Have you seen this video production that Budweiser created for the 2014 Super Bowl? It’s incredible!
That’s not an advert I hear you say! I think you’re right. It’s so much more! Let’s face it, there aren’t that many ads that get a staggering 49 million plus views. And I’m not sure there are many ads that make you feel a greater connection with a brand. Most advertising is interruptive. This isn’t! So, is it an ad? I’d argue not – I think it’s clever content marketing!
As I said a couple of weeks ago – the communication/advertising/content marketing space is changing rapidly. And the question is, are you keeping up?
I have to say we are incredibly excited by this new landscape. It presents so many opportunities for those who are keen to lead! It reminds us of conversations we were having about video production years ago when we started this business. We knew video was going to take off, but we knew it had to be done differently from anything that had come before.
Embrace content marketing
With all the companies we talked to, we simply said “video is going to be huge; we think you should embrace it – if you don’t others will. So, are you a leader or a follower?”
We’re now having exactly the same conversation with clients with regards to content marketing. It is going to be huge. The question is, are you going to lead in this space or are you going to follow? In years to come I’m pretty sure your company will even have a content department!
Every day we are seeing more new content – blogs, videos, podcasts, infographics. You name it, individuals and corporations are creating it. But sadly these efforts are going to waste because there is rarely a strategy surrounding the initiative. So, after a short timeframe the plan is aborted!
Unfortunately the bean counters want results and they’re asking for the return on investment! The thing is, great content goes way beyond the cost of creation and distribution.
Content marketing is all about storytelling
It all comes back to story! According to Jonathan Gottschall, author of The Storytelling Animal, science backs up the long-held belief that story is the most powerful means of communicating a message. It is the ultimate weapon.
And what better example to end on than this incredible viral video entitled “First Kiss”. And what a story it is.
A simple video production now watched by over 61 million people. A few days after the First Kiss “outbreak” everyone wanted to know more. Who was it by, what was it for? Here was a story that we just had to find the ending for! Curiosity got the better of us. We wanted to engage. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Native advertising, content marketing – call it what you like… it’s what we do with it that matters.
If you have a story, we’d love to tell it.