The Break Media Blog

Today marks our first official “post” on the Break Media blog.  I received several emails last week asking what happened to the AdAge post in the “Digital Next” column authored by our very own Keith Richman, CEO Break Media.  Well, it created quite a buzz in the industry because it is opinionated, insightful, and right on point!  So if you are wondering how to get branded content right, read on, and let us know your thoughts.

Three Rules For Getting Branded Content Right—The Second Time Around.  By Keith Richman, CEO, Break Media.

A few years ago, it seemed that everybody was talking about how original video content on the Web was the next big thing.  Web video had created celebrities like Amanda Congdon from Rocketboom and Jessica Rose of lonelygirl15, and the ad deals were starting to roll in.  Eager to reach the sizable audiences that the most popular videos were commanding, big brands started commissioning original Web series of their own, some of them featuring major Hollywood stars.   Branded content, it seemed, was the future of Hollywood.

The only problem was, nobody watched. Remember Gemini Division? Nobody else does either, except presumably the folks who paid for Rosario Dawson to star in the big budget sci-fi series.  The same goes for many other series created by now defunct companies such as ManiaTV and 60 Frames.  Marketers were often disappointed that shows from these sorts of companies under-delivered, and for a few years they weren’t willing to invest in new original Web content, even if the alternative was paying sky-high CPMs to advertise against prime-time shows on sites like Hulu.

However, it’s been quite another story in 2009 as branded web video content is gathering momentum again.  Innovative publishers and smart brands have learned from the failures of those early efforts, and are creating engaging campaigns that entertain consumers, drive measurable results for marketers, and reach a relevant audience through targeted distribution channels.  The most successful efforts follow three cardinal rules:

1. Understand Your Audience.

Marketers who are thinking about creating branded content need to make sure that they’re working with content producers who have a history of making videos that appeal to their core customer demographic.  Branded content can be a fantastic way for marketers to connect directly with consumers, but only if customers actually want to watch the original content and don’t object to the brand integration.  At Break Media, we’ve had a lot of success creating branded videos that young guys want to watch, and we’re able to do that because we’ve made substantial investments into research to learn what really works for our audience and what doesn’t. Our annual survey on males backed by third party research companies provides us with valuable information on how to reach our target audience in addition to revealing interesting facts about guys behavior online.

2. Be Economical.

A production that starts out spending money to develop a concept, pays top dollar for well-known stars, and outsources post-production work, can end up spending more than $5,000 per minute of video. Sky-high production costs may still work for broadcast TV, but on the Web, they’re a recipe for disaster for your budget.  Smart content producers hire full-time staffers who can wear many hats, controlling costs by keeping writing, editing, development, post-production, and even the acting in-house.  These days, especially in the midst of a down economy, marketers shouldn’t have to take a huge financial risk to give branded content a try.

3. Don’t Post and Pray.

Anyone launching a branded video needs a solid distribution plan in place to make sure consumers see it—and that doesn’t mean posting the video on YouTube and hoping it goes “viral”.  Too many branded content plays have failed because a brand spent money and time creating a great video which nobody ended up watching.  Marketers need to, a.) buy media to drive traffic to their video, b.) set up a distribution arrangement with a Web publisher or network with the scale to get their videos in front of the right audience, or better yet, c.) do both!  The best marketers and publishers have a solid plan to distribute their videos and promote them using PR and social media tactics well before the videos go live.

Now is the time to experiment with branded web video content, and these are the three essential tools that guarantee success in the medium.  Online video viewership has never been higher and online video advertising is positioned to accelerate over the next four years, averaging annual growth of 40%.  So what are you waiting for?  Jump on in, but before you do, remember to pay close attention to audience, economics, and distribution.