Download Branded Content www.AssignmentPoint.com Branded content is a

Branded Content
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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 events and
installations, film, video games, music, the internet, 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 (which mainly stayat-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
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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. Onetime deals have turned into long-term commitments, even including brands and
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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
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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
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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.
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