March 6, 2019
TicToc by Bloomberg debuts the “TicToc News Lab” at SXSW this week. Through the News Lab, consumers can take a consultation-style quiz to discover what type of news consumer they are – a News Chaser, a News Connector or a Truth Seeker – by answering questions about their news habits. The result? Quiz takers will receive a description of their unique news diet symptoms and a custom diagnosis, along with their own personalized “news-trition” tips to help detox their news diet.
You can take the TicToc News Lab quiz here and TicToc will find cures for the news that ails you.
Each news persona was developed based on learnings from hours of in-person interviews and qualitative analysis from BHIVE, Bloomberg Media’s in-house human-centered research and prototyping team. The personas are defined as:
- News Chasers: “Make it easier for me to be the first to know.”
Likely to be among the first to know what’s breaking or trending, these users find deep satisfaction in chasing stories and staying on the pulse of what’s happening. The News Chaser’s motivations for staying on top of what’s happening can range from having a genuine interest in being an informed citizen to needing to stay on top of a news cycle for work or financial reasons. - News Connectors: “Help me find and share stories that allow me to connect with others.”
News connects people to communities — from dinner table debates to article links shared via tweet or text — it forges common ground for dialogue and conversation. Connectors look to personal networks and communities of interest in order to help make sense of the news around them. More often than most, they’re interested in learning the views of others. And they’re likelier to share content they find interesting and compelling. - Truth Seekers: “Give me perspectives that allow me to understand what’s happening in the world.”
Opinion Seekers see the news as a valuable commodity for accessing thought leaders who dissect and help us to analyze the news. Opinion Seekers relate well to analysis, often coming from experts and curated content that provides context and reveals impact. They are more motivated by understanding why what’s happening in the world matters
The TicToc News Lab quiz will debut at SXSW through an activation on site – a TicToc branded pedal crawler that will provide conference attendees with rides to key locations around the SXSW convention center and an opportunity to experience the TicToc brand. The News Lab will be stationed with tablets for riders to take the quiz. Based on their persona, their diagnosis is then paired with a TicToc juice shot given as a premium.
You can find the #TicTocNewsLab at SXSW from Saturday, March 9 to Monday, March 11 from 10 am to 6pm. Pick-up locations include 100-119 W 3rd St and 400-417 Brazos St in Downtown Austin.
Additionally, Bloomberg Media is participating on a panel at SXSW titled, The Intersection of New Formats in Media on Saturday, March 9. This session will explore innovative strategies in content distribution across new formats. Our own Jean Ellen will be a panelist alongside Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg, Executive Producer, The Atlantic; Nick Quah, Founder and Publisher, Hot Pod; Sara Fischer, Media Reporter, Axios.
