Connect with audiences and perform for brands

by the BCMA and Laura Wade

The BCMA is in a privileged position to have access to the leading experts and pioneers of the branded content industry. This interview is a part of ‘For The Love of Branded Content’ series which brings together ‘thought-leaders’ from across the globe to share their ‘love’ and advice on what it takes to succeed in the ever-evolving world of branded content.

Laura Wade, Maxus, Head of Chorus, says branded content connects with audiences and performs for brands.

Learn more in her short interview below.

1. Why do you love branded content?

Because I love being a detective. Hunting out the right insight, crafting the KPI’s and working collaboratively with talented and passionate people to produce work that connects with audiences and performs for brands.

2. What do you love the most about branded content?

What I love most about working in branded content is how every project is different, every client, audience challenge and every response is unique. You have to constantly question; is this a piece of branded content, SEO content for owned platforms, an immersive experience at a festival or ad funded programming? What’s the most compelling way to deliver and most effective way to promote the branded content? The opportunities are endlessly exciting so you have to be adaptable and passionate to succeed. This breadth of opportunity is also why insight and rigour are so important in the process to ensure that what you produce tells your story in a way that resonates with the audience and the brand.

3. One piece of advice you’d love to give someone undertaking branded content?

If you are creating, curating or optimising branded content make sure that it has a clear purpose!

It has to add value for all parties; the brand, the platform and most importantly the audience. It’s too easy to lose sight of the purpose when multiple agencies are all trying to crack the ‘content’ brief. You need to stop and question if branded content is the right solution for what this client really wants to achieve. If yes great, then you need to interrogate what form of branded content is going to deliver and is it going to enhance the platform/s it’s delivered upon by being there or just add to the noise? Yes then, will this exceed audience expectations….or just end up being a long form of the TVC or advertorial?

4. What is the best example of branded content you love?

The best branded content puts the audience first, is editorially robust and is inspired by a brands value not constricted by it.

I believe the Casio G-shock Indestructible content campaign is a great example of how editorially led content creation can be at the heart of a campaign and can travel across multiple platforms. What started as the publisher Factory Media understanding its audience and crafting a creative concept for a brand within the digital world, lead to their first entry into broadcast.  A commissioned TV series, bespoke digital content seeded across targeted digital publishers to drive audience engagement with the Casio G-Shock brand interwoven throughout.

I am particularly proud of the branded content work Chorus delivered for Jeep and Red Bull. Jeep wanted to be synonymous with adventure in the UK. By working collaboratively with Red Bull, and securing ambassadors who embodied the passion for adventure, we created tent pole events that were captured on film, producing long form and short form content distributed on Red Bull channels as well as exclusive content on Jeep’s owned platforms. The content was highly targeted and drove exceptional engagement and significant growth within Jeep’s own social community.

www.redbull.tv