The Grammy Awards wants to engage viewers beyond the television by rolling out a revamped mobile application featuring a daily content feed of music-related articles, a Tweet aggregator and music buying options, reflecting how event marketers can add to an experience via second-screen engagements.

The free app, designed by digital agency MJD Interactive, will also offer additional content from the awards show, taking place on Feb. 8, such as exclusive backstage coverage, live streaming capability and an archived video library of popular award moments. However, users can enjoy the app year-round, as it will be updated with new entertainment-related articles daily and the ability to buy music from each category?s winner.

?Mobile is where people are now,? said Michael Maginnis, co-founder and president of MJD Interactive, San Diego, CA. ?People access most of their music from their phones, so The Grammys having a phone and tablet experience is a natural place for them to be.

?The Grammys are experiencing the same trends as the majority of online traffic, a huge rise in mobile use. Having a platform that gives rich content, design and entertainment experience to users in this space is important to keep fans involved,? he said.

?It?s really more of a true second screen experience where you can be watching the show and using a tablet or phone to augment the experience.?

New interface
The redesigned app features an easy-to-use interface that enable streamlined browsing through the many content streams, in addition to a rich design with videos and photos that become centrally focused as the user scrolls through the feed.

Fans watching the awards show, featuring performances this year from Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Kanye West, will likely appreciate being able to view the in-app Twitter stream that will be aggregating all Tweets related to the Grammy Awards. Consumers will therefore be receiving relevant, timely content without needing to visit the social networking site.

?We?re going to be adding some new features that are going to be a little more cutting edge, in terms of what we can do with applications these days,? Mr. Maginnis said.

?I think we?re going to be pushing what the second screen experience can do, especially for next year?s awards.?

Additive mobile experiences
Marketers and brands affiliated with live events, especially widely-watched awards ceremonies, should be considering ways to leverage mobile as a second screen additive experience. Experts have revealed that 70 to 80 percent of consumers are engaged with a second screen device while watching television, presenting a prime opportunity for marketers to connect with them during commercial breaks or after the program has ended (see story).

A Neilsen Social executive also claimed that 36 percent of viewers say they enjoy television programs more because of social media.

Brands or designers that will have celebrities wearing their products on the Grammys red carpet can use social media to watch fan reactions and highlight their clothing. If an artist personally replies to a Tweet or social media post, it can create a buzzworthy mobile moment as a springboard for the brand.

MJD Interactive believes music fans will respond positively to the new Grammys app, which can be downloaded for free on the iTunes and Google Play stores.

?The new user experience and design of the app are key features that we are really proud of,? Mr. Maginnis said. ?We've been loving the trend over the last few years to not only focus on content and technology, but to show these things on the screen with an incredibly elegant design.

?It is a great start for the Grammys and solid foundation to build on with new features we will be adding throughout the year.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York