Weekly
Digest
#4

MAY 15, 2017

A Recipe for Tasteful Branded Content

The “content is king” maxim still reigns supreme in the digital marketing world, but people are increasingly put off by anything that reads too sales-y. As a result, brands and agencies are tasked with producing ever-better content, something that resonates with audiences and drives sales.

Not an easy task, and attempts often fall short. But we recently discovered a video series that feels like a real success. Diageo – spirits producer behind big names like Bulleit and Tanqueray – teamed up with Amazon Prime and Something Studios content agency for a shoppable travel documentary series.

Viewers join the show’s host, Carey Watkins – a charming and perfectly bobo LA-based Melbournian – on a cocktail-driven journey, World Class List. Each 20-minute episode takes place in a different city – Sydney, Taipei, Barcelona, San Francisco, and Mexico City – and features some of the world’s best bartenders as tour guides. Since the bartenders are in-the-know locals, the series also serves as a useful food-and-drink city guide.

We undoubtedly see Diageo product placement – an ode to blended Johnny Walker Gold as symbolic of the smoky BBQ culture of Sydney, for example – and links to Diageo’s e-commerce site are embedded in the films, but it doesn’t feel too forced. And that makes all the difference.

Our takeaway from the series? The key to successful branded content is identifying a product or brand’s home, then showcasing a naturally occurring story. And if you can make it functional, and thereby bookmark-worthy, all the better.

Don’t Chase Sales, Chase History

“Just do it” …but when it comes to running a marathon in under two hours, it’s easier said than done.

Following in the footstep of Red Bull Stratos, Nike was determined to prove skeptics wrong. And the result is Breaking 2, a stunning brand content campaign lead by Wieden+Kennedy and LA-based content studio, Dirty Robber.

Staying true to its mission statement, “to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete,” Nike brought three of the world’s most prominent marathon-runners to Monza racetrack for this herculean challenge. After more than five months of intense preparation, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge missed the mark by just 25 seconds, still becoming the fastest marathon runner in history.

But behind this “failed” attempt lays an indisputable creative success. It had everything: impeccable video production and storytelling, seamless promotion of Nike’s innovation and design capabilities, and strong relevance for the very influential running community. The race itself was crafted like a documentary, keeping the viewers engaged. What’s more, we nearly forgot that this wasn’t only about making history, but also selling Nike’s Zoom Vaporfly Elite shoe.

Adidas followed suit with its own “Sub2” program in February, promoting the Adizero Sub2 shoe. And who knows, the “impossible is nothing” brand might bring new meaning to its motto too.