How Branded Content and SVOD Is Becoming Increasingly Popular
Brand use of branded digital content and online video in advertising and marketing campaigns is becoming increasingly prevalent as a result of traditional commercial audience losses. Recent research has found that traditional ad breaks are not as effective as they used to be. Brands are fully aware of the increased success of digital media platform usage for advertising and marketing, and are planning new marketing concepts to keep up with the trend. So much so, many companies are increasing online digital video advertising budgets, with companies such as Mondelez committing to spend 10 percent of its total advertising budget on online video – with interesting, engaging branded content.
The Campaign
October 2014 saw Mondelez International’s Sour Patch Kids candy roll out its newest advertising campaign, a scripted YouTube series called “Breaking Out.” The series, by Mondelez’s Sour Patch Kids candy, is an online scripted series on YouTube and uses existing digital media stars to appeal to a teenage audience, (such stars found their fame on platforms such as YouTube).
The series has been developed as a necessary marketing move to advertise in a way that children and teenagers are more receptive to. Mondelez is strategic in its message design and delivery. By developing a script that is in keeping with the brand, and remains true to the platform, Mondelez can reach out in a ‘natural space’ for the child or teenager and still get brand messaging communication across that is easily digested.
The synopsis of the show is simple: It focuses on the “sour and sweet” aspects of being a teenager, with the stars divulging on topics ranging from experiences of high school drama, to first dates and first kisses. The content is relatable for the target audience, and gets the brand noticed in a non-traditional style.
Why This Works
Online video advertising is poised for continued success among the teenage market. And brands who incorporate using video bloggers will find help with the success of the overall campaign. A recent survey of teens found that teenagers see video bloggers, or digital stars, to be more approachable and authentic than mainstream stars such as Jennifer Lawrence and Seth Rogen (Variety). This is very similar to how older demographics find many reality stars to be more relatable than A-list stars.
Built-In Audience
The video blogger, or digital media star, is a suitable fit for online video advertising as these stars have a pre-existing audience and fan following who are highly engaged with the online stars. This gives companies using online advertising an opportunity to tap into an already existing audience to push their product.
This is an absolutely brilliant move by Mondelez International:
- They have a consumer target – teens.
- They developed content to live on a site that is highly watched by those teens – YouTube.
- They developed a relevant storyline that is engaging – what sucks and what doesn’t about being a teen.
- And they hired talent that already has a strong following – the YouTube stars now impacting sales.
The first ‘Breaking Out’ video launched on October 10, 2014 and already has over 1 million YouTube views. Mondelez is leaving promotion of the series to the stars of the show, through their own personal social media accounts, in an effort to maintain organic and authentic in its outreach. This approach appears to be working, and we’re looking forward to the future and outcome of this form of advertising.
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Click here to watch the full series of 'Breaking Out'.
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