More Than 100,000 People Signed Up for Telly’s Free 4K TV in First 36 Hours, Startup Claims

Image credit : Telly In the first 36 hours of its launch, startup Telly reported that more than 100,000 individuals had signed up to receive a free 4K TV set that continuously rotates advertisements on a second screen, proving that consumers can't resist the idea of getting something for nothing. Ilya Pozin, the CEO and creator of Telly and a former co-founder of the free-streaming service Pluto TV, stated that the response to the offer "exceeded even our most optimistic expectations."

The 100,000-plus signups, averaging nearly one per second, came without Telly having to spend “a single dollar on marketing,” he continued, “and we’re just getting started!” Two-thirds of those signing up for a Telly are Gen Z and millennial households, according to Pozin, “and are eager to have a TV in the living room that matches their lifestyle.”

According to Telly, the first of 500,000 free TVs will be distributed in the United States this summer. According to Pozin, the 55-inch TV sets would sell for more than $1,000. After more than two years of development, the L.A.-based startup released its signup gateway on Monday (15 May). According to Telly, the first of 500,000 free TVs will be distributed in the United States this summer. According to Pozin, the 55-inch TV sets would sell for more than $1,000. After more than two years of development, the L.A.-based startup released its signup gateway on Monday (15 May). [caption id="attachment_175038" align="aligncenter" width="681"] Image credit : Telly[/caption] Users of Telly must consent to having their purchasing and viewing habits, as well as specific demographic information (such as age, gender, and address), utilized to serve customized advertisements. The company's television features a second screen that is 9 inches high and has a designated area on the right side where advertising will always be displayed, even when you aren't watching anything on the main screen. Additionally, the second screen will display news, sports results, the weather, stock prices, or act as a gaming console.

For advertisers, Pozin commented, “it’s clear that Telly appeals to the most coveted audience every brand is trying to reach: younger, higher-educated homes with larger household incomes who, because of cord-cutting behaviors, are increasingly difficult to reach on legacy TVs.”

Also read : This free TV features an additional screen for showing ads even when not in use Although it's unknown how long it will take to recover the sunk costs of the free TVs, Telly estimates that it will be able to generate enough affiliate and advertising revenue to make the model profitable. Pozin declined to disclose how much money Telly has raised. Rich Greenfield, general partner at LightShed Ventures, Gary Vaynerchuk's Vayner Media, as well as a number of institutional and strategic investors (who Pozin wouldn't name) are among the investors.