How Original Content Is Taking Over Brand Marketing
With the rise of the digital era, it is more important now than ever to market your brand in a fresh, effective way. Simple advertisements are going by the wayside as brands look to incorporate creative content into their marketing strategies.
There is a rule of thumb that it takes seven times for a consumer to remember traditional advertising - and branded content and product placement can up that memory trigger to a massive degree. But that's not even one of the top reasons original content is taking over brand marketing. In this blog, Hollywood Branded looks at four big reasons why branded content is better for brand marketers than the traditional ad spot.
1. Branded Content Is A New, Creative Way To Team With Celebrities
Sponsoring content with celebrities or working with a celebrity to create content for your brand is far more exciting than a traditional ad. By giving celebrities a chance to be a part of the creative process, original content can come off far more organic and authentic and appeal to an audience looking more and more for something new.
Some brands have hired celebrities as creative directors for ad campaigns. Matthew McConaughey worked with Wild Turkey on their latest ad campaign and Lady Gaga and Polaroid had an intriguing and impressive creative relationship. This new trend takes celebrity partnerships to a new level for brands and makes content interesting and interactive. People are always looking for something new to catch their attention - and celebrities in creative content for brands do just that.
Another way to team with celebrities is by integrating your brand into something they work on, like GE did with The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. They sponsored his "Fallonventions" segment, which featured kids invited to the show to share their inventions. The content was funny, engaging and relevant to the brand. It wasn't just another GE ad during a commercial break.
There are literally hundreds of ways your brand can work creatively with celebrities beyond a traditional advertisement, from social media, to TV, to the big screen, and even to award shows - the question is simply where to begin!2. It Is EXTREMELY Effective On Social Media
Social media drives much of brand marketing these days, as it should. Most people turn to social media to track trends, gather opinions from their friends and social influencers, and share their lives with others.
Social media platforms are especially conducive to branded entertainment because they allow for short-form content embedded into the feeds your audience is already scrolling through. Whether your content is published on a celebrity's account or your own, you can integrate your content into a user's everyday experience.
A great example of constant, original social media content is GoPro. Check out this post:
On social media, people want brands to be personal, and creative. Original content is the perfect way to do that.
One of the best examples of a brand using creative content to reach its users via social media is Airbnb. The brand has become a marketing powerhouse in the digital era, posting breathtaking content on its Instagram direct from users and sharing incredible content from their website and YouTube channel. In one of its most effective pieces of content, it crowd sourced footage from one hundred Vine users for this short film:
While Vine may no longer exist, the video lives on and continues to wow people thanks to YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
What makes original content really good is what it can do to make a brand seem creative, refreshing, and above all personal.
3. Traditional Advertising Is The Way Of The Past
With the rise of streaming video, ad avoidance is at an all-time high for people viewing content. People don't want to sit and watch commercials anymore, it's no secret, and with things like TiVo and streaming services, they don't have to.
Because of this, it is more important now than ever for brands to restructure their marketing strategies to reach their target audiences - and branded content is a perfect way to do that. By either integrating your brand into content, or by creating your own, you can attract the attention back to your brand without interrupting a user's content experience.
4. It Can Bring Sponsorships And Event Activations To The Next Level
Sponsoring an event is a great way for your brand to get involved with celebrities as well as their target demographic. But with branded content, that sponsorship can go from a name on a program to a serious marketing opportunity.
Take Intel, for example. Last year, instead of just sponsoring Lady Gaga's performance at the Grammys, they worked with her to create a multi-dimensional performance with advanced lighting and computer technology. The performance was an epic tribute to David Bowie and went beyond just a sponsorship - garnering plenty of media attention along the way.
Want To Create Original Content For Your Brand?
Before you spend another dollar on traditional advertising, consider how you can leverage the power of branded content celebrities as part of your marketing campaigns. Our video provides answers to combat common advertising challenges marketers face daily!
