable, comfortable, and mainstream.

Immersive viewing is real. Consumer timing is not

The video shows how immersive TV watching can get. But Microsoft is not fast-tracking HoloLens for consumer consumption.

For now, only developers can order HoloLens, shipping this year.

No one knows when consumers get access, or when scenarios like this become a reality.

That uncertainty is part of the story. The vision is clear. The rollout timeline is not.


A few fast answers before you act

Is this still “TV” or something else?

It starts as TV content, but behaves more like a shared, spatial experience than a single screen.

What is the core shift headsets enable?

They move content off the rectangle and into the room, so viewing becomes environmental and interactive.

What is the biggest constraint right now?

Availability and consumer readiness. Until mainstream hardware adoption happens, this remains concept-led.

What should experience designers take from this?

Design for co-viewing and spatial context. Multiple people, multiple viewpoints, and shared interaction become first-class requirements.

EA Sports Madden NFL GIFERATOR

To launch their new game Madden NFL 15, EA Sports wanted to connect with young, football-obsessed fans and grow its association with the real world NFL. Since the average football fan was watching the game with their smartphone in hand, EA teamed up with Google to allow sport fans to provoke rivals from the comfort of their own sofa and bringing trash talk into the 21st century.

Using pioneering technology, live NFL data was fused with Madden 15 game footage to generate GIF highlights for every single game. All of this was delivered via real-time ads across sports websites and apps. As a result there was an ever growing collection of GIFs that football fans could simply take, edit and share to shove in the face of their rivals.

Try it out at www.MaddenGiferator.com.

Super Bowl 2014 Ads

Super Bowl Sunday is the mecca of television advertising year after year. Advertisers on this day have a golden opportunity to create valuable brand buzz and recognition through astronomically priced 30 second television spots.

After watching over 60 ads that use both time-tested and unconventional strategies to attract attention, I have come up with my most entertaining list.

I start with one that immediately sets the tone for why Super Bowl ads matter. Big emotion. High memorability. Then I round it out with a mix of humour, characters, and simple ideas executed with confidence.

Budweiser. Puppy Love

 

Volkswagen. Wings

 

Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt. The Spill

 

Bud Light. Ian Up For Whatever

 

Heinz. If you are happy

 

Kia K900. The Truth

 

Hyundai Genesis. Dad’s Sixth Sense

 

Duracell. Trust Your Power

 

Doritos. Time Machine

 

M&M’S. Delivery


A few fast answers before you act

What is this post?

A curated list of my most entertaining Super Bowl 2014 ads, selected after watching over 60 spots.

How many ads are on the list?

Ten.

Which brands are included?

Budweiser, Volkswagen, Dannon Oikos, Bud Light, Heinz, Kia, Hyundai, Duracell, Doritos, and M&M’S.

How should I use this list?

As a fast reference for what stands out on the biggest advertising day of the year. Then use it to compare how different brands earn attention through emotion, humour, and memorable ideas.