"On the Map" - Interactive Social Reality TV Show on Facebook - Takes Top Social Networking Honor at 2012 MediaPost Appy Awards

NEW YORK, March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "On the Map," an interactive social reality TV show created for the Facebook platform, has won the 2012 MediaPost Appy Award for Social Networking Apps. The Appy Awards acknowledge creativity and excellence in app design and recognize extraordinary mobile, social, and Web-based Applications living inside another Web site. The Appy Awards feature a prestigious panel of judges, including executives and editors from Zynga, PopCap, Macworld.com and Mac|Life.  

"We are thrilled that 'On the Map' has the honor of winning the prestigious 2012 MediaPost Appy Award in the Social Networking category," said David J. Russek, founder and CEO of 7Echo. "'On the Map' capitalizes on real-life travel experiences that are shared through a Social TV app on Facebook, in a way that hasn't been done before."

The show combines social interaction with original reality TV programming. This enables people to select friends to join them on their journey, engage with story elements, and share virtual souvenirs through special "Social Propagation Techniques" that attract and engage the audience.

"It is an honor to accept this award especially at a time when there is so much excitement around the evolving Social TV space. Forward thinking TV advertisers recognize that audiences are building in mass in online places such as Facebook, and now see the potential to allow ad units to be part of the audience experience based on targeted demographics.  It is also a great validation that the TV experience and advertising is becoming a proactive and interactive experience 'inside' the show, vs. the 'lean back' passive watching of the past," continued Russek.

"As the presenting sponsor of 'On the Map,' HTH Worldwide is excited to see the application succeed and recognized for its innovative approach, that can leverage social in new ways for consumers, business and multiple advertisers," said David Weber, Managing Director of HTH Worldwide.

Shot on location in Barcelona, Spain – including the city's famed La Merce Festival – "On the Map" follows seven young people and combines experiential storytelling with innovative digital and social techniques to create the most advanced social TV series to date. "On the Map" allows audience members to interact with their Facebook friends by inviting six "Core" friends to travel with them "inside" the show for the rest of the series after they watch the first episode. Audiences can also compare the experiences and attributes of the actors with those of their socially connected friends and exchange virtual souvenirs with the cast and their friends after they interact with the second episode. As the show progresses through 12 episodes, users' interactions become more involved and the show becomes more socially connected and personalized, based on their previous behaviors.

"On the Map" was produced by Emmy award-winning Banyan Productions, whose credits include TLC's Trading Spaces. This first-of-its-kind show is built on the 7Echo Social TV platform that enables in-show social connectivity, dynamic content and advertising. The show's presenting sponsor is HTH Worldwide, a global specialty healthcare information and services company.

The first seven episodes of "On the Map Barcelona" are available at https://apps.facebook.com/onthemapsevenecho and new episodes will be released weekly through April 19.

About 7Echo

7Echo is the Social TV Platform that puts "Social" inside the show. 7Echo enables friends to connect within and as part of interactive TV shows that are delivered through social networks. 7Echo's patented technology makes Social TV programming more relevant and engaging for both social audiences and advertisers. 

About Banyan Productions

Banyan Productions is a leading producer of television whose work includes "Trading Spaces" and appears on channels including TLC, NBC/Discovery Kids, Discovery Channel, Nick@Nite, Discovery Health, Lifetime, Sony International, Oxygen, The Food Network, Travel Channel, PBS, Style, and HGTV.Com.

About HTH Worldwide

HTH Worldwide is a global leader that provides access to quality healthcare information and services through technology powered solutions all around the world.  HTH combines ongoing research, a contracted global network of physicians and hospitals and advanced Internet and mobile applications to ensure its customers' health, safety and peace of mind. For further information, visit hthworldwide.com

Media contact:

Bridget O'Neill for HTH Worldwide, 212-994-7587, [email protected]

SOURCE HTH Worldwide