Branded content - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Branded content is a relatively new form of advertising medium that blurs conventional distinctions between what constitutes advertising and what constitutes entertainment. Branded content is essentially a fusion of the two into one product intended to be distributed as entertainment content, albeit with a highly branded quality. Unlike conventional forms of entertainment 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 events and installations, film, gaming, music, the internet, and television.

The technique

In the 1930s, radio broadcasting became unbelievably 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 (which mainly stay-at-home moms enjoyed), 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.

Producing branded content has become an extremely effective tool for advertisers this day in 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, while still getting the information across to the consumer. The increasing demand for brand integrated entertainment in Britain has also led to TV executives co-developing program content from an early stage.

Branded content is awarded annually in February at a gala event where Madison Avenue joins Hollywood in Los Angeles for One Show Entertainment.

Effectiveness

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.”

Example

In 2009 Frantic Branded Content

Frantic Branded Content

Frantic Branded Content is a division of Frantic Films, the Canadian award-winning production company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.The multi-disciplinary production facility specializes in creating original integrated entertainment for use across the entire range of traditional and emerging...

, out of Winnipeg, Canada partnered with ad agency TAXI and commercial production company Soft Citizen, to produce the branded entertainment television property 'Commercial Break'. In this commercial directing reality program, the advertising and the advertising business is the content.

In 2011 Morgan Spurlock

Morgan Spurlock

Morgan Valentine Spurlock is an American documentary filmmaker, humorist, television producer, screenwriter and journalist best known for the documentary film Super Size Me...

released his documentary film

Documentary film

Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...

, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is a 2011 documentary film about product placement, marketing and advertising in movies and TV shows, directed by Morgan Spurlock...

, which aimed to reveal to the public how the film industry not only focuses on releasing successful, entertaining films, but also how it heavily relies on advertising to fund the production of the films. As a result, the industry is increasingly attempting to blur the lines between what the viewer sees as advertising and what they see as entertainment.

Risks

Although research significantly shows how successful branded content can be, there are also some risks involved. It is imperative that a company produced 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.

The technique

Effectiveness

Example

Risks

See also