Since 2019, VMA Stan Cam has re-invented what it means to execute a live co-viewing experience. From being the first event to live poll fans on Twitter and livestream what they want to see behind the scenes at the VMAs, to going fully remote with an at-home celebrity audience in 2020, to the addition of real-time fan Tweet translations via #VMAStanMail in 2021.
In 2022, MTV was tasked to take the VMA Stan Cam experience to new heights. It was essential to stay true to the crux of putting fans first - connecting audiences with talent through exclusive backstage content, polls, streams, and 1:1 interaction. And with inclusiveness in mind, revisiting #VMAStanMail was a no-brainer as we sought to bridge the language barrier between artists and their worldwide superfans once again. But what else could we add to the Stan Cam universe?
We knew we could give more – more choice, more access, and unlimited possibility!
At its core, VMA Stan Cam is a Twitter experience, maximizing the water cooler nature of the platform during tentpole live events. With goals of bringing the VMA Stan Cam experience to new heights, one of our first steps in the process was to evaluate ways we could creatively optimize Twitter’s various native platform capabilities to expand the Stan Cam universe - not to mention vary our distribution methods and offer sponsors multiple ways to feature their integrations.
To start, it was important to stay true to the foundational pieces of Stan Cam: fan polls, short-form livestream payoffs, and exclusive access to music stars in real time. Plus, with the extremely successful debut of #VMAStanMail as part of the Stan Cam format in 2021, we were invested in continuing to connect artists with their worldwide superfans. But how could we take the experience further?
In the past, fans had to wait until the main show kicked off before Stan Cam launched. But in 2022, we gave them even more opportunities to interact with their favorites by launching during the VMA Red Carpet - earlier than ever before. Polls teased and guided fans, followed by livestreamed payoffs to not leave them hanging. Meanwhile, fly-on-the-wall cameras gave our audience the very first glimpses of the most striking looks of the night, all while complementing the broadcast Pre-Show on their TV sets.
And to evolve the experience even further, we introduced #VMAFrontSeat, a VIP livestream custom built for superfans, which could be unlocked for nonstop access to the best cameras in the house. It wasn’t long before fans got up close and personal with their favorite stars and started organically sharing some of the best celebrity audience moments of the night. There was even a VMA prize pack giveaway as a little extra treat!
Using a combination of Twitter features such as Polls, Branded Notifications, Media Studio and Amplify - plus of course, a bevy of cameras throughout the VMA venue and additional distribution of stand-out moments across all social platforms - VMA Stan Cam felt bigger and better than ever in 2022.
In 2022, VMA Stan Cam pulled out all the stops to bring fans unprecedented access to the Video Music Awards - and had its biggest year ever!
Over 34 Million views of owned Stan Cam video on Twitter
Over 6 Million minutes watched
More global reach than ever before:
5.7x YoY lift in #VMAStanMail conversation
159 markets tweeted about #VMAStanMail in 46 languages
14M people saw VMAs content on Twitter for the first time
Overall global VMAs conversation doubled YoY
As the official backstage experience of the Video Music Awards, Stan Cam helped the 2022 VMAs become the number one most social telecast of the year, and the most social VMAs of all time.
