Branded content is a form of advertising medium that blurs conventional
distinctions between what constitutes advertising and what constitutes
editorial content. Branded content is essentially a fusion of the two into one
product intended to be distributed as editorial content, albeit with a highly
branded quality and often labeled as "sponsored." Branded content is the
merger between advertising and entertainment. the content is more
sophisticated than product placement because the content is embedded into the
programming. Unlike conventional forms of editorial content, branded content is
generally funded entirely by a brand or corporation rather than, for example, a
movie studio or a group of producers. Branded entertainment is used in film,
video games, music, the internet, events, installations and television.
The technique In the 1930s, radio broadcasting became
popular, which in turn led to companies increasingly using the airwaves to sell
their products in the form of radio advertisements. As radio advertising
gained momentum, they began allowing sponsors to buy time slots during the
scheduled radio programming in order to sell their products. This is when the
first glimpse of branded content media occurred. While listeners would tune in
solely for entertainment purposes, they were consistently, yet briefly,
interrupted with ads for products aimed at the demographic listening to the
specific program. For instance, during many day time radio shows featuring
dramatic story lines, advertisers would promote goods such as soap, thus came
the term “soap opera”. In order to sell these products to the public,
advertisers of the time focused more on what the people wanted to hear rather
than the legitimate facts about the product. By creating an ad that
convinces the listener that they need the product, yet at the same time coming
across as something other than an advertisement, was the first
introduction to branded content as we know it today. In this way, both
advertisers and consumers come away satisfied.
This notion of an advertiser or company producing media which is engaging for
the consumer in order to sell more products has been around for decades.
The term branded content, however, really took hold as a new marketing
technique in 2001, when The Hire was produced and distributed on the internet
and DVDs. It featured a series of short films by Hollywood "A-List" directors,
with the BMW car as the real star of the action. The popularity of these films
spurred other marketers to create films, music, games, interactive content and
real-life events, which merely exists to entertain and educate the consumer,
keeping their attention long enough to market a product or service. In this
way, both advertisers and consumers come away satisfied.
Product placement and incorporating products into entertainment mediums have
become an essential marketing tool in this age of TiVos and DVRs. These
recording devices allow viewers to simply fast forward through commercials,
making traditional television advertisements seemingly useless to
market products. Thus, various entertainment vehicles have chosen to
create close relationships with firms and products in order to lower the cost
of advertisement production and enhance the integrity of the ad. As branded
content has grown in respectability, so have the partnerships. In order to
receive the necessary amount of upfront money, many networks have chosen to
offer marketers the opportunity to stealthily intertwine their products
within a storyline so as to captivate the audience’s interest without
blatantly focusing on the product. One-time deals have turned into
long-term commitments, even including brands and networks conceptualizing
television shows collectively. Today, marketer support has spread to include
sponsoring events, creating video games, and creating online webisodes both the
brand and network’s website can use. As commercial ratings continue to decline,
and companies constantly struggle to maintain viewership during ad breaks,
this sort of partnership is a very valuable mechanism. Branded content
allows more engagement with the product as well as the chance to charge
companies even more than usual for these exclusive relationships.
Entertainment mediums, such as films, television shows, and video games, are a
huge part of, and help shape, the culture we live in today. When the
viewer sees a specific brand in one such entertainment medium, it is a
significant and resonant experience. Since television rose in popularity in
the 1960s, realistic portrayals of life have been common on most shows and
actual brand names are necessary in order to create a sense of dramatic
realism. In this way, the audience is attracted to the brand more so than they
would have been in the first place, simply because they have viewed it in
mainstream culture. Consequently, branded content tie-ins along with media
commitments are quickly becoming the most effective form of advertising.
Big-budget films are obviously an incredible medium for product placement,
however when considering branded content as a whole it is often more profitable
for companies to consider the whole spectrum – radio, television, podcasts,
blogs, and so on. This method has the ability to create an emotional link in
consumers that the industry greatly needs today.
Effectiveness Producing branded content has become an
extremely effective tool for advertisers in this day and age. The outcome of well
made branded content can do wonders for the company producing it, but only if
the content is made properly. Not only do they have to make sure that their
product is being sold as successfully as possible, they also have to ensure that
the content they’re producing is exceptionally well done and sort of
tricks the viewer into seeing the short film as something more than an
advertisement. The most successful branded content programs are able to
blend the advertising message in a seamless and transparent fashion,
literally making it a part of the storytelling, while still getting the
information across to the consumer. In 2003, the Branded Content Marketing
Association was formed in order to endorse branded content to a wider,
international audience. In January 2008, the BCMA conducted a study which shows
just how effective branded content is when comparing it to traditional
advertising. Over one-third of people were skeptical about traditional ads and
only one-tenth trusted the companies producing such adverts. The study
concluded that "in the overwhelming majority of cases consumers preferred
the more innovative approach compared with traditional advertising".
Another 2008 study once again shows how useful branded content has become in the
age of technology. Over 95% of the time, web sites that feature branded content
were more successful than web sites featuring typical advertisements, and
are 24% more effective at increasing the purchase intent of viewers. In addition,
branded content sites boost both favorability and brand awareness, two
factors that are especially crucial to advertisers. Branded content is
particularly effective in the 18-34 age group, forming positive opinions and
being overall more responsive to branded sites. Online Publishers Association’s
President Pam Horan concluded, “In nearly every category measured, ad
effectiveness scores on branded content sites were numerically higher than on
the web in general, on portals or on ad networks. Branded-content sites have a
notably greater impact at the points where consumers are establishing brand
preference and making purchase decisions.”
Overall, branded content has the power to help enrich a company’s ability in
incorporating product placement in their entertainment, which results in an
enhanced company and product image, an improved retail presence, better
consumer relationship, and boost sales. Risks
Although research significantly shows how successful branded content can be,
there are also some risks involved. It is imperative that a company produces
branded content the correct way in order for it to be as effective as possible.
First of all, a company has to make a commitment to producing branded content.
If a company expects positive results, they must also expect to invest their
time and money in producing well-made branded content. Producing one short
branded content film is simply not enough and follow up films are a
necessity. As in traditional advertising, it is important for
companies to ensure that their branded content is aimed towards its target
audience. Along with this, it's important for a company to make sure
that they are not breaking product placement regulations. However, if a
company is able to successfully avoid all of these obstacles, branded content
can be the most effective marketing tool they have ever put to use.
Awards Webby and Lovie awards among other had
recognized Branded Content as a category and in 2012 Branded
Content/Entertainment, became a category at EuroBest, Dubai Lynx Spikes Asia and
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. International Branded
Content professionals were handpicked for the inaugural 2012 Branded Content &
Entertainment jury and consisted among others of: Avi Savar USA, Jan Godsk,
Denmark - Ben Flint, Singapore - Guilhem Arnal, France - Mark Waugh,Global -
Scott Donaton, USA - Doug Scott, USA - Sara Cremer, UK - Tom Dunlap, USA -
Michael Hilliard, Australia - Bill Davenport, USA - Rodrigo Figueora Reyes,
Argentina - Marc Ros, Spain - Cyrus Oshidar, India - Dean Baker, UK.
See also Branded entertainment
Brand integration Integrated media
Permission marketing Experiential marketing
Popeye The Hire
As the Cookie Crumbles Naomi Klein, No Logo
No. 5 The Film Fat Actress
Product Placement Further reading
Sponsors Now Pay for Online Articles, Not Just Ads April 7, 2013
Sandra Freisinger-Heinl, Greta MacFarlane: Best of Branded Content
Marketing 2015: Germany, Austria and Switzerland, #BOBCM, 2015
References