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- Folio Article: Embrace Content
- A Digital Mag Providers Take...
- Content Consistency is Getting More Challenging
- The Rise and Fall of Digital Magazines
- CMA Conference focuses on B2B Content Marketing
- ABM Custom Media PowerPoint Presentation Available...
- Unique Content the Best Way to Build Community
- The Switch from Branded Entertainment to Entertain...
- Content Marketing Catching On
- Content Predictions for 2007
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Cup of Joe
CMA Conference focuses on B2B Content Marketing
The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) is hosting a day-long session around the future of B2B Marketing. The event will be March 1st in Toronto, and will cover topics such as "integration of sales and marketing" - "best practices in creative" - and "creating a global brand," in addition to content marketing. I'll be presenting the morning keynote on "content marketing's role in B2B."
This is a first-rate seminar focusing on core issues marketers are dealing with in business-to-business. Hope you can make it!
For information on the seminar and to sign up, click here.
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This is a first-rate seminar focusing on core issues marketers are dealing with in business-to-business. Hope you can make it!
For information on the seminar and to sign up, click here.
Labels: branded content, Canadian Marketing Association, content marketing
The Switch from Branded Entertainment to Entertainment Marketing
I read recently that the 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies) announced that they were changing the name of their Branded Entertainment Committee to the more relevant, Entertainment Marketing committee.
After reading this news, it made perfect sense. Branded Entertainment could be anything that associates your brand with something entertaining. Entertainment Marketing suggests a behavioral change or action (since the word marketing itself suggests that you are selling something and looking for a transaction to take place) through an entertaining medium.
Take that example and let's look at branded content. If we use the same mentality, we should then take branded content and rename it content marketing.
My prediction...two years from now, branded content, custom content, custom publishing, custom media, etc...will be known better as content marketing.
See you then!
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After reading this news, it made perfect sense. Branded Entertainment could be anything that associates your brand with something entertaining. Entertainment Marketing suggests a behavioral change or action (since the word marketing itself suggests that you are selling something and looking for a transaction to take place) through an entertaining medium.
Take that example and let's look at branded content. If we use the same mentality, we should then take branded content and rename it content marketing.
My prediction...two years from now, branded content, custom content, custom publishing, custom media, etc...will be known better as content marketing.
See you then!
Labels: branded content, branded entertainment, content marketing, custom content, custom media, custom publishing, entertainment marketing
What's in a Name?
I have the privilege of being involved in a number of trade associations, including the Custom Publishing Council, American Business Media, and the Society of National Association Publications. For the past year and a half or so, the same conversation comes up with those in the industry - "What is the name of our industry?"
Strange question, huh? The industry I'm talking about is custom publishing - otherwise known as sponsored media, customer media, custom media, branded content, branded editorial content, member media, corporate media, content marketing, customer publishing, and yes, custom publishing.
Most involved in the industry believe that custom publishing is too print-centric...and they may be right. For example, when you think of custom publishing, do you think of a webcast, or eBooks. Probably not. Well, let's try branded content. Sounds great, right? Not so fast. Branded content is a buzz term for everything from gaming sponsorships to mobile tie-ins. Try doing a keyword search for branded content on Google and you'll see what I mean. I personally like branded content, but I have to admit the term is very broad.
So what will it be? Custom publishing out? Branded content in? Content marketing on the rise? Only time will tell. The interesting part of all this...five years ago no one cared what the definition was, they pretty much ignored it. Now, whatever it's called, is a force in corporate marketing budgets across the globe. Well, at least it makes conversations with my parents over what I actually do a little more interesting.
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Strange question, huh? The industry I'm talking about is custom publishing - otherwise known as sponsored media, customer media, custom media, branded content, branded editorial content, member media, corporate media, content marketing, customer publishing, and yes, custom publishing.
Most involved in the industry believe that custom publishing is too print-centric...and they may be right. For example, when you think of custom publishing, do you think of a webcast, or eBooks. Probably not. Well, let's try branded content. Sounds great, right? Not so fast. Branded content is a buzz term for everything from gaming sponsorships to mobile tie-ins. Try doing a keyword search for branded content on Google and you'll see what I mean. I personally like branded content, but I have to admit the term is very broad.
So what will it be? Custom publishing out? Branded content in? Content marketing on the rise? Only time will tell. The interesting part of all this...five years ago no one cared what the definition was, they pretty much ignored it. Now, whatever it's called, is a force in corporate marketing budgets across the globe. Well, at least it makes conversations with my parents over what I actually do a little more interesting.
Labels: branded content, content marketing, custom publishing, ebooks, webcasts
A Branded Content Site to Learn From
Want to see a branded content site that is just the start of things to come? Home Made Simple is truly simple solutions for easy living. The best part for a branded content nerd like me...it's not a media-owned site...it's the brainchild of Procter & Gamble.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
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Check it out and let me know what you think.
Labels: branded content
Online Publishers Association confirm power of Branded Content Sites
The Online Publishers Association (OPA) recently released a research study that states in the opening paragraph that "...branded original content sites – make for a more valuable advertising environment."
Although the entire study involves their member sites such as cnn.com, abc.com, and discovery.com, the results again confirm why corporations are getting into the "branded content" game. If b2b and b2c consumers prefer (as the research suggests) branded original content, and, according to OPA, they are in "decision-making mode," compared to sites without a robust content offering, the opportunities to corporations are a-plenty.
It's no wonder why corporations are getting into the game. I'm sure we have all heard that, in the next few years, a massive majority of content produced on the Internet will not be produced by traditional content providers. Yes, this includes the myspace and YouTube users, but it also includes corporations and associations. These groups, such as Ford and their Ford Bold Moves campaign, have only just begun to make an impact.
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Although the entire study involves their member sites such as cnn.com, abc.com, and discovery.com, the results again confirm why corporations are getting into the "branded content" game. If b2b and b2c consumers prefer (as the research suggests) branded original content, and, according to OPA, they are in "decision-making mode," compared to sites without a robust content offering, the opportunities to corporations are a-plenty.
It's no wonder why corporations are getting into the game. I'm sure we have all heard that, in the next few years, a massive majority of content produced on the Internet will not be produced by traditional content providers. Yes, this includes the myspace and YouTube users, but it also includes corporations and associations. These groups, such as Ford and their Ford Bold Moves campaign, have only just begun to make an impact.
Labels: branded content
Ford's Bold Moves
Kudos to Ford and it's "Bold Moves" online documentary series, available at www.fordboldmoves.com. In a truly scary time to be a Ford stakeholder, Ford, in their own words, "pulls back the curtain," to show how the company is trying to overcome their loss of market share (including a 3Q loss of 5.8 billion). Excellent move to combat the growing pessimism that is revolving around Ford (my father worked over 25 years at Ford...I hear it all the time).
Interested to see how Ford evaluates its effectiveness. Stay tuned!
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Interested to see how Ford evaluates its effectiveness. Stay tuned!
Labels: branded content, eMedia
Branded content is everywhere!
I was bouncing around my usual financial web sites last night (thestreet.com, fool.com, Yahoo! Finance) reviewing a few articles on Google (YouTube buy, the recent earnings report) and started to notice the type of advertising I was seeing on those sites.
First, it was a block ad from Cisco promoting their podcast series - one of their SVPs discussing the latest innovations in technology.
Second, it was American Century. By simply clicking on their ad, I could unveil the secrets to rolling over my 401k with ease and simplicity (white paper)
Third, it was Charles Schwab. "Chuck" was offering, if you clicked, to detail their customers most common investing problems and how Chuck solved them (white paper).
You guessed it. All these examples have branded content in common. The smartest marketers are offering their customers and prospects highly valuable content to start or continue a relationship with them. This type of content creates a change within the prospective buyer that may and often does ultimately lead to a buying decision (to buy new or stay).
If you troll through b2b web site advertising, you still find mostly product pitches that offer some sort of differentiation. But watch out. The next wave of branded content is coming, and you'll see much of it on the b2b side.
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First, it was a block ad from Cisco promoting their podcast series - one of their SVPs discussing the latest innovations in technology.
Second, it was American Century. By simply clicking on their ad, I could unveil the secrets to rolling over my 401k with ease and simplicity (white paper)
Third, it was Charles Schwab. "Chuck" was offering, if you clicked, to detail their customers most common investing problems and how Chuck solved them (white paper).
You guessed it. All these examples have branded content in common. The smartest marketers are offering their customers and prospects highly valuable content to start or continue a relationship with them. This type of content creates a change within the prospective buyer that may and often does ultimately lead to a buying decision (to buy new or stay).
If you troll through b2b web site advertising, you still find mostly product pitches that offer some sort of differentiation. But watch out. The next wave of branded content is coming, and you'll see much of it on the b2b side.
Labels: branded content, custom publishing, podcasts, white papers
How do you define Custom Publishing?
We recently did a survey for our publication, B2B Marketing Trends, about how marketers define custom, branded communications. There were four choices, custom publishing, custom media, branded content, and branded editorial content. I was interested to see the results, since the industry itself is struggling at what the words or phrases used will ultimately be.
How's this for results...there was a three-way tie...do you believe it? Custom Publishing, Custom Media and Branded Content all finished with exactly the same number.
My take - marketers don't know how to define this industry either. It's going to be an interesting ride over the next few years to see how this growing industry begins to define itself.
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How's this for results...there was a three-way tie...do you believe it? Custom Publishing, Custom Media and Branded Content all finished with exactly the same number.
My take - marketers don't know how to define this industry either. It's going to be an interesting ride over the next few years to see how this growing industry begins to define itself.
Labels: branded content, content marketing, custom media, custom publishing
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