The secret to developing great content starts with an idea – a vision of what you want the audience to know. From there, you outline the strategy of your idea and the tactics that you will use to implement. Next, your content is developed, planned out and created. When everything ties together, you get a seamless content marketing campaign.
I recently completed an example campaign for an online fitness company, BodyRock. This company has a follower base of nearly 2 million and counting and is changing the direction of its content.
Three types of content were created to help launch this new direction; 1) an informative blog, 2) a video that illustrates the blog and 3) a quick how-to recipe video. These three pieces work together to tell a positive brand story and increase engagement among followers.
The content is designed to be:
Engaging
Informative
Motivational
Relatable
Upbeat
Below are the pieces of content created for this campaign!
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A lot of people are horrified, offended and just downright peeved that this new, controversial ad was ever approved. The heartbreaking spot is by German supermarket chain, Edeka, and tells a wrenching tale that actually hits quite close to home.
The spot follows the story of an old man who desperately wants his children and grandchildren to come visit him for Christmas.
“I just wanted to call and let you know that we can’t make it for Christmas this year… we’ll try again next year. It’ll work out, I promise. Merry Christmas Daddy!” chimes a voicemail from the old man’s daughter.
Time passes but no one comes to see Dear Old Dad, until the family receives news that he has passed on. Dressed in black, children and grandchildren make their way out of their busy lives to come pay their respects.
But to their surprise (a seven that would cause potential heart failure, I’m sure), the old man is not dead. He greets them at his house with Christmas dinner waiting.
The message is clear: do not wait forever to see your loved ones.
People are up-in-arms because of the morbidity of the spot. One Twitter claims it was “freaking depressing” and “too dark” to be a Christmas ad. The raw emotion of loneliness expressed within it can be a lot of handle. Sure, it might make you cry, but for good reason.
This ad rings true for me as I was semi-raised by my aging grandmother. I was thankful to spend time with her every holiday (and at dinner every night) but some children are not so fortunate. It is important that say everything you need to say, listen to the stories of to your loved ones, learn how to follow your Grandma’s pudding recipe and share all of those wonderful memories when you have the chance. You never know when it will be too late. Even if it takes a supermarket ad spot to teach you this, take it to heart.
There is a lot of activity that goes on within your brain in a matter of milliseconds. Your neurological processes recognize, assess and add value to a brand instantly.
According to The Daily Positive, seeing a logo stimulates many different areas of the brain. There is no designated region where information is analyzed within the mind so naturally a whole host of components begin to fire when you see the McDonald’s Golden Arches.
Luxury brands get the medial prefrontal cortex ignited while anterior cingulate cortex gets excited by value brands. Logos signal a thinking process which causes us to assert ourselves and we use these symbols to carve out things about our personalities. For example, seeing the Apple symbol conjures up the idea that you are an “Apple” person who enjoys the culture, creativity and high-end technological advancement that comes with these products. Subsequently, an unknown brand can trigger a negative response in our brain because we can’t associate it with anything differential.
The mind’s insular cortex plays a huge role in developing emotional attachment to something as “simple” as a logo. This is where we develop our sense of whether a brand makes us “better”, improves our self image and makes us stand out amongst our peers. The fusiform gyrus is one of areas that help us recognize colour and shape. The hippocampus is where an emotion is formed regarding the logo we have viewed.
This is why logo design, colour and shape are highly important for creating a positive resonance among consumers. What are your thoughts? Which logo do you find resonates best with you?
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is the biggest, most glamorous night in lingerie. Gorgeous models walk the catwalk for a record 500 million viewers a year, strutting in their dazzling bras and undies and sporting heavyweight wings. This show rakes in millions in revenue, and VS are experts in creating big buzz around one of the most successful nights in television.
This year, the lingerie giant is at it again and has managed to increase their viewership even more by employing clever social media marketing tactics. It all started with Gigi Hadid, a California It-Girl who has been capturing our eyes for close to year. She appeared in Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood video and has joined the brat pack with Kendall and Kylie Jenner. In October, Gigi’s casting tape for the VS show was ‘leaked’ on YouTube (by VS) and went completely viral. The 20-year-old model broke down in front of the camera as she received the news that she had a place on stage and a pair of wings waiting for her.
The Angels play their own part at generating interest about the event on Instagram. Candice Swanepoel has been posting sneak peaks from behind the runway with pal Kendall Jenner. Stella Maxwell has sent out little 2-second video clips to spur excitement. The company have experts who carefully select models that they feel women will relate to, and admire without feeling threatened. That is how these models gain so much pull on social media.
But the greatest tool that VS has had at their disposal this year is Snapchat. The company has a place is the ‘featured’ section of the video and picture sharing app. The app shows exclusive sneak-peaks and behind the scenes footage that otherwise would not be available to viewers. The feed is up for only 24 hours and then is gone forever, so fans are eager to check it out.
The official air date of the show is December 8th on CBS, but the filming of it takes place November 11. We will find out what other tools Victoria’s Secret will use to surpass 500 million views this year!
Social media site, Pinterest, is the home of DIYs, engaging infographics and helpful life hacks. Whether you’re getting decor ideas, baby name suggestions or tips for turning red crayons into a flawless lip stain, this site has got you pinned (get it?). Now they are getting an upper hand when it comes to usability.
As of November 9th, Pinterest will allow users to search with pictures rather than words. For example, say you are looking at Victoria’s Secret model Karlie Kloss’s Instagram feed. You love her designer boots, but she doesn’t include a link to where to buy them. Simply take that image and search it on Pinterest. You’ll discover they are Marc Fisher boots and they are available at Nordstrom. You’ll also find cheaper dupes on Ebay, DIY tips to keeping your boots polished with coconut oil and ways to pair those boots with any outfit. (***Coconut oil is not a verified polish for boots, use at your own risk)
It is predicted that keywords have seen better days and that many searches will be moving towards an image-based setup in the coming years. Controversially, this strategy benefits advertisers and focuses on purchases rather than really honing in on the needs of users. It is speculated that this might be a move for Pinterest it gain more revenue from companies as apposed to catering to their existing Pinners. In fact, some Pinners might be unhappy with this new feature or simply avoid it because of its encouragement towards making purchases.
Only time will tell how users will respond to this new integration. If you are a dedicated Pinner, would you respond positively or negatively to this feature?
In the digital age, Word Of Mouth has been replaced but what is known as Word Of Mouse. Marketers care less about the buzz created by person to person conversation and more about the vastly spreadable, shareable buzz that happens only on social media platforms.
Back in 2009, IKEA utilized Facebook to generate a conversation and eyeballs on their products without a lot of cost or excessive promotion. The results were magic. By making a Facebook profile for their company’s store manager and uploading showroom snapshots, a store opening in Malmo, Sweden was the first to ‘break the internet’. Facebook followers were invited to simply tag themselves on various products in the showroom pictures, and the person who tagged themselves first won that product. Soon thousands of people were engaging every day and IKEA’s photos were on countless profiles and in newsfeeds across the world.
Only twelve pictures were ever uploaded, and the profile took minutes to create. The only cost involved were the products given away. IKEA changed the game for what a business can do with a small budget and big dreams. Start with a drive to create Word Of Mouse and let your imagination run wild!
While IKEA was a trailblazer back in 2009, nowadays social media has become even more advanced and provides opportunities for small budgets to have viral success. Advancements to Facebook along with the introduction of Instagram, Snapchat and Vine open up even more possibilities for marketers to increase WOM and engagement.
Share an example of a brilliant social media marketing campaign!
Social media has become a vital factor in the lives of so many, and millennials in particular. When it comes to a holiday such as Halloween, half of the excitement is the feeling of inclusion as you post Instagram pictures of yourself dressed as Tinkerbell while enjoying an adult beverage at a seemingly cool house party. You can compare your night to that of your friends and forever memorialize your status as someone who was a part of this social trend.
YouTube makeup tutorials about creating the perfect zombie princess are more useful for those who want to capture a Snapchat of themselves before they hit up their Halloween event than those who want a functional, multi-layered mask that won’t wear off after hours of dancing and sweating. The work that goes into costumes is for the camera, for the “likes” and for Pinterest shareability.
According to The-M-Age, over 30% of consumers engage in online research for Halloween costume inspiration and 23% of millennials will wear costumes inspired by celebrities, TV shows and movies. Halloweeners spend a universal average of $75 on their attire, many of which are pieces for their DIY creation.
This spells out disaster for pop up Halloween shops that market pre-made costumes, but it provides a new niche for stores who specialize in DIY projects, theatrical makeup and even thrift shops. New digital platforms are also cashing in on this trend by creating discussion boards and apps that allow amateur designers to trade notes.
Could millennials push out the concept of buying an already manufactured costume thanks to social media? Share your thoughts!
Young & Reckless is a clothing brand based out of Los Angeles, California, which specializes in both male and female clothing items. The style of clothing is mainly athletic wear including: sweatpants, yoga pants, hoodies, tank tops and tee shirts. The company’s sales are e-commerce based, while having a few items sold in the retail stores of other companies.
Young & Reckless have been active on social media since the summer of 2009, and have grown a substantial follower-base ever since. Y&R has 552,000 followers on Instagram, 165,000 followers on Twitter and 1,175,099 likes on Facebook. The brand posts about twice a day on Instagram, three times a day on Twitter and once a week on Facebook.
The target market are young, athletic men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 who have an interest in the modern music scene (mainly hip hop). The brand provides the target with uniquely designed clothing and has a cool, divergent personality that appeals to them.
The primary competitors of the brand include clothing brands Obey and Diamond Supply Co. Secondary competitors include retailers who carry competing brands, including Zumiez and Urban Outfitters. The following chart shows how these competitors stack up on social media based on their follower counts.
They are not being talked about by many influencers as of yet, but some music artists are mentioning the brand on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and their items being worn by YouTube and Instagram personalities alike. Hip hip artist, Fetty Wap, endorses the brand and his career is currently soaring after the success of a few major hit singles. It may be a few years before Y&R breaks into a mainstream clothing market, but they are leading the way in engagement on two social media platforms when compared to their rivals.
Young & Reckless is doing a good job of providing followers with promotional information, but could add more interactive posts into their social media. The brand could also incorporate more videos into their feeds to capture the eye of social media scrollers. Otherwise, so far Y&R is steadily advancing in the game of SMM follower by follower.
Do you know someone in your life who is an excellent storyteller? Perhaps it’s a family member or good friend who has the ability to have you hooked on their every word. They can bring about emotion, laughter and intrigue just from their own presence and voice. This is the type of person that big brands want to emulate. The companies of the world want to have you enthralled by their words, their imagery and their insights. They want to make you feel raw emotion and tell you a tale that will change your perspective on the day or even on life itself. Many brands are successful at creating this sense of feeling, but some unfortunately fail to communicate their stories properly.
Skype Makes The Impossible Happen With Tearjerker Ad Spot
Skype is a beautiful example of a brand that has won at telling stories to consumers for years now. The live video chatting tool stretches beyond being an easy means of conferencing in the boardroom. It even goes farther than saying ‘happy birthday’ to Grandma who lives across the country in Florida.
Skype wanted to tell a story that crosses the globe, and exemplifies the true meaning of family, and they succeeded.
The “Stay Together” campaign actually shows how digital platforms are changing what it means to come together. The 2 minute spot tells the story of Solomon, a Ugandan man who came to America with the clothes on his back and only 5 dollars in his pocket. Leaving his family behind, Solomon uses Skype to connect with relatives and his young son from thousands of miles away. The masterful campaign contrasts America and Uganda with stunning imagery, and concludes with an emotional gift for Solomon. A photographer takes a photo of Solomon’s family on Skype being projected onto his living room wall, while Solomon stands beside them. This ‘Impossible Family Portrait’ is the first of it’s kind and a unique testament to the power of the video tool.
This type of storytelling let’s the product speak for itself. It does not push the value of Skype on the consumer, but rather opens their eyes to the possibilities it presents. There is no call-to-action, no deal offered, no salesperson asking you to buy. Simply Solomon’s tears as he sees the official printout of his first ever family portrait and hangs it on his bare bedroom wall says enough about why Skype is so essential and meaningful to people. The company also projects the sense that it cares about the lives of it’s users and the journeys they undergo.
How does this Skype campaign resonate with you? Are the imagery and story enough to take the viewer from perception to purchase?
“Not Your Father’s Oldmobile” – A Cautionary Tale
The story of how General Motors lost it’s way with their model, The Oldsmobile, is a classic tale of a reinvention that went terribly wrong. (Rarely do brand-reinventions go right, mind you).
General Motors banked itself as an all American, slice- of-apple-pie kind of brand back in the 1960s. It produced cars that were not only burly, but very innovative for their time. GM was always on the cutting edge of design and technology, along with being trusted for their craftsmanship and quality. Their tagline was, “Escape From The Ordinary”. But come the 1980s, that’s just what they did…
With the emerging popularity of Asian car manufacturers and changes to the standard look and feel of a motor vehicle, the late 80s and early 90s was a hit or miss for American car companies. Faced with an adapt or flee kind of circumstance, GM tried its hand at adapting the Oldsmobile. In an attempt to be ‘hip’, the brand developed a whole new story for the trusty vehicle, which was now being favoured by a much older demographic. They released a commercial featuring Ringo Starr and his daughter that was jam-packed with early 90s cheese-ball production value. “Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile” was the new tagline, in hopes of attracting young drivers by rebranding their dad’s dated old set of wheels and making it look desirable again. It went against their original automotive values and tried to rewrite what it was all about to appeal to this new generation of drivers it had little understanding of.
The campaign went against what the brand originally stood for, and cheesed off the loyal customers. It was a certified nail in the coffin for the Oldsmobile, which shut down production a few years later. The key takeaways from this brand storytelling fail are: 1) do not betray what your brand stands, 2) let your brand die with dignity vs. trying to grasp at straws to be something you’re not.
What could GM have done differently to save the Oldsmobile, or was it on it’s way to anyways?
How Starbucks Made Fun Of Their Customers, And Won The Internet
The Pumpkin Spice Latte is a yearly tradition for Starbucks lovers and even non-Starbie regulars alike. It became such a craze upon it’s release years ago that it has almost become a modern cultural staple in the Western world. The coffee giant recognized their customers pent up excitement for the PSL’s release date each year, their obsession with Instagramming and Facebooking their beverages and the inherent mocking of people (particularly women) who love PSLs. Starbucks decided to poke some fun at this cult flavour following with a clever ad spot.
The story revolves around a made-up town which celebrates the coming of the PSL every year with an annual festival. There is cinnamon stick baton twirling and pumpkin-inspired hair colouring. The spot is beautifully shot in a real-life documentary style that could easily pass as a TLC network reality show you may have the fortune of binge-watching on a Saturday afternoon after Say Yes To The Dress.
The narrative connects to the audience in a way that gently jokes about the PSL phenomenon, and creates a heartfelt depiction of this endearing and relatable small town. It opens up an interaction between brand and customer, a sort of nod from Starbucks that they understand what is happening with this product. It also gives the brand room to expand upon these characters and this fictional town.
Is this type of storytelling creating the right engagement with customers? Where could Starbucks take their narrative next?
Share examples of your favourite brand stories, or ones that have failed miserably in front of the eyes of consumers.
For example, say you are looking at Victoria’s Secret model Karlie Kloss’s Instagram feed. You love her designer boots, but she doesn’t include a link to where to buy them. Simply take that image and search it on Pinterest. You’ll discover they are Marc Fisher boots and they are available at Nordstrom. You’ll also find cheaper dupes on Ebay, DIY tips to keeping your boots polished with coconut oil and ways to pair those boots with any outfit. (***Coconut oil is not a verified polish for boots, use at your own risk)
Facebook followers were invited to simply tag themselves on various products in the showroom pictures, and the person who tagged themselves first won that product. Soon thousands of people were engaging every day and IKEA’s photos were on countless profiles and in newsfeeds across the world.
Sell Me About It 