Have you ever marveled at the creativity of the LEGO movie or found inspiration in Dove’s empowering #ShowUs Campaign? These exceptional examples of branded content marketing have revolutionized the way brands connect with audiences, blending entertainment, emotion, and subtle brand promotion. In today’s digital era, this strategy resonates particularly well with audiences in the Philippines, and it’s no surprise that high-quality branded content often goes viral, garnering the attention it deserves.
Why does branded content matter? It’s not just about capturing fleeting moments; it’s about cultivating long-lasting connections. Engaging content fosters brand awareness, loyalty, and trust, ultimately driving conversions. Take, for instance, The LEGO Movie – a cinematic masterpiece that didn’t overtly push products yet triggered an astonishing $4.4 billion in sales.
In this article, get ready to unlock your brand strategy’s highest potential as we explore the world of branded content marketing. We’ve put together this PopStar guide for branded content marketing that offers valuable insights, tips, and real-world examples tailored for the Philippines.
Understanding Branded Content
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s define branded content for a Filipino audience. Branded content is content created or sponsored by a brand, typically involving an exchange of value, such as monetary compensation. The goal is to entertain, inform, and engage the audience while subtly promoting the brand’s identity. It’s important to distinguish branded content from sponsored content, which involves payment to publishers or influencers for explicit product promotion. Branded content, on the other hand, seeks to create a positive association between the brand and its audience by delivering valuable content aligned with the audience’s interests and needs. This often involves rich content types like videos and sound.
The Synergy of Branded Content and Native Advertising
Native advertising and branded content go hand in hand. Native advertising seamlessly integrates promotional content within non-advertising materials, creating a cohesive and immersive user experience. Brands in the Philippines leverage branded content to blend seamlessly with the surrounding editorial or organic content, offering value while subtly promoting their identity. Native advertising focuses on the placement and presentation of advertising content within non-advertising materials, often incorporating branded or sponsored content components.
Exploring Product Placement
Product placement is another concept worth delving into. While branded content focuses on creating valuable content, product placement strategically features a brand’s products or services within existing content, such as movies or TV shows. Product placement aims for exposure and visibility, whereas branded content aims to build deeper connections with the audience by providing meaningful content.
The Art of Branded Content Marketing
Branded content marketing involves a comprehensive strategy for creating and distributing content that resonates with the Filipino audience. This strategy considers the target audience, their interests, and their needs. Crafted thoughtfully, a brand content strategy guides the planning, development, and execution of branded content initiatives, ensuring effective engagement and connection. Much like The LEGO Movie, the film itself serves as branded content, while the strategic process of what, how, and where to promote it is branded content marketing.
Real-Life Examples of Branded Content
The Dove #ShowUs Campaign is a good example of branded content. In this project, Dove showcased a combination of video content and user-generated website content. These content focused on empowering women by highlighting real women with various skin types, hair types, body types and shapes, and more.
As part of their local brand strategy, Dove Philippines’ version, #RealBeauty Is Universal, celebrated beauty in diversity. The campaign highlighted the point that beauty encompasses all races, including Filipinos.
Branded Content on Different Online Platforms
Instagram: Branded content on Instagram involves collaborations between brands and influencers, advertising posts, stories, and more. It takes various forms, including content creator collaborations, user-generated content, brand-sponsored events, or original brand-produced content that tells a story and communicates brand values.
Facebook: Facebook provides numerous opportunities for brands to create engaging branded content through various formats like videos, articles, and interactive campaigns. Leverage Facebook’s wide reach and targeting capabilities to effectively connect with your Filipino audience.
TikTok: TikTok, the beloved short-form video platform in the Philippines, is a haven for branded content. Brands collaborate with TikTok creators to create entertaining and engaging videos that align with platform trends and culture. By seamlessly integrating their products or messages into these videos, brands capture the attention of TikTok’s diverse user base.
Enhanced Brand Content on Amazon: For businesses with a global reach, Enhanced Brand Content (EBC) on Amazon is a powerful tool. It allows brands to showcase their products with enhanced visuals, detailed descriptions, and multimedia elements. This creates a compelling shopping experience for customers.
When to Invest in Branded Content
The impact of branded content is undeniable in improving your brand strategy, but it may not be suitable for every business. Before embarking on a branded content journey in the Philippines, it’s crucial to evaluate several key factors. Firstly, having a compelling brand story is paramount. Your brand story should not only align with your core values but also resonate with the unique cultural and emotional aspects of the Filipino audience. This storytelling aspect is the heart and soul of branded content, allowing you to connect with your target market on a deeper level.
Additionally, budget considerations play a significant role. While it’s possible to create branded content on a budget, many successful branded content initiatives require a substantial financial investment. You may need to allocate funds for professional videographers, influencer collaborations, celebrities, travel expenses, and securing appropriate shooting locations. Understanding the financial commitment involved is essential to planning a successful branded content strategy.
Lastly, it’s essential to gauge your audience’s response to branded content. Conduct thorough research to determine whether your Filipino audience is receptive to this form of content. Analyze the response to branded content in your industry and examine what competitors have done. While there’s always room for innovation, understanding the landscape and whether your audience is already engaging with branded content will help you make an informed decision about whether to pursue this strategy. If most businesses in your sector have found success with branded content, it’s a positive sign, but if not, it’s vital to investigate the reasons behind their choices before deciding to invest in branded content.
Final PopStar Tip
Branded content marketing is a dynamic brand strategy that can resonate with the Filipino audience when done right. By understanding its intricacies and adopting best practices, brands can create engaging and meaningful connections with their target audience in the Philippines, driving long-term success in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Send us a message or contact our Team at contact@pop-star.me for more information on how PopStar can help your brand strategy here in the Philippines.