With traditional forms of advertising saturating the market, brands are looking to productions companies for branded content as a more effective way to reach a target audience. Branded content could be a written article, a short documentary, a music video or even a podcast. The key is that it has to be genuinely engaging and leaves a lasting sentiment. We believe that for branded content to work, it has to be entertaining or offer a new perspective.
Why It Works
Forget the sales pitch! It’s no longer effective. It’s about creating trust between the brand and the consumer. Unlike the standard TV Commercials of yesteryear, branded content delves more into storytelling. Dove ran one of the most successful branded content campaigns to date called ‘Real Beauty Sketches’. After determining that only 4% of women polled believed that they were beautiful, they produced a video where an FBI sketch artist drew women as they described themselves. Then, he drew the same women again, described by strangers. The comparisons between the two were impactful. The campaign quickly went viral on YouTube, and now has close to 70 million views. No Dove product was ever mentioned.
The Filmic Music Video
Another effective strategy is to pair a notable director with a celebrity to create a branded short film. Apple took this approach with their Spike Jones-directed HomePod Ad starring FKA Twigs. Pairing an established indie-director with an edgy singer builds on an existing following and adds a new dimension of creative possibilities to the marketing process. The highly imaginative, music-video style film was praised in the video production and advertising community and presented with an award from the prestigious Association of Independent Commercial Producers. This video has gained over 14 million views online.
Feature Films, Re-imagined
The Lego Movie takes the cake! To create a feature-length film where the audience doesn’t even realize that they’re being marketed to, is quite impressive. Earning close to US$470 million worldwide in box office sales, Lego has created an effective formula for generating tremendous profits while establishing a new generation of consumers. A string of Lego films have followed suit to continue to capitalize on this craze.
Branded content raises the visibility of your brand and establishes brand recognition. In Myanmar, we believe there is a substantial opportunity to produce entertaining and thought-provoking branded content with a fresh perspective. Who knows, it could go viral or even offer a new revenue stream!