Branded Content

Branded Content is known by many different names these days: Branded Entertainment, Advertainment and even Product Placement. Quite simply it's a form of marketing designed to blur the lines between traditional advertising and entertainment. While the approach is quickly gaining momentum, the truth is, it's not a new concept. The originators of branded content were the early soap opera creators. Soaps began as original dramatic radio broadcasts aimed at housewives and were sponsored by soap manufacturers such as Procter and Gamble. While the practice has resurfaced, it is a much more refined and targeted art form than in the early days.

›› Branded Content versus Traditional Advertising

As the digital era emerged, it brought with it heavy media fragmentation. Consumers are bombarded with marketing messages in every aspect of their lives and the result is, they've tuned out. And who can blame them? The challenge for today's marketers is how to engage consumers who have become numb to traditional messaging. This is where Branded Content comes in. Its purpose, first and foremost, is to entertain and by holding a consumer's attention long enough, we can weave a brand into the content and market that product or service without feeling so invasive. Some branded content is boldly transparent. Who can forget Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom? Other forms of branded content are more subtle, but no less effective.

›› Who should use Branded Content?

Is every brand well suited for Branded Content? The answer is no and when done incorrectly, the messaging becomes heavy-handed and blatant and can often times backfire. However when done well, Branded Content strikes a perfect balance between entertainment and branding. It can become a powerful tool in a marketer's arsenal. Branded Content is most effective when it serves to build a relationship with a consumer rather than shove a deal down their throat. While marketers eat, sleep and breath their brands every day, their consumers don't. It's a privilege for a consumer to allow a brand into their lives and sometimes marketers forget that. Creating the right original content that remains true to the brand's soul and finds chemistry between brand and delivery vehicle are essential steps to creating successful Branded Content.

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