Digital

What Exactly is Branded Entertainment?

by

Adrian Vizik | October 14, 2011

Adrian Vizik, founder & CEO of Purity TV examines the impact that digital technology is having on the film and television industries, and in so facto, advertising

Dior Lady Grey Film Campaign featuring Marion Cotillard

Adrian Vizik, founder & CEO of Purity TV examines the impact that digital technology is having on the film and television industries, and in so facto, advertising

Branded entertainment is not advertising. Branded content should make you feel something. It’s something that has a beginning, middle and an end and you feel fulfilled by being connected to the brand through this entertainment. It’s original content and experiences produced to entertain and engage with an audience.

Digital technology is changing both the film and tv industries and is also changing advertising as we know it. Today everyone is connected all the time and people are in charge of the remote control. Rules of communication have changed. More and more luxury brands are launching every year, but people pay less and less attention.

The recession has forced luxury brands to rethink how they communicate. You have to ultimately be where the audience is. How do you do that? You have to be part of the content, part of the story. To get the attention of today’s newly empowered consumer, you must engage, encourage and most of all respect them.

“ When as many as 75% of people avoid advertising, a new approach is needed ”

TV audiences are fragmenting, and more and more viewers are skipping through commercials and heading to the web. When as many as 75% of people avoid advertising, a new approach is needed.

According to Morgan Stanley online ad spending is significantly below where it should be given how much time people spend online. Considering people are shifting their entire lives online, advertisers are overspending on TV and print, and drastically underspending on the Internet. Brands need to spend more on the Internet, but with measureable metrics in mind. Just spending more and more money at badly targeted and underperforming ads won’t fix anything.

At this time brand advertisers tendency is to still act like the internet is a printed page in a magazine. Brands need to rethink the way they create and distribute campaigns.

Behind the scenes of Dior’s latest Hypnotic Poison campaign

For brands with their budgets tight in a slack economy, being part of branded entertainment can be the most efficient way to put their brands and products in front of large numbers of people and reach an international audience of billions. Branded entertainment creates memorable experiences and offers brands a strategic way to reach consumers in ways that traditional advertising can’t.

Anyone who has ever stepped foot in a business class knows the 4 Ps of Marketing. This model suggests that successful marketing campaigns must have the right mix of product, price, placement and promotion to reach their target market.

Traditional models, though still viable, often underestimate the complexity of the modern consumer. For brands to succeed today they must engage individuals in a deeper, multidimensional way.

“ Traditional models, though still viable, often underestimate the complexity of the modern consumer ”

Branded entertainment is communication through emotions. It engages people in conversation and creates memorable experiences. This helps companies build an exclusive position in the mind of their audience, turning customers into fans of the brand.

There is a love story between brands and entertainment. Brands love entertainment and it will become increasingly important in the future of branding. There is an opportunity for brands using entertainment the right way to reach through the market clutter and connect with their audience.

While historically brands love entertainment they have yet to invest time and resources into the strategic use of it. Therefore they run the risk of losing out on the rewards of using entertainment in the right way. We live in a chaotic marketplace where brands fight for people’s attention. A place where brands no longer compete on a product level, but on a building a brand that people connect to emotionally.

Inside the World of Gucci, a dedicated portal to all Gucci’s branded content and news

When it comes to making decisions, people tent to think with their heart. For a brand today, it is about creating an emotional bond to people. Not only being a product but to be seen more as a trusted friend, a friend with values that you identify yourself and your lifestyle with. It is no longer enough just to have the most superior product, but to have a brand that people associate with and emotionally connect to. Just think of your own emotional connection to your iPhone or MacBook.

Entertainment, be it TV shows, reality series, or movies is something that people connect with; they enjoy watching it and discussing and sharing it with others. Brands should become aware of the possibility to emerge as an ambassador in this social media of branded entertainment, the positive effect it can have on their brand image, and how it can attract the attention of their audiences.