ReelWorld’s Reel2Media launch new Alexa Skill Yak, Talk Back! @Reel2M

As the smart speaker revolution continues, Yak Talk Back! is a brand-new Amazon Alexa skill designed to offer young families a new solution to an old problem – how to get children to talk about their day.

And now, in a time of school-closures and self-isolation, with anxiety at an all-time high and effective communication with our kids more important than ever, Yak’s creators are hoping the skill will also go some way towards helping families maintain their emotional well-being during these turbulent times.

The first smart speaker skill from Reel2Media – a new company that promises to deliver the next level of innovative audio experiences, Yak Talk Back! has been created in consultation with learning experts and takes the format of an interactive question experience that combines character voices, original music and sound design. Together they create a stimulating and fun environment in which kids can express and articulate their thoughts and feelings while having fun as a family.

Led by the friendly and lovable character Yak, each session comprises a short story from Yak followed by three questions – purposefully selected to help kids (and their parents) talk about their day and express their feelings, while developing their social, conversational and critical thinking skills.

Inspired by his frustrations as a parent, Reel2Media Co-Founder Mike Thomas said: “Like many parents, I struggled to get my kids to open up and talk to me about their day and technology was often part of the problem. Studies show that children under 14 now spend twice as long on smartphones as they do talking to their parents! As a father I needed a solution. I realised we could take the technology we’d been working with – the very thing which often acts as conversational barrier – and turn it on its head. Yak uses technology ‘for good,’ to help families like my own engage more with one another and that’s a result.”

Yak is updated daily so families can expect a fresh Yak experience and new questions every day.

Mike added: “The feedback we’ve received so far has been amazing. In regard to my own kids, Yak Talk Back! has been truly transformational. Not only are they now excited to play and share their day but crucially we continue the conversations outside of our Yak sessions. We really believe we’ve hit on something special with Yak and want other families to experience it for themselves.”

Talking about how Yak might serve as a valuable tool to families during the current period of Coronavirus anxiety, fellow Co-Founder Anthony Gay said: “The world as we know it has been turned upside down in recent weeks following the outbreak of COVID-19. The majority of families are now self-isolating and such actions are bound to have a detrimental impact on our mental health. The experts tell us structure, routine and communication are key to maintaining our emotional well- being. By providing a platform specifically designed to help parents communicate with their kids we hope we can play a small part in helping families through these testing times and make Yak something they look forward to playing daily.”

Speaking about Reel2Media’s commercial ambitions, Anthony added: “After the podcast revolution it’s now time for smart speakers to take a share of the audio spotlight. The technology is really only just coming into its own and the opportunities it presents are vast. We aim to raise the bar with the quality and relevance of our audio experiences and Yak Talk Back! is our first step on that journey.”

Currently available in both North America and the UK, Yak Talk Back! can be accessed and enabled from the Amazon Alexa Skills Store now. Or simply say “Alexa, enable Yak Talk Back” to start the experience.

It’s good to talk, but it’s even better to Yak! Find more at https://reel2media.com/project/yak-talk-back/

Checkout the Alexa skill here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reel2Media-Yak-Talk-Back/dp/B0869FTDRK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ES8OVYK49PNL&dchild=1&keywords=yak+talk+back&qid=1588156885&s=digital-skills&sprefix=yak+%2Calexa-skills%2C168&sr=1-1