For the first time ever, media consumers from Europe to North America are spending more time online than in front of their TV sets. That isn’t to say that television advertising is dead. If anything, it’s being reborn.
People don’t care whether they come across great content on a billboard, on television, or in an iPhone app. Big screen, small screen, computer screen – they’re all part of a bigger picture. We live in a transmedia world.
Brand storytelling
Jeff Gomez created the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, which encompasses a Disney theme park ride, a series of films, and spinoff novels, as well as video and board games. He describes transmedia as “the art of conveying messages, themes, or storylines to mass audiences through the artful and well-planned use of multiple media platforms.”
Clever brands are using this new method of storytelling to tell their own brand’s story.
Back in 2001, BMW released “The Hire,” an eight-part Web series directed by eight major filmmakers including Guy Ritchie, Ang Lee and John Woo, and starring Clive Owen as a heroic BMW driver. The series earned more than 21 million views in its first year, and later found success on DVD and even in comic book form.
Coca-Cola joined the transmedia fray with the Happiness Factory – a virtual world of characters living inside a vending machine. The series lives across multiple channels, including commercials, interactive video games, and a musical soundtrack that features a variety of artists. The series provides Coca-Cola with additional revenue streams, and customers with a fun brand experience.
Return on Engagement
Why is branded entertainment more effective than the old 30-second spot? It’s all about emotional engagement. Viewers derive value from a laugh or identification with a well-drawn character.
This depth of engagement generates opportunities for additional branded content such as contests, product website learning experiences and strategic partnerships. For example, Molson Dry was hugely successful with its “Association of Party Pros” – a social reality game that took place at concerts, bars and on Facebook. Players could accumulate points and gain special privileges at events or win party gear at the Molson boutique.
“In order to tell a great story that will engage an audience with a brand, you really have to understand the brand narrative,” says Brendan Howley, partner/director at Fresh Baked Entertainment, a Toronto-based firm specializing in branded entertainment. “The audience is the chief stakeholder here, and now it’s about ROE – return on engagement – not ROI.”
Let me entertain you
In a transmedia world, advertising agencies are no longer competing with each other for attention. We’re seeing a tidal wave of consumer-generated video content through social media communities like YouTube, MySpace and Facebook. The iPhone and iPad are making content increasingly mobile and personal. And with personal video recorders and on-demand entertainment, viewers can decide to shut out marketing messages altogether.
With so many media platforms at our fingertips, consumers are demanding higher quality experiences in exchange for their time. It’s up to brands – and a new breed of agencies – to entertain them.
This is the future, when brands engage their “fans” or “followers”, less distance is place between people and consumption. To me there are huge opportunities here, and to be creative about it. There is no more place for boring consumer brands!
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Brands – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Brands – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
RT @Sparksheet: Media consumers are spending more time online than onTV. But TV advertising is not dead, its being reborn as Transmedia http://bit.ly/8XhRZD
Advertising Entertainment: Transmedia Brands – interesting blog post http://bit.ly/cjHiaV
GREAT article! RT@sparksheet Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Brands -http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm by @SoloJacq
Advertising Entertainment: Transmedia Goes Mainstream – Branded Entertainment, BMW and Pirates of the Caribbean | … http://bit.ly/bJ3Ocg
No longer old vs new media: – Branded Entertainment, BMW and Pirates of the Caribbean | … http://bit.ly/bJ3Ocg vi @storytellin
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Brands – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Brands http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm #Transmedia #Brands #ARG
Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Brands http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm #Transmedia #Brands #ARG (via @InShot)
RT @jessalbert: Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Brands http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm #Transmedia #Brands #ARG (via @InShot)
[…] Here is a cool blog post about branded entertainment. […]
Transmedia Goes Mainstream, BMW and Pirates of the Caribbean "you really have to understand the brand narrative" http://bit.ly/bywoBy
Ainda ñ sabe o q é Branded entertainment (http://ow.ly/1B6So) e o conceito de transmedia (http://ow.ly/1B6Th)?? Agora sabe.
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
"Now it’s about ROE – return on engagement – not ROI.” Interesting read: http://bit.ly/bsxuQt
"…Viewers derive value from a laugh or identification with a well-drawn character…" http://bit.ly/cjHiaV @sparksheet | #transmedia
RT @schoolofhumans: "Now it’s about ROE – return on engagement – not ROI.” Interesting read: http://bit.ly/bsxuQt
Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded http://bit.ly/d9wbZr
RT @TPLDrew: Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded http://bit.ly/d9wbZr
jinne maar dit is lekker! via @kreefstert chicken licken bunker add! brilliant! http://bit.ly/d9wbZr
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
How smart brands are engaging customers in a transmedia world http://bit.ly/cjHiaV #redisenar2010 @piscitelli
[…] LEVEL EXAMPLES: EXAMPLE 1 and EXAMPLE 2 and EXAMPLE […]
Ever heard of transmedia? If you are into branding and advertising, you NEED to check it out http://bit.ly/8XhRZD
Advertising Entertainment: Transmedia Goes Mainstream – Branded Entertainment, BMW and Pirates of the Caribbean : http://bit.ly/a8aKw2
RT @GuerillaKitchen: Advertising Entertainment: Transmedia Goes Branded : http://bit.ly/a8aKw2 #mergemediaTO
Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded http://bit.ly/cjHiaV via @Sparksheet
RT @sparksheet: Advertising Entertainment: 'Transmedia' Goes Branded http://bit.ly/9oud2b: http://bit.ly/bRTYqS
RT @sparksheet: Advertising Entertainment: 'Transmedia' Goes Branded http://bit.ly/9oud2b: http://bit.ly/bRTYqS: http://bit.ly/aoknTS
RT @sparksheet: Advertising Entertainment: 'Transmedia' Goes Branded http://bit.ly/9oud2b: http://bit.ly/bRTYq… http://bit.ly/9YXiEp
#Advertising Entertainment: #Transmedia Goes Branded http://bit.ly/9oud2b #SMM #Brand #crossmedia
#Advertising Entertainment: #Transmedia Goes Branded http://bit.ly/9oud2b #SMM #Brand #crossmedia: http://bit.ly/c3u1W3
Brand storytelling: how smart brands are engaging customers in a transmedia world: http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
Let my brand entertain you. Advertising Entertainment: Transmedia Goes Mainstream : http://bit.ly/a8aKw2 #transmedia #branded #content
RT @guerillakitchen: Let my brand entertain you. Advertising Entertainment: Transmedia Goes Mainstream : http://bit.ly/a8aKw2 #transmed …
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm
RT @Sparksheet – Advertising Entertainment: ‘Transmedia’ Goes Branded – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm: http://bit…. http://bit.ly/i8yG4P
RT @Sparksheet – #Advertising #Entertainment: #Transmedia Goes Branded – http://tinyurl.com/y6h3ydm #tv
I think this #brand driven form of #Transmedia is going to go away – too obvious and tries too hard http://bit.ly/cjHiaV #storytelling
Its about emotional attatchment #tw http://t.co/5x42xBxZ Transmedia, tw
RT @sparksheet: Advertising Entertainment: 'Transmedia' Goes Branded http://t.co/i9IGiLXb
RT @sparksheet: Advertising Entertainment: 'Transmedia' Goes Branded http://t.co/i9IGiLXb
RT @sparksheet: Advertising Entertainment: 'Transmedia' Goes Branded http://t.co/jxB8MOkv: http://t.co/xS6Wsceu
RT @sparksheet: Advertising Entertainment: 'Transmedia' Goes Branded http://t.co/jxB8MOkv: http://t.co/xS6Wsceu
[…] trans-media is just for the entertainment industry. Many companies have also utilized this as a marketing tool for their products. Some famous examples include the BMW campaign “the Hire” and the Coca Cola “Happiness […]
[…] trans-media is just for the entertainment industry. Many companies have also utilized this as a marketing tool for their products. Some famous examples include the BMW campaign “the Hire” and the Coca Cola “Happiness […]
[…] With people watching TV on the Internet, and media going mobile, the terms old media & new media are becoming meaningless. Jacqueline Parker discusses how smart brands engage customers in a transmedia world. […]
[…] LEVEL EXAMPLES: EXAMPLE 1 and EXAMPLE 2 and EXAMPLE […]