There is no question that Brands are more interested in producing content than ever before. Just take a look at the trending search results against content marketing. Creating and producing great content is no joke. It takes serious commitment, experienced partners and money. That being said, Brands are perfectly positioned to deliver great content against the vertical niche that they serve. Think about it. Would you watch the next credible great outdoor adventure if it were brought to you by NBC or Patagonia? Brands have the data to deliver exactly what these niche audiences are looking for.
The big question on everyone’s mind is ROI.
Omnicom recently touted online video a more measurable platform than TV. Some of their own clients like McDonalds, Apple & Pepsi have since been advised to shift 10-25% of broadcast budgets into digital. But I am thinking of something a bit more aggressive and optimistic than that. We pay for great content now. Whether that means free broadcasts in exchange for watching commercials or through subscriptions – commercial free – via Amazon, Netflix, HBO or iTunes…we pay.
Lets assume a Brand, who knows their niche so well, were able to produce and own the most compelling content on that subject matter – why wouldn’t we pay? What if payment simply meant receiving an access code for content with some form of proof of purchase. Purchase proves we love and support the Brand and are a part of their ‘club’. What could be more a measure of direct ROI than that?
Take it one step farther…what if Brands did not think about content as promotional vehicles for the products that they sell, but what if they thought about them as actual line extensions of the Brand. What if content was a product itself? Would we pay for it directly like we do for any other show? If the content was as good if not better than anything else out there – we would. That’s what Lego did!
There is no question that Brands are in a better position to deliver niche content to their consumers and fans. It is not an easy thing to do, but Brands have better data and built in audiences to drive this if they get it right.
ROI is looking them straight in the eye.
Lego overtakes Mattel partly due to runaway success of ‘The Lego Movie’.
“Forget about the brand at first. Ditch the marketing aspect & focus on content”- MasterCard
BuzzFeed Video Is Trying to Change the Definition of Branded Content
A New Route to the Toy Chest – Mattel Takes a Thomas the Tank Engine Line Straight to Shoppers
