Nowadays the world is awash with publishers. News and entertainment broadcasters create content to be disseminated across online, print, and TV; friends and family post histories of course brands, and on our programs that are social have appeared to associate in a way that is similar.
This took the form of advertising but recently by marketing through content creation brands have appeared to increase audiences.
Naturally we react engaging with others and trusting some, and consumers are becoming more discerning, recognising and cutting through thinly-veiled sales efforts from brazen brands.
It cuts at a market that is content-saturated, and consumers are forcing manufacturers to work to generate significant engagement.
Be honest with your consumer
There is still scope for sales pitches that are explicit — providing the brand is fair with the customer about what is happening.
Successes like Dollar Shave Club (and their tongue-in-cheek rival Dollar Beard Club), especially in the internet area, reveals that customers are willing to take care of direct sales information providing it’s introduced in an engaging and innovative way.
More commonly, however, brands are turning to the concept of content to achieve their viewers that are present and target new ones.
Recent study from GWI found that anticipate their brands entertain, to instruct, and inform them. Broadly speaking, the guiding principle for virtually any brand seeking to participate with their audiences is straightforward: “deliver value”.
Netflix’s New York Times article highlighting the plight of inmates in the US female prison system is the ideal example of a brand (in this instance a TV series and broadcaster) going beyond their narrow amusement remit to deliver increased value to their audience than they were expecting.
Nike delivered entertainment and education to audiences both existing and new when it celebrated Back to the Future Day (October 21 2015 for those not versed in Marty McFly’s experiences), by connecting with people outside the realms of marketing. Perhaps the most memorable example in recent years was The Lego Movie, a prosperous feature-length production that, though basically a 90 minute ad, provided the consumer something above and beyond their expectations of the Lego brand.
Branded content will play a central role within companies’ promotion mix for years to come
Excellent content is informative and engaging, with higher excellent production. Their attitude should be reflected by A brand’s attitude to publishing to services and products: taking good care to deliver content to an audience they appreciate and esteem.
It is also not all about sales and advertising. For us at Volvo, as an example, projects like Human Made Stories are about imparting information to our audiences.
Be true to your brand
In order to be engaging content ought to tell a story. With Person Made, we wanted to tell stories in each event that embodied what we’re performing with style, innovation, and connectivity in Volvo.
We found somebody dedicated to connectivity and placing people at the centre of technological advancement when we followed Oliver.
Maria and Josefin’s enthusiasm for environmental security and their neighborhood really resonated with us, and we admired Erik’s passion for bringing a simple design .
These were tales and over all we were eager to discuss them with engaged and new audiences.
The job opened doors for us to build mutually-beneficial partnerships with Sky Atlantic, as well as the stars of every episode. Teamwork is at the heart of what we do in Volvo, so rolling out Man Made Stories by cooperating with other likeminded organisations was incredibly rewarding.
Ultimately, branded articles provides opportunities for customers and brands alike. Consumer choice drives publishers also to provide value, and to become creative in their production.
Engagement between consumer and brand hasn’t been at a greater premium, and while manufacturers are pushed to publish innovative and interesting ways, consequently consumers get a consistently quality of material.
As long as this proceeds content will execute a role that is central within companies’ marketing mix for a long time to come. I for one look forward into branded material for Volvo’s next phase — more Made Stories!
