Are we content?

Branded content is the buzz-phrase that has dominated watercooler moments in many agencies and production companies for many, many months now. Since the confused hubbub of Shane Meadow’s much lauded ‘Somers Town’ (Was it branded content? Was it just part of the Mother Pitch? Was it a stand alone piece?) ) the debate has well and truly kicked off about the effectiveness and, indeed, the authenticity of branded filmic content.

Have Directors attitudes towards producing a piece of auteur fiction that drives towards a commercial goal changed? Are brands becoming braver and more intuitive in their methods of communicating to their target demographics by using more subtly branded content and film?

Many newer pieces of brand driven short films aim to engage the consumer through storytelling, and then gain notoriety through the strength of the narrative and production. This in turn produces an echo effect as the brand becomes a talking point next to the creative (rather than being tackily plastered over a banner or bumper) thus becoming a subtle form of advertising.

Let us not forget, that the notion of branded content is nothing new: Ever since the birth of soap opera works of fiction have felt the drip of sponsorship and advertising bleed into everything from their narrative structure to their visual presentation in the form of product placement.



However it seems that the days of in-your-face branding are numbered, and the subtle, more intelligent approach has become the order of the day...



The Schewppes funded 'Schhh' film project from The Sweet Shop.



Audi’s ‘Truth in 24’ project


But dont just take our word for it! We asked a cross section of industry players what they thought about the state of play in the world of 'branded content'.

James Cunningham - Head of Content - Academy Films, London

Why do you think that branded content / shorts etc. are more relevant or more common now than they were 5 years ago?

Multiple reasons. People are becoming less willing to accept advertising messages being rammed down their throats, so brands and agencies are looking for more subtle ways of hooking their target market into their brand attributes. The proliferation of media also means that the public can pick and choose more specifically what they watch and when and where (tv/online/mobile) they watch it, which means they can often avoid traditional advertising messages. As a result brands are recognising the need to create genuinely entertaining content to reflect their brand personality, that would stand alone as a valid piece of watchable content if there were no brand attached to it. The key word here is 'entertainment'.

The idea of big directors working on a piece of branded film / content would have been considered crass and no go area a few years ago. Why the change?

They see it as an opportunity to explore a less restrictive territory both in terms of creative freedom and longer formats. Plus its a new challenge and in fact they can see that brands are becoming more serious about this type of activity, which means more support and more budget.

Do you think that directors are now more savvy and more open to the concept of branded content?

Yes many of them, but there is also an attitude still across much of the advertising industry, that the phrase 'branded content' means either a viral or a jumped up corporate video. People are definitely starting to catch on though.

Is it the other way? Is it that brands / clients themselves have become more savvy and open minded about how the public perceives them?

Everyone, from brands/clients, to agencies, media companies, production companies etc, is understanding the potential branded content offers, in terms of brand exposure and ROI. That said it is not catching on as quickly here in the UK as it has in the USA. Whether that is reticence from brands to take risks, or legal issues, or just a case of "the charcoal on the barbie taking a long time to heat up" who knows...

Do you think that the less a brand has to do with its work, or rather the braver they are with the director, the stronger the outcome?

Bravery is definitely a positive. At the end of the day, its vital not to lose sight of the purpose of branded content / branded entertainment, namely to entertain a specific target audience as valid stand-alone content. If it doesn't succeed on that front because the brand has diluted it, then the audience will not be hooked, and it's goal as a marketing exercise will fall flat.

Do you think this is a trend that will continue? Do you think commercial television / moving image will lean more towards branded content in the future?

Yes, without a doubt. It will take a few more years, but as tv and online merge and viewing is all about choice, branded entertainment will take off for all the reasons outlined above.

Do Directors now have to have more skills to work on a branded content piece?

There are certainly new skills to be learned. There is a fundamental difference between the levels of intensity and speed between the film-making styles. But at the same time most of our commercials directors at Academy have made music videos and short films so they are already multi-disciplined, and at the end of the day they are visual storytellers and have film-making in their bones! Many of the biggest differences are in the production and writing processes, which most of us are learning by experience.

More to follow next week...