Branded content is the new buzz word in marketing and television, according to
Apollo Zake, of South African brand experience agency Launch Factory.
“In a nutshell branded content is telling stories that your consumers want to hear.
Its function is not to sell a product and it’s not a paid for ad, or sponsorship, or
product placement. Branded content is focused on the consumer’s experience.
“People are tired of in-your-face product pushing. What consumers want more and
more from their favourite brands is amazing content and that’s what we do really well
at Launch Factory – the results speak for themselves,’ explains Zake.
Ok, but how is branded content different to advertiser funded programming (AFP)?
Zake responds: “The definitions are quite similar: an AFP can be described as “any
means by which an advertiser can have a deeper relationship with content beyond
traditional media’. It’s where the advertiser’s money goes directly into production and
leads to a degree of content ownership from the brand’s perspective.
“That said AFPs sometimes backfire because of blatant product pushing while the
consumer is trying to enjoy the content. What’s key to understand about branded
content is that it’s editorial, but not necessarily editorial about a brand.’
He notes that one of the best examples of branded content is from Intel, which
launched The Beauty Inside, a social film centered on a main character. The six-part
film launched on Facebook and is also viewed on YouTube.
“In eight and a half weeks, it amassed nearly 70 million views, with 1.8 million mobile
engagements,’ continues Zake. “The campaign earned 96 000 Facebook friends, 8
300 Twitter followers and 378 000 brand impressions. Featured brands report a 360%
sales lift in the weeks following the campaign. The Beauty Inside was awarded an
Emmy for Outstanding New Approach to a Daytime Series, and it took home three
Grand Prix awards at Cannes Lions 2013, in Film, Cyber and Branded Content.’
Closer to home Launch Factory produces Vodafone’s multi-award-winning branded
content TV show in Ghana called HealthLine.
Zake says the series continues to enjoy massive viewership as it educates viewers
on important health issues. “It has succeeded in bringing smiles and restoring hope
to families of underprivileged Ghanaians by paying for surgeries and medical care for
over 25 affected individuals.
“Healthline also unearthed incredible Ghanaian medical expertise in the regional
hospitals, health and rehabilitative centres available across the country. We cast
and directed teams of specialist surgeons who undertook a number of complicated
surgeries to give individual Ghanaians their lives back. It also brought to light the
great expertise of some of Ghana’s finest doctors who would otherwise not have
been known, if not for the show.’
He believes that what advertisers should remember about branded content is that
they are buying into the editorial integrity of the programme and reaching consumers
by association with the programme’s values.
“This is not a limitation as some may see it but the key to the success of numerous
branded content campaigns around the world. My MD Spero Patricios has a great
quote about this “If it feels like marketing, it won’t work’.
“Producers retain editorial independence in branded content by remaining true to the
story that they are telling. As branded content producers we are able to produce the
content for the viewer and retain credibility from the consumer’s perspective by not
bombarding them with adverts but by giving great content to watch,’ concludes
Zake.
