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Rise of the machines

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In HBO’s Westworld it’s almost impossible to tell the Artificially Intelligent ‘hosts’ from real people. They act, talk and – spoiler alert – some even start to think like conscious human beings.

 

Artificial Intelligence has, of course, long been a science fiction staple, but now through Amazon’s Alexa, Apple Siri and Google Home devices we’re beginning to welcome AI as science fact.

We have AI in our homes (even in our pockets) to feed us information, recognising our questions in context and delivering answers instantly. For now – at least for the most part – AI is not actually the source of that information. The content we’re receiving is generated by our fellow humans, searched and aggregated in a moment by AI to make our lives easier.

Publishers and content marketers are already reaping the benefits, whether that’s Conde Nast teaming up with IBM Watson and Influential to identify the most suitable Social Media celebrities to work with on brand campaigns or Echobox helping the likes of Cosmopolitan to boost the effectiveness of social media. Marketing platform Boomtrain promises one-to-one experiences for customers by using machine learning to really get to know users and then deliver personalised, relevant content.

 

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Right now these platforms deliver insight, but how long will it be before AI starts to deliver the content itself? How long before people like me are out of a job?

It could be sooner than you think and I hope.

In 2015 the Chinese tech giant TenCent produced a 1,000-word article about inflation, and released it on its instant messaging platform. The piece was professional, written with style and widely shared. It also happened to be written by the company’s ‘Dreamwriter’ robot. And what’s more it was written in just 60 seconds. 60 seconds! I’ve been researching and writing this for hours and we’re only 300 words in. Of course one could argue that all Dreamwriter did was crawl the web for relevant information and aggregate it (albeit with some style and incredible speed), it didn’t really create anything new. But even that doesn’t look to be too far in the future.

In March 2016 a machine-written novel, appropriately called The Day a Computer Writes a Novel, came close to winning a literary prize in Japan.

It was an impressive feat, fooling the judges into believing the author was human. And while that may sound like a sci-fi plot in itself, I can assure you, it isn’t.

This article really was written by Nik Berg, not a machine. Not yet, anyway.

Nik is the Director of editorial and branded content consultancy One Point Twenty One and Editor-in-Chief of Zoom Zoom content for Mazda at Redwood London.


One Extraordinary Day in Branded Content

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Well it certainly was an ‘Extraordinary Day’ at the recent BCMA event in the midst of BVE 2017. We heard from not one, but two Knight’s of the Realm – Sir John Hegarty (Creative founder BBH and Chairman of Electric Glue) and Sir Peter Bazalgette (ITV Chairman), an Adventurer/Explorer – Alastair Humphreys and a Gamer – Tim Mines AKA Spamfish.

A breakfast table chat with Sir Peter Bazelgette, interviewed by Gary Knight
A breakfast table chat with Sir Peter Bazelgette, interviewed by Gary Knight

Add to this speakers from MediaCom Beyond Advertising/MediaCom (Tom Curtis, Managing Partner, Head of MediaCom Beyond Advertising and Jane Christian, Head of Business Science), Mother London (Neil Boorman, Content Director), Ipsos MORI (Eleanor Thornton-Firkin, Head of Content and Creative Development), Ocean Outdoor (Tim Bleakley, CEO), ITV (Gary Knight, Commercial Content Director), Digital Cinema Media (Karen Stacey, CEO), Bauer Media (Abby Carvosso, Group MD, Advertising), EndemolShine Group (James Hayr, Head of Commercial Partnerships), TeamGB (Leah Davis, Head of Marketing) and Virgin Media Business (Scott Wilkinson, Head of VOOM, Brand, Acquisitions and Digital).

We heard from Adverturer/Explorer, Alastair Humphreys
We heard from Adverturer/Explorer, Alastair Humphreys
Great content needs to be seen - Distribution strategy is critical
Great content needs to be seen – Distribution strategy is critical

Only in the wonderful world of branded content would you experience such an extraordinary line up. Thank you to everyone that helped to make it a truly extraordinary day.

Sir John Hegarty and Andrew Canter, Global CEO, BCMA
Sir John Hegarty and Andrew Canter, Global CEO, BCMA

Photo Credit: Emily Geeson (Geeson Photography)

For The Love of Branded Content – Part 2

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The Expert’s Views (Part 2)

With very few exceptions, everyone we meet connected to the exciting world of branded content is deeply passionate about their craft. In recent times, we have witnessed tumultuous change within the content landscape that leads to even greater creativity and the pushing of the boundaries of possibilities.

The BCMA is in a privileged position to have access to the leading experts and pioneers of the branded content industry. Launched late last year ‘For The Love of Branded Content’ brings together those ‘thought-leaders’ from across the globe to share their ‘love’ and advice on what it takes to succeed in the ever-evolving world of branded content.

This is the second part of our thought-provoking series of essays written by experts from all around the world, who all share one thing in common – the love of branded content. Part 2 includes the views of Chris Gallery, Head of Strategy at leading creative agency, Mother, who says we are living in a ‘golden age’ of content.

We also hear from Tom Curtis, Head of Mediacom Beyond Advertising who loves the idea of what branded content can do for a brand.

You can also read the views from around the world through our network of BCMA Chapters and Affiliate Partnerships, including the thoughts of, Jan Godsk, Head of BCMA Scandinavia and Founder of Ideatakeaway, Sandra Freisinger-Heinl, Head of BCMA DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), Anton Efimov, Head of BCMA Russia and Javier Regueira, General Manager, BCMA Spain.

From the USA, we hear from Rupert Maconick, Founder of Saville Productions and BCMA USA Advisory Board member who believes that ‘advertising and entertainment are blurring’. Also we share the views of our UK Advisory Board member, Steve Ackerman, Managing Director of Somethin’ Else who says that branded content is the ‘new frontier’.

We hope you find them a fascinating, insightful, engaging and above all enjoyable – just like any great branded content campaign.

At the BCMA we love branded content with a passion.

Please feel free to share the ‘love’.

New Video: One Extraordinary Day in Branded Content

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BCMA Presents: ONE EXTRAORDINARY DAY IN BRANDED CONTENT is produced for The Branded Content Marketing Assocation – BCMA and showcases the event hosted in the midst of BVE 2017. We heard from not one, but two Knight’s of the Realm – Sir John Hegarty (Creative founder BBH and Chairman of Electric Glue) and Sir Peter Bazalgette (ITV Chairman), an Adventurer/Explorer – Alastair Humphreys and a Gamer – Tim Mines AKA Spamfish.

Video Production by: 90 Seconds UK – 90 Seconds – The Worlds Cloud Video Production Service – 90 Seconds enables brands and agencies to get high quality online video content shot and produced anywhere in the world. 90 Seconds makes video production fast, affordable, and all managed seamlessly in the cloud from purchase to publish.

BCMA Leadership Series: Entertainment Matters for Branded Content

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What’s hot in global entertainment?

Join us for this BCMA Leadership Series breakfast event in partnership with Endemol Shine Group and Lions Entertainment to explore the latest trends in the global content market.

We will be taking this opportunity to hear from our global partner Endemol Shine Group, the driving force behind hit shows such as Big Brother, Black Mirror, Broadchurch, Hunted and MasterChef, and now content creators for some of the biggest brands on the planet such as Coca-Cola, Jaguar and Rimmel. We will delve into the current trends driving the global entertainment industry, providing insight and analysis that brands can apply to their content strategies.

What’s on?

9.00 – 9.10: Welcome and Intro
Andrew Canter – Global CEO, BCMA
James Hayr – Head of Commercial Partnerships, Endemol Shine Group

9.10 – 9.30: Latest trends in the global content market: what are consumers switching onto?
Doug Wood – Group Director, Research and Insight, Endemol Shine Group

9.30 – 10.15: Panel discussion and Q&A with the creators behind hit entertainment shows
Peter Salmon – Chief Creative Officer, Endemol Shine Group
Iris Boelhouwer – Joint CEO, Endemol Shine Netherlands
Mirella Breda – Managing Director, Initial
Diederick Santer – CEO, Kudos
Moderated by Alex Connock – Managing Director, Endemol Shine North

10.15 – 10.30: Creative excellence at Lions Entertainment – jury room insights

As the global industry body for branded content practitioners, the BCMA aims to promote and grow the branded content industry in partnership with relevant trade associations and industry groups. Procter & Gamble’s Marc Pritchard has said, “Too often we produce crap. Craft or crap, that’s our creative challenge”. One critical element of any content created, with or without a brand, is that it must entertain and excite its audience. Brands investing in content as a core element of their marketing can often unknowingly fall into the ‘Crap Trap’.

Lions Entertainment is the two-day specialist event from the organisers of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – the world’s largest celebration of creativity in communications. Running during Cannes Lions, from 21-22 June 2017, Lions Entertainment is about the future of the entertainment industry, bringing everyone from record label execs to influencers and sports promoters together to connect with the world’s biggest brands, and hear from inspirational speakers, witness new trends and experience live performances from global talent.

Book your free ticket here for this exclusive event

Partner Event: D&AD Festival 2017

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We are delighted to continue our partnership with the D&AD and support their Festival for 2017, taking place in London, between the 25th and 27th April.

This year, each day of the Festival is organised into distinct themes:

Tuesday, 25 April – The Earth Will Shake: This is a day of responding to the big issues our world faces. D&AD want to inspire you to build a better, fairer and more sustainable future.

Wednesday, 26 April – Staring at The Sun: Shifts in technology, trends and work-styles are upending the creative industries. This is a day of leading innovators thinking, predicting and demonstrating how they are adapting to a transforming sector.

Thursday, 27 April – Outrageous Magic: This is a day of our industry’s leading designers and creators talking about what they do when crafting the big ideas.

Book your festival pass here and qualify for your special 15% discount off Full Price Three day and One day Passes using voucher code FESTIVAL15

Branded Content in Hungary

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BCMA World View – Through our expanding network of BCMA Chapters, Affiliates and Partners, we strive to give our members a unique global perspective on branded content from across the globe. Our new exclusive series, BCMA World View, gives you an insight into what is happening in the wonderful world of branded content around the world.

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Focus on Hungary – Changes in content consumption, multiscreen media consumption and the advancement of digitalisation challenge all players in the Hungarian market.

The successful execution of campaigns requires extraordinary and interesting content. A basic banner ad is not nearly as effective now as it used to be years ago (the click-through rate of a banner ad is only 0.2% today, which also means that regarding sales conversion, the targeted consumers do not show any substantive responses to the 99.8% of the classic online advertising spaces).

Branded content, in compliance with current trends, focuses on the consumer. However, quality consumer relations can be built with ‘branded content’-type advertising solutions that comply with the appearance and functionality of the (media) content and design.

The possibility that branded content can be used as a solution to balance the decreasing advertising revenues (that declined even more due to the economic crisis) had already been brought up in numerous Hungarian conferences since 2008.

In that sense, one of the innovations of the ‘Hungarian Media Law’ that is truly progressive and responsive to the trends in the market and society was the allowance of branded content/product placement. The first research related to the topic was conducted by Ipsos; the results were made public in 2011. These show that 77% of respondents “don’t mind” if brands appear in television programmes, and 50% of them wouldn’t even mind if brands were mentioned by the characters. Of course, it must be considered that tolerance varies with each media type: consumers tend to be much stricter regarding printed press and online media.

Many different branded content campaigns have been executed on the Hungarian market in the past years. Republic Group as a full service advertising agency has acted as a pioneer regarding the topic.

In order to increase the potential for growth and brand experience, we need to find new communication solutions. Creative messages have to be made credible in different forms. The general consensus within the industry is that branded content-based co-operations will have increasingly significant roles and impact. We feel that the interest, the needs and the demand is increasing, while solutions in the Hungarian market are not yet sophisticated enough.

In the past years, the market environment was not particularly favorable for branded content-based advertising solutions: the budgets – which decreased year by year – did not allow companies to consider these beside their sales promotion solutions. Furthermore measuring the efficiency of branded content based solutions (awareness activation, recall value, involvement, etc.) also proved to be challenging.

The opinion of decisive Hungarian market players is that with the aid of branded content, the brands’ message can be conveyed to the consumers in an entertaining and educative way. However, many reject content-based storytelling because it requires a significant amount of time and energy from both sides. If someone really wants unique and tailor-made solutions, there are no ‘trodden paths’ – these have to be discovered on their own.

Furthermore, they require the co-operation of many fields, and the dynamics of brainstorming typically follows a “two steps forward, one step back” routine, until a solution is carried out; Surveys conducted among Hungarian marketing professionals also prove that if storytelling is smart, and the brand’s message fits well into the structured content, we can expect the audiences to like it and so it will provide relevant solutions business-wise and create value when it comes to brand launch, rebranding and repositioning.

We genuinely believe that the future is bright for branded content in Hungary.

Guinness & Genero: Co-collaboration to create bespoke branded content

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“Sometimes a brand’s logo becomes such common place that we rarely take a step back and appreciate what it actually represents.”

The words of director Josh Hine offer a very true representation of the challenges that brands and advertisers face in today’s marketing world. Josh was commissioned by Diageo to create, develop and launch Guinness’ new creative Instagram ad. The decision to use, BCMA member, Genero’s digitally-driven platform to deliver the historic story of the Guinness’ harp was central to Diageo choosing Josh to create the video.

The pitch that meant Guinness chose Josh

Each social media platform is entirely unique. Granted, there are often similarities and likeminded features that tend to group social media platforms as the same, but this is regularly the case. Josh’s pitch was chosen to embrace the benefits of Instagram and fit the specific, younger audience. From a technical standpoint, different challenges emerged. As the director explains, they had to “adopt the square format to maximise the mobile viewing area.” Composing a video where each frame had to be entirely different to any other platform was a challenge that Josh embraced; he also called on bold and colourful visuals to cater to the largely ‘sound off’ Instagram audience.

Guinness 1

The thinking process behind the iconic Guinness harp logo was to humanise it and embody the ideals behind the brand as more than just a 2D graphic on a beer. It was important to both the director and brand that the film was as authentic as possible too. For example, using an actual harpist to play music and reflect the famous Guinness harp gave the entire video a very raw feeling. Genero’s cloud-based platform also meant that the production process was a clean and well-managed process. Even the director Josh Hine explained the huge effort that his team contributed to shoot the wonderful video; he thanked Josh Fineman for being his “right hand man from start to end”, despite becoming a Dad half way through production!”

The unknown story of the Guinness harp

The story of the Guinness harp is one that dates back to 1862 when the very first iteration of the logo was designed to reflect the hard craft that went in to developing a unique tasting beer. The decision to use Instagram as a platform shows the importance and growing relevance that social media platforms are having on the world of advertising.

Guinness 4

Josh’s background as a director meant he was best placed to create the tailored advert. Genero is a platform that gives lesser-known directors the chance to work with globally recognised brands – it arguably balances the power that brands so often hold and gives the filmmaker the creative license to thrive, thus creating a more rounded end product. Brands like Guinness that choose to use Genero’s platform benefit from totally unique ideas.

Guinness 3

The end result

Audiences form associations with brands and build up trust that cannot be broken – brand loyalty is an undeniably strong bond. With consumers driving towards much shorter video content, Guinness recognised Josh’s Instagram idea as the perfect way to tell a known story to a market unfamiliar with its history. Even the pairing of a traditional harp and modern instrumentation ideally captured the long heritage and ongoing evolution of the Guinness harp.

Guinness 2

Genero was happy and grateful that Guinness chose its platform to engage in this sort of challenge and create a video that was completely different than anything seen before. As Josh expertly explained:

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“My hope is that the audience will take another look at the harp next time they take a sip of Guinness.”

Darren Khan, UK & European MD, Genero
Darren Khan, UK & European MD, Genero

BCMA Leadership Series: Entertainment Matters for Branded Content

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The great and the good from the branded content industry gathered for the BCMA Leadership Series breakfast event in the heart of the entertainment business at Endemol Shine Group’s London HQ in Shepherd’s Bush. Run in partnership with Lions Entertainment the highly well attended exclusive event explored the latest trends in the global content market.

As a global member of the BCMA, Endemol Shine Group, and as the driving force behind hit shows such as Big Brother, Black Mirror, Broadchurch, Hunted and MasterChef, and now content creators for some of the biggest brands on the planet such as Coca-Cola, Jaguar and Rimmel, they are ideally placed to provide valuable insight and analysis that brands can apply to their content strategies.

We heard from James Hayr, Head of Commercial Partnerships, Endemol Shine Group about the way brands should approach this often complex and rapidly expanding area of the business. Then Doug Wood, Group Director, Research and Insight, Endemol Shine Group, took us through the latest trends in the global content market and explained what consumers are switching onto and talked about the ‘rich tapestry’ of content that brands had the potential to tap into.

Doug Wood took us through the latest trends in global content
Doug Wood took us through the latest trends in global content

This was followed by an in-depth panel discussion brilliantly moderated by Alex Connock, Managing Director, Endemol Shine North.

The panel was moderated by Alex Connock, Managing Director, Endemol Shine North
The panel was moderated by Alex Connock, Managing Director, Endemol Shine North

The illustrious panel included an excellent array of creators behind the biggest hit entertainment shows, including, Peter Salmon, Chief Creative Officer, Endemol Shine Group, Iris Boelhouwer, Joint CEO, Endemol Shine Netherlands, Mirella Breda, Managing Director, Initial and Diederick Santer, CEO, Kudos

We heard from a fantastic line up of creators of iconic shows
We heard from a fantastic line up of creators of iconic shows

We heard that brands should work closely in partnership with the experts in entertainment and understand that content is more about ‘engineering’ than ‘just a creative process’. All agreed that it was a great time for brands to engage with content and that it had the potential to be a powerful way to talk to their audiences.

Peter Salmon explained how creating content was about 'engineering'
Peter Salmon explained how creating content was about ‘engineering’

Finally, Louise Benson, Executive Festival Director, Lions Entertainment shed light on some fascinating award ‘jury room’ insights with Misha Sher, VP Sport & Entertainment, MediaCom Worldwide. We heard that great content should entertain and focus upon the ‘story’ and the ‘craft’.

Louise Benson and Misha Sher gave a fascinating insight into awards
Louise Benson and Misha Sher gave a fascinating insight into awards

Lions Entertainment is the two-day specialist event from the organisers of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – the world’s largest celebration of creativity in communications. Running during Cannes Lions, from 21-22 June 2017, Lions Entertainment is about the future of the entertainment industry, bringing everyone from record label execs to influencers and sports promoters together to connect with the world’s biggest brands, and hear from inspirational speakers, witness new trends and experience live performances from global talent.

New Event: Summit on Content Marketing

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The Summit on Content Marketing is an online conference for individuals and businesses who want to develop a successful content strategy, increase buyer engagement, grow their audience and improve the quality and quantity of leads.

Attend The Summit on Content Marketing from anywhere in the world—without travelling anywhere. We’re talking two weeks packed with talks, interviews and seminars from the brightest minds in content marketing from around the world. Attend the Summit from anywhere, at any time, from any time zone. All you need is an internet connection.

Your expenses for air travel? Zero. Your expenses for multiple nights in a hotel? Nada. Your time away from your office? Nichts. Your days needed to recover from jet lag? Zero.

The Summit on Content Marketing gives you the latest tactics and techniques you need to attract potential customers. And grow your business. You learn practical steps that you put to work immediately to grow your audience and fill your sales pipeline. Plus, unlike at a traditional conference, where many great sessions run at the same time, you can watch every Summit session. Learn more about the Summit. Check out our amazing speakers. Look over our packed schedule. Then reserve your spot to take advantage of our Early Bird Special price.

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For more information on how to join this session please click here

Branded E-Commerce Videos: What Works?

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Alex Connock, Managing Director at Endemol Shine North gives us a fascinating insight into how best to use branded video when considering e-commerce.

An e-commerce, or ‘shoppable’ video, plays on a website/mobile for the customer to watch…and click to buy. In many ways it is the quintessential piece of branded content: if it’s working right it will entertain, engage, and directly drive purchase in real time.

Use of e-commerce video is growing worldwide – from supermarkets to fashion brands. The e-commerce industry in the UK alone is estimated to amount to some £160 billion revenue in 2017 – so getting this space right matters.

But whilst there is a great deal of material out there about shoppable video technologies, there is almost no material available on what content works best. What length? What style? What method of click-to-buy? These are all questions a big TV and branded content company like EndemolShine group, and our peers, would love to answer as we work with an increasing number of retail and ecommerce clients around the world.

So we went and found out.

We conducted an interactive, video-based survey of 2,800 UK respondents working with Ipsos Connect, the digital specialist within leading global research organisation Ipsos MORI and found interestingly that 29% of that audience had already bought online, following watching an e-commerce video, and 49% usually have the sound on, when shopping online.

We tested many different types of content. We played each person in the study one of 28 videos – divided into seven groups. Brands featured included Foot Locker, Ted Baker, Iceland, AO.com, Phoebe Colema Jewelry & Kitbag.com. In each product group, the videos were edited to be varied in one specific way – say, length – and played to different groups. Each person saw one video, and each video was seen by 100 people. At the end of each video we asked a number of questions, but one above all: would you have bought the product?

So how does length matter to whether someone viewing a shoppable video will then click to buy?

We showed different groups 3 edits of the same video – an advertising film for kitbag.com, reviewing a pair of Predator football boots.

kitbag

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The best performing Kitbag video was 15 seconds. More people would click to buy on this version, than on either the 40 or the 90 second video, and 18% said they wouldn’t watch the 90 second video as it was too long.

The short length was strong enough to drive purchase – even though it under performed on both information and entertainment, while the longer videos drove more viewing but less interest in actually buying. More people would be likely to take action after seeing the 15 second video, than either 40 second or 90 second version. It’s clear from the more detailed data, that entertaining people with a ‘shoppable’ video may be useful, but it’s a lot less useful than them actually being prompted to buy something – and if this evidence is correct, the two might stand in opposition to each other.

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Does it matter if and how you show the price?

We also tested for price, without telling people we were doing so. We tried putting the price of an item at the end, in the middle, and making a video without price at all. The video without price clearly has most appeal, and most click to buy. This is really worth knowing if you are putting a lot of video on an e-commerce site. People appear to respond to the product rather than the price.

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So let’s look in more detail at how the style of video production matters

Everyone who has ever worked in advertising (we made around 30 TV commercials last year plus many digital branded videos at EndemolShine North alone) knows that the client always has strong opinions on the creative. It’s an axiom of marketing departments worldwide that each individual will think they have a better insight into which kind of video will drive people to buy. But how often do different creatives all get directly tested against each other? That’s what we did here.

We created 9 different marketing videos for online retailer Phoebe Coleman Jewellery, deliberately selecting a brand of which the respondents would not be likely to have previous knowledge. We tried every type of content, from product-light branded content, to Instagram-style mute video (very interesting as around half the audience habitually watch mute), via hard-sell shopping channel-style video (the industry standard for shopping TV for decades), user generated content (for some years considered a strong contender online) and animation.

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The results really amazed us.

Videos with branded content and feature content, with very light product integration and an absolute opposite of hard-sell, had higher viewing figures, and a stronger message to buy. The customer reviewer had the least appeal, with branded content and feature content continuing to have the most impact.

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We’ve all had discussions with clients where we have argued that branded content should be seriously considered against a more direct hard-sell. Finally here’s some direct evidence that that is a viable strategy. The clear winner of our test was branded content, which rated highest out of all the videos, with 44% saying they would watch whole video, and 20% would click to buy. Only 40% said they wouldn’t watch it – the lowest of all the videos.

Product-only mute video prompts more action to be taken – but branded content encourages more viewers.

Meanwhile 22% said their first impression of the ‘user-generated’ customer reviewer was not positive and 32% said it wasn’t interesting enough. Just 38% would take action after customer review video, compared to 58% for product only (mute) and 52% for branded content.

The moral of the story? Branded content is worth a serious look. And avoid user generated video as a sales tool.

Single product vs Multiple products

Would you think that you should put lots of shoppable items in a video, or just one. Intuitively we were convinced before we started that videos with just one product in them would do better than those with multiple products. They would be cleaner, clearer and more memorable.

But we were wrong. A video we tested showing 10 Ted Baker items had stronger click to buy than the video with just 1 item. It was also more enjoyable and more engaging. The best performing Ted Baker video is 10 items. 63% found the video enjoyable, compared to 56% for the one item video. 42% would watch all of the ten items video, with 23% saying they’d click to buy.

TedB

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We also had a similar experience on a test of an Iceland video in edits of 9 items versus 2. More respondents felt the Iceland 2 items video told them something new.

Iceland

The clear moral of the story? Lots of items can sell together in the same video.

Finally we looked into the method of click to buy in videos. We looked into ‘add to basket’ during video vs ‘click to buy’ at the end. The ‘add to basket’ option yielded marginally higher results.

Conclusions

So what does all this add up to?

Before they watched any videos, 30% of the respondents said that had clicked on an online video to find out more detail and 29% had actually made a purchase through an online video. Which means this is an extremely important aspect of branded content that the different attributes of styles of video content are really worth knowing about.

Basic but critical rules are starting to emerge.

1. Short videos work best. Content must be engaging, say something new, relate to the audience, pace and humour.

2. Videos with people do better than those without, but user-generated reviews do badly.

3. Branded content works better than ‘hard sell’.

4. ‘Mute’ works just as well as ‘voiced’.

5. Multiple items within a single video work well.

6. Wait until the video ends before offering ‘click to buy'; people could fear missing out on something.

So what are we going to do next?

This year we plan to work with a number of brands to A/B test different styles of video on real websites in real e-commerce situations – to refine our understanding of what kind of video drives people to purchase. We are investing to understand this fast moving and valuable area of the branded content industry.

Alex Connock

Alex Connock is Managing Director of Endemol Shine North.
To continue the conversation, please email ecom@esnorth.tv

What’s Hot in Global Entertainment

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Following the recent BCMA Leadership Series: Entertainment Matters for Branded Content, we asked Doug Wood, Group Director, Research and Insight, Endemol Shine Group to share his views and insights on the global entertainment market.

Our world of content is going through an amazing phase of growth and evolution. There has been and continues to be an explosion of new platforms all chasing an increasingly fragmented audience. As content producers, this growth opens up a number of new opportunities to connect and engage with our audiences as they move across these new platforms and devices.

Audiences have never had so many content choices, and faced with an increasing number of new platforms, the viewer has taken control over what they watch, when and how they watch it. The quality of content is at an all-time high and this is having a huge impact on the types of content being made. There is a real need to make entertainment that connects and engages with these new and increasingly mobile audiences, creating channel and platform defining content.

So what are the latest trends in the global content market? What genres are resonating with audiences and how do you tell the right stories that will connect to both the linear TV audience the digital global niche?

One of the strongest trends to emerge in recent times is the demand for high-end drama. Over the last five years, TV really has become the new film, with quality and quantity at an all-time high and talent both on and off screen moving into the TV world. The growth of new platforms has been instrumental in fuelling this ‘golden age of drama’ and as producers, it has given us the opportunity to tell new stories and find homes for content that we may not have been able to do before.

At Endemol Shine Group we have an incredibly strong output of drama and are working with a number of platforms in this genre from Black Mirror on Netflix and to new Dutch drama Brussel on telco KPN. New customers are constantly appearing in the market and the examples of Brussel is interesting, as telcos are emerging as a key player for commissioning future content.

Black Mirror on Netflix
Black Mirror is on Netflix
Ripper Street is now on Amazon
Ripper Street is now on Amazon

But’s it’s not just drama that is thriving, non-scripted formats are also very much in demand and we are seeing the emergence of global non-scripted brands which is an important growth area for us as a business. In parallel to the growth in drama, factual programming has seen a real growth over the last five years and has adapted incredibly well to the changing viewing habits of these audiences. Recent hits such as Making a Murderer for Netflix was packaged in such a way that a 10 hour documentary was able to find a global audience. And back on linear, the top 5 highest rated shows in the UK last year were all non-scripted shows, with long running entertainment franchises like Strictly Come Dancing and Britain’s Got Talent still hitting those desirable prime-time, mass, live audiences.

Another continuing trend in the content world has been nostalgia and heritage, from the Star Wars franchise to remakes of classic TV shows such as Blind Date where you are able to tap into a brand’s established fan base and leverage those positive associations. Nostalgia also plays really well in uncertain times and millennials in particular seem to be embracing this trend. Recent brand research also suggests that feelings of nostalgia connects with millennials on a very emotional level, can humanise brands and forge meaningful connections to the present with research suggesting that people actually spend more money when they are feeling nostalgic.

Nostalgia plays  well in uncertain times
Nostalgia plays well in uncertain times

This comfort in the known, can also be seen in the increasing number of extensions of established formats, striking that perfect balance between the familiar and the surprising. At Endemol Shine Group we have successfully created new iterations of our well-known brands, such as MasterChef Junior, which has now been adapted in 20 territories alongside the regular format.

MasterChef Junior USA: extending established formats
MasterChef Junior USA: extending established formats

For us, our shows are not just simply TV formats. It’s important that they move across and connect with popular culture and develop as living and breathing content. Ultimately, the best content is talked about, it needs to be sharable and something that people can engage with. For example, Big Brother, produced by Initial, an Endemol Shine UK company, was the UK’s most tweeted TV show of 2016 and another of our brands, Mr Bean, is now the number 1 TV show on Facebook with nearly 70 million page likes, topping The Simpsons and Family Guy.

Big Brother was the UK’s most tweeted TV show of 2016
Big Brother was the UK’s most tweeted TV show of 2016

In this new, digital world, content and ideas can come from anywhere. New format journeys represent a growing trend in how global entertainment and new formats can be created by connecting directly with the audience with shows such as Car Pool Karaoke (now a fully-fledged format coming to Apple Music) driven largely by its viral impact across YouTube and social media.

Technology is moving very fast, and as producers we are looking to new technology to push our creative limits. Although we are still in the very early stages, we are exploring innovations such as virtual reality and augmented reality to enhance viewer experiences and this will be a really interesting area to keep an eye on for future content trends emerging.

I must also touch on recent political and cultural shifts, most notably Brexit and Trump. There is much speculation about the impact of this changing social mood on new content coming through. Some have argued that much of our content is being made by a cultural elite that is not representative of the wider audience and as producers, we have to ask ourselves whether we are telling the right stories to appeal to viewers.

There are a number of possibilities that may emerge from this, such as formats that capture the stories of the blue collar experience and this can already be seen across many US cable networks with the success of shows such as Duck Dynasty. However, the consensus seems to be that we will see more authentic and genuine non-scripted formats emerge which shed light on social and political issues with untold cultural and lifestyle stories being told with a fresh perspective. In addition, we are very likely to see a growing trend in escapism in the form of variety, entertainment and comedy. Escapism plays out incredibly well in uncertain times when audiences crave distraction and relief.

One thing that is for certain is that there is a big appetite for new content and audiences are watching more than ever before in a number of different ways. The curation and discovery of content in this ever-changing landscape is so important and it is an incredibly exciting time to be at the forefront of this storytelling.

Doug Wood is Group Director, Research and Insight at Endemol Shine Group
Doug Wood is Group Director, Research and Insight at Endemol Shine Group

About Doug Wood

Doug Wood has over twenty years’ experience in television research and is currently Group Director of Research & Insight for Endemol Shine Group, having taken up the role in 2015 for the newly merged company. Doug is an expert on global trends for the television industry and also oversees all research on the company’s global hit formats such as Big Brother, The Money Drop, The Island, Your Face Sounds Familiar, Minute to Win It and many more.

Doug joined Shine Group in 2010 where he set up the global research and insight function, working on key formats such as Masterchef, The Biggest Loser, The Bridge and Broadchurch.

Previous to his time at Endemol Shine, Doug spent twelve years at FremantleMedia as a research Manager working across international formats such as ‘Idols’, ‘X Factor’, ‘Got Talent’ and ‘Family Feud’. He began his career at UK broadcaster Channel 4.

NEW VIDEO: Entertainment Matters for Branded Content

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The great and the good from the branded content industry gathered for the BCMA Leadership Series breakfast event in the heart of the entertainment business at Endemol Shine Group’s London HQ in Shepherd’s Bush. Run in partnership with Lions Entertainment the well attended exclusive event explored the latest trends in the global content market.

For those of you that couldn’t make it we bring you the video of the event.

Here, Doug Wood, Group Director, Research and Insight, Endemol Shine Group, takes us through the latest trends in the global content market.

Here we present the ‘Secret Sauce’ to great entertaining content from our illustrious panel including an excellent array of creators behind the biggest hit entertainment shows, including, Peter Salmon, Chief Creative Officer, Endemol Shine Group, Iris Boelhouwer, Joint CEO, Endemol Shine Netherlands, Mirella Breda, Managing Director, Initial and Diederick Santer, CEO, Kudos

Here, Louise Benson, Executive Festival Director, Lions Entertainment shed light on some fascinating award ‘jury room’ insights with Misha Sher, VP Sport & Entertainment, MediaCom Worldwide. We heard that great content should entertain and focus upon the ‘story’ and the ‘craft’.

One Extraordinary Day in Branded Content – The Book of the Film

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For those who were not able to attend, we are delighted to bring you the complete ‘Book of the Film’ from the BCMA’s event, One Extraordinary Day in Branded Content

With great thanks to our global content partners, Edition Digital who have produced this brilliant comprehensive digital summary of the day.

Click here to view

Branded Content Regulation: BCMA Invited to UK Parliament

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Branded content, native advertising and other fast-evolving forms have intensified the challenges to the separation of editorial and advertising that were already being felt across the legacy media of print and television. UK media governance has historically benefitted from clear demarcation between marketers’ sponsored content and the media’s own editorial content.

• How is the blurring of media and marketing communications addressed across UK regulation and governance?

• Are the existing regulatory arrangements appropriate and effective?

• What are the challenges for UK regulatory arrangements?

Across digital media new forms of integrated advertising are developing rapidly. Boundaries between media and advertising are being tested, crossed, redefined, and erased. Pressures on marketers to find effective ways to reach prospective purchasers and pressures on media to attract advertising finance and accommodate marketers are occurring in contexts of disruption and change in markets, in policy and in creative communications practices and use. Within the overall convergence of media and communications industries and cultures, the convergence of media and marketing is gathering pace across the various dimensions of ownership, work practices and values, cultural forms and user engagements. The emergence of new forms and practices of integrated advertising raise a host of issues ranging from consumer awareness to editorial independence and creative autonomy

The integration of media and advertising is not new but it is intensifying. Branded content is occurring in different forms across news media, entertainment and social media. Emergent forms include ‘native advertising’ which describes various forms integration of advertising and content especially on social media. This is an online variant of advertorials, where advertisements follow the form and user experience associated with the context in which they are placed. In digital journalism the range of practices and norms is highly diverse but forms of branded content, native advertising, sponsored features have rapidly become established. In entertainment media, marketing integration includes advertiser-financed television, product placement, virtual advertising, advergames, and beyond.

The Branded Content Research Network is an academic network project funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council. The network seeks to bring together academic researchers, industry and civil society interests to explore the practices and implications of branded content, native advertising and the convergence of media and marketing communications.

Walking through the famous building was truly inspiring
Walking through the famous building was truly inspiring

As an Advisory Board member of the Branded Content Research Network, the BCMA was invited to speak at Parliament and share it’s views on this challenging area of the branded content business.


Content World, 24th and 25th October, Hamburg

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We are delighted to partnering with the International Content Marketing Conference, Content World taking place on the 24th and 25th October 2017 in Hamburg.

Successful content marketing: the key to the customer? This is no longer a secret. Content marketing is still booming. But how do you really convince with content?

Join us at this year’s Content World 2017 on 24th and 25th October 2017 for a journey through the diversity of content marketing and find answers to the question of the perfect content marketing together with internationally-requested content experts, scientists and thinkers.

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Be part of a lively community and exchange with speakers and discussers about the world of content marketing. As a further highlight, the award ceremony of the German Content Marketing Prize 2017 awaits you.

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We have an exclusive discount code (20% off) for members: M-CW17-BCMA

Book your ticket here

Festival of Marketing returns – 10% off for BCMA members

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The Festival of Marketing returns to Tobacco Dock on 4 – 5 October 2017 for ambitious professionals to discover, learn, celebrate and shape the future of marketing together.

From hard-to-reach CMOs to industry pioneers and digital specialists at the top of their field, the Festival boasts more leading marketing minds than anywhere else on the planet, all coming together to share the secrets of their success.

And as a member of the BCMA, you have an exclusive 10% discount on Festival passes!
Here are just a handful of brands who’ll be taking the stage at the Festival in October:

Logo panel

And did you hear about the incredible headliners announced so far?

Mark Ritson and Byron Sharp, two of the world’s most prominent, celebrated and colourful voices in marketing will offer their bold visions for the future of our industry in the most important debate you will witness this year.

Entrepreneur Jo Malone, founder and creative director of Jo Loves. The English scent maverick and creator of some of the world’s most-loved fragrances will share her brand building expertise, her entrepreneurial journey and her triumphs over adversity.

FoM-Headshot-Twitter-Headliners

So, what are you waiting for? Check out our speaker line-up and buy a Festival Pass* today using the 10% discount code for BCMA members: PRBCMA10.

Tickets are being released in phases, so the earlier you book, the best possible price you’ll get! Find out more about Festival Passes.

Hope to see you there

*discount not available on Festival Lite, Young Marketer or Group passes. T&Cs apply

Festival of Marketing, 4 – 5 October 2017 – Tobacco Dock, London

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The Festival of Marketing returns to Tobacco Dock on 4 – 5 October 2017 for ambitious marketers to discover, learn, celebrate and shape the future of marketing together. As the largest global event for brand marketers, the Festival reflects the very nature of marketing – seamlessly blending inspiration and application.

This is a place to experience everything you need to find success – the ideas, the connections and the practical skills. It is both inspiring and hands on learning. Marketing is creative, strategic and tactical and the Festival is built in this spirit.

The expert content programme across 12 stages boasts more leading marketing minds than anywhere else on the planet, along with workshops, training, awards and networking opportunities.

Whether you’re attending the conference at the Festival, celebrating your successes at the Masters of Marketing Awards or joining our partners in the Festival City or at Festival After Dark, you’ll be part of an experience like no other.

Get 10% off your Festival Pass as a member of BCMA by using the promo code: PRBCMA10

www.festivalofmarketing.com
Enquiries: info@festivalofmarketing.com

Festival of Marketing – Partnership Announcement

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Every year, the Festival of Marketing partners with the most trusted industry bodies to bring together the elite of the marketing world in a unique experience where ambitious marketers can discover, learn, celebrate and shape the future of marketing together.

We are very pleased to announce our partnership with BCMA – the Branded Content Marketing Association – bringing the best of the content marketing industry to the Festival.

Festival of Marketing, the largest global event for brand marketers, will return to Tobacco Dock, London, on 4 -5 October 2017. It may only last two days, but you’ll reap the rewards of attending for months to come. Think of the Festival as a jumping-off point for your career: leave with first-hand insights from some of the industry’s biggest power players, as well as countless new connections.

With more than 200 speakers, workshops, awards, experience rooms and training, it is the only event that truly reflects the creative, strategic and tactical job that marketers do.

And as a member of BCMA, get 10% off your Festival Pass using the discount code: PRBCMA10

Find out more – www.festivalofmarketing.com
Enquiries: info@festivalofmarketing.com

Content Marketing World 2017, September 5-8, Cleveland, OH, USA

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We are delighted to be partnering with Content Marketing World which is the one event where you can learn and network with the best and the brightest in the content marketing industry. You’ll leave with all the materials you need to take a content marketing strategy back to your team-and-to implement a content marketing plan that will grow your business and inspire your audience.

We offer more than 150 sessions presented by the leading brand marketers from around the world covering strategy, integration, measurement, and more new ideas that you can shake an orange stick at.

To see what #CMWorld is all about, check out this video

Register Today: http://www.contentmarketingworld.com/

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