Hang W/
Social media application Hang w/ aims to increase the reliability of brand ambassadors through live-streaming consumer interactions.
The platform collapses the delays inherent in social media by letting fans tap into video broadcasts from stars. By elevating celebrity culture as a cornerstone of the app, Hang w/ will likely pull celebrity followers from other key social platforms.
“We envision Hang w/ as a major pillar of social media, with people around the globe using Hang w/ regularly to stay connected and hang with the people they find interesting,” said Andrew Maltin, CEO and Founder of Hang w/, Laguna Beach, CA.
“Not only can a brand be woven directly into the broadcast content, but ads can be shown in correlation with specific celebs using a complex ad-serving technology that allows advertising to be targeted to specific broadcasters,” he said.
Andrew Maltin, CEO and Founder of Hang w/
In this Q & A, Mr. Maltin discusses how marketers can leverage Hang w/, the platform’s appeal to consumers and plans for the near future. Here is the dialogue:
Can you explain what differentiates Hang w/ from other social platforms?
Hang w/ is the only social media that allows users to interact in live streaming video. Anyone can be a broadcaster. Anyone can be a follower.
When a broadcaster shares a live video stream, viewers can tune in to see what the broadcaster sees and hears, in real-time, while it’s happening.
Other social media platforms only let you see what happened in the past. Hang w/ lets you be a part of what’s happening now.
Hang w/ Promo Video
What makes Hang w/ an attractive platform for luxury brands?
Hang w/ has attracted a large number of celebrity broadcasters like 50 Cent, Timbaland, Lucy Hale and more than 100 others. Hang w/ gives viewers a sneak peek behind the curtains of their fascinating lives and provides luxury brands with a unique opportunity to be showcased in action.
Luxury brands can work directly with celebs to organically weave their brands and products into the live broadcasts, ranging from test drives to haul videos.
How can brands leverage Hang w/ to gain exposure and/or generate ecommerce?
Not only can a brand be woven directly into the broadcast content, but ads can be shown in correlation with specific celebs using a complex ad-serving technology that allows advertising to be targeted to specific broadcasters.
Does Hang w/ have international appeal?
Absolutely. A large percentage of Hang w/ downloads have come from around the world. The globe is fascinated with American celebrities and Hang w/ is live 24/7.
Hang w/ promotional video still
This feeds off the fascination with a platform that hosts live content from other time zones. It’s intriguing to wake up and see how people on the other side of the planet are celebrating at night and vice versa.
How many users does the platform currently have?
There have been more than 1,000,000 total downloads to date.
What features will Hang w/ add in the future to maintain relevance?
Hang w/ plans to add the following features:
- In-app Messaging to allow users to connect not only in the app, but outside the live broadcast.
- Private Group Broadcasting to allow users to broadcast to a closed group of followers such as “family,” “coworkers” or “super fans.”
- Location-based broadcasting to allow people to find broadcasters near them.
- Discover Section to bring the best of the broadcasts to the forefront and make sure users don’t miss out on the best live moments.
Where do you see the platform in five years?
We envision Hang w/ as a major pillar of social media, with people around the globe using Hang w/ regularly to stay connected and hang with the people they find interesting.
Hang w/ promotional image
Is it important for brands to align with celebrities? If so, why?
We believe it’s key for brands to align themselves with celebrity broadcasters. The live streaming content created by celebs is typically more interesting to a larger number of viewers, and more importantly the celeb broadcasters are more brand savvy.
Luxury brands that carefully guard their image can feel confident that a celeb will treat the brand properly in a live format.
Can brands easily link up with celebrities through Hang w/?
Yes, Hang w/ has direct relationships with the vast majority of celebrities on the platform as well as those exploring usage of it. Hang w/ can work directly with brands to create sponsor packages that integrate their products and services seamlessly into celebrity broadcasts.
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York