Be it from the sensational to the moving to the uplifting, we are always on the look out for videos that capture us and speak to us. In any vehicle, it is the human that is in the driver’s seat and that is what Volvo does skilfully pointing us to reflect on our identities, our behaviour and our expectations. It’s ads like these that make us think “they get me”, urge us to look forward to what’s to come and appreciate the environment around us. Celebrating human achievement with innovative branded content is a smart move says Andy Lockley from Grey Group, “These remarkable stories depict people who are doing amazing things in the space of human-centric innovation. In turn they share the same values of the Volvo brand, and the way in which they design their cars.”
The video sector is tipping its scales and seeing unyielding promise in Southeast Asia, home to the fastest growing emerging economies Vietnam and Indonesia as well as prolific creators of homegrown content Malaysia and the Philippines.
According to a report from Media Partners Asia, there is a forecast for revenue from the video streaming-on-demand market to exceed US$200 million by 2021. The over-the-top (OTT) video sector will also see extensive revamp with the expansion in Netflix in the region posing a serious challenge to homegrown players such as SingTel’s HOOQ and Malaysian-based iFlix.
Research firm Ipsos revealed that some 62% of consumers in the top-income bracket watched online marketing videos on YouTube or via social media networks. Nielsen Company also conducted studies revealing some 75% of young adults in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and the Philippines watching digital videos on a weekly basis; and video sharing being the region’s most consistent social networking activities.
Research in 2016 by Google and Temasek Holdings, also indicate the expansive rise of e-commerce in Southeast Asia, with a spike from US$5.5 billion in 2015 to US$88 billion in 2025. These figures will account for a total of 6% of all retail sales in the region. With this volume of growth anticipated, what can content creators do to rein in those hotly contested eyeballs, succeed at driving brand awareness and deliver a stream of steady on-point videos?
Consider other channels apart from YouTube
Content creators will have to have their videos compressed and compliant with the requirements of other platforms apart from YouTube including Facebook Live, Instagram and Line.
According to TechCrunch, Facebook Live has over 3 billion views per day. Video is also rapidly crossing over to Instagram and Line. Instagram Stories is the default way of sharing a up-to-the-minute status update these days with influencers and brands sharing concise, catchy videos of up to a minute. Line, renowned for its childlike moveable stickers and flashy emoticons is also becoming the app with top market share in Japan, Thailand and Taiwan, according to the Financial Times.
Mobile is eclipsing TV as the go-to channel for video
According to Think with Google, the stakes for mobile to engage audience growth are high. Close to 90% of the population in Singapore own smartphones and television. In Asia, the gap between smartphone and TV ownership is much closer than in Europe and North America.
In Malaysia, the gap between users of smartphones and televisions is 11% and in Thailand, 13% as compared to figures of 33% in the US and 23% in the UK. Household brands such as Sunsilk Philippines created three customised pieces of promotional content to be aired during the morning, afternoon and evening slots. In each slot, content was tailored to give a relevant context and by using a time targeted strategy, they were able to articulate the frustrations and identify aspirations of their customer base. The content was also designed to be insightful, actionable and disruptive.
Southeast Asia’s ravenous appetite for branded content
Media agency Havas conducted a study calling on higher brand engagement among Asian consumers. The poll reported some 53 per cent of respondents saying brands improve quality of life, as compared to 29 per cent in the US and 28 per cent in Europe. With a loyalty engagement rate that is six times higher in Asia as compared to Western counterparts, brands will need to craft content that weaves in data and insight that is of value for their audience. Being nimble enough to stay relevant in their storytelling and drive meaningful, responsive conversations with their customer will be critical to their ability to thrive in the social space.
In Southeast Asia, tailoring to fit the buyer’s journey is essential
Shopping is huge in Asia, and it happens everywhere — on your mobile, to interactive screens, to personalised videos. Shoppable videos will allow consumers to take charge of their own online preferences and make purchasing decisions within the actual video. Merchants, e-commerce sites and retail vendors should start looking at placing video-based ads on customer preferred platforms. Very soon, a brand video is likely to be in itself a walking catalogue and product demo of its best buys!
Utilising video to redefine and expand a platform
Many fast-moving consumer brands are understanding how video lends a sense of immediacy and power to their brand proposition. Adidas Indonesia partnered with Periscope in their search for Indonesia’s most talented footballer. They used live streaming as a way of giving viewers a feel of VIP exclusivity and deepen their emotional connection. Maximising the potential of video on a news platform such as Adnut’s tie in with Yahoo Hong Kong is also another way of getting more views and shares. By developing bite-sized nuggets of news events that were easy to absorb, it promoted Yahoo Hong Kong as a suitable platform for sharing a condensed view of such stories. A mobile campaign was also created to rake in more mobile users via a rewards system.
There we go, some of the pertinent and promising trends in the Southeast Asia landscape that show video taking by storm. Next week, we’ll have a look at how video can enhance your overall brand effectiveness and how it can drive a focused and productive consumer journey.
Travel is increasingly running out of ideas and tourism boards across the world are thinking of new ways to market their destinations as new and exciting. Sweden is doing something true to itself and yet highly original — showing the country’s natural landscapes whilst emphasising its well-being and relationship with nature. Taking real-life visitors with stressful jobs and placing them into a glass cabin, they have their problem solving, blood pressure, creativity and breathing measured by experts showing the link between the environment and balance and wellness. It’ll make an exceptional Instagram story and beats any ad or postcard!
Why are consumer brands expanding video interactivity to drive user participation?
Brands today need to reach a wide audience across locations quickly and prompt their interaction and immediate engagement. Video is an effective tool to build trust and loyalty for your brand and get a message across in a persuasive way.
Video also works wonders in eliciting high social media shares and allowing users the flexibility of viewing it whenever or wherever. Forbes describes the envisioned future of video as one where “finding, placing, and consuming the right video at the right time becomes the big challenge for everybody.”
Consumer packaged brands (CPG) currently recognise a need to go beyond storytelling and brand awareness to expand their presence in Asia. This next phase requires content dedicated to driving sales, product awareness and customer acquisition. The Harvard Business Review argues that brands will need to refocus their marketing approach to secure the long-term trust of customers. The article observes, “Transparency, motivation, and generosity all build trust in ways that most big companies — CPG or otherwise — are not good at.”
Over the next 3 weeks, we take a closer look at how Wootag is helping consumer packaged brands to help identify, position and place their product in the right channels to the right audiences. What are the qualities that Wootag picked up on? Insights on the broad interests of the brand’s audience and intents of their viewers engaging with its touchpoints.
Empowering consumers also complements the challenges of consumer packaged brands including:
Speed in access to market and market efficiency
Tracking their customer satisfaction and sustaining it
A globally scaleable solution that provides support and value
Bringing the online and offline experience closer
Directing consumers to nearby stores and opportunities for free samples
Giving their brand a human touch and visual personalisation
To stay relevant and remembered in a competitive industry, CPG brands will need to develop more realism and maturity in their content and create stories that resonate with their current user needs.
Next week, we’ll walk through the Southeast Asia landscape and understand more about audiences’ consumption of online video there and how this leads to brands having to promote and share video content differently.
In part I of our “Brands We Admire” section we showed how content can be humorous and creative to bring out the qualities of the brand. In this post, we shed light on three brands that engage with their consumers through delivering value-adding content or by exploring newer content avenues.
As a brand, why would you want to establish a connection? This Forbes article points out that, in all the buzz around us, an emotional connection is an effective way to reach consumers and influences their decision making. When consumers look at a product and think of your brand right away, you know you have made that difference.
Let’s find out how Random House, Procter & Gamble and Lego are establishing the right connection with their consumers through content that sticks with them.
In Random House we trust
The publishing world is both fascinating and mysterious. People are often interested in how authors get around to writing their books, but there is an equal interest among budding authors in seeing how publishing companies transform text on a page into actual books.
The Random House YouTube channel gives a handy preview into publishing knowhow. It provides a healthy range of lively, relevant content that covers varying interests in publishing. The channel features interviews with established authors that aspiring ones can learn from and tips of what Random House does behind the scenes including challenges in editing, marketing, distribution and designing covers.
Ever wondered how books are marketed across devices whilst retaining their essence and appearance? Watch this video on converting books to full digital experiences. This other video shows the work that goes into pre-publishing as people begin work on the edited manuscript.
Understanding your audience is key. Video content is great when you know exactly the information your expected audience is looking for. By focusing on the finer points of publishing, Random House is allowing potential customers an accurate snapshot of their company.
Emphasis: By giving a voice to employees intertwined in the publishing process, Random House creates a sense of reliability. People can see the effort and dedication that go into their books, and they trust the publishing house to do its best.
Spreading a wise message with Procter & Gamble
Instead of a broader bird’s eye view, as with Random House’s behind-the-scenes take on publishing, you can also pique the curiosity of those seeking something more focused.
The educational videos on adolescent development by Procter & Gamble are an example of such targeted content. These videos are also part of programmes crafted by the P&G School. The videos by P&G, have information presented in a form that parents and teachers will find useful. This makes the videos ideal to discuss a sensitive topic.
Videos created in this manner elevate the brand’s purpose to guidance and advice for the consumer and that’s more than merely selling a product. Such content shows the brand’s commitment and establishes that connection with people. From being another name on the street, the brand becomes visible and memorable.
Emphasis: By creating videos that provide the right information, brands can bridge the gap with their consumers and build the trustworthiness of their products.
Hitting the big screen with Lego
Getting your product onto the big screen: that’s a product placement all marketers hope for! An entire movie based on your product. As much as the big screens are a great way to leave a lasting impression on your consumers, it can be tricky if not done right. After all, you don’t want the movie to come across as an enormous advertisement making it difficult for your audience to sit through.
As this article on The Lego Movie expresses “So why would we all willingly subject ourselves to a two-hour brand feast where every single frame involves the brand? Plus pay for the privilege? Because it was brilliant.”
The Lego Movie was unanimously praised for the visuals, its message, and the way in which the entire movie was executed. It won the BAFTA award for Best Animated Movie and pleased both kids and adults alike who had grown up playing with the multi-coloured bricks. For a younger audience, which is increasingly moving to the virtual space to consume their entertainment, the movie was a great way to bring the focus back to actual toys. Giving the audience something fun to watch in between skilfully weaving a story around the kids’ favourite, made this product placement feature outstanding.
Emphasis: While placing your product right at the centre of a feature film can be a challenge – if done right, it creates a new kind of fan base
Striking a goal with emotional touchpoints
These brands show us compelling content can come from exploring alternative content formats such as educational videos or feature placements. It is key to take a step back to understand what your consumers expect from your brand. Are they looking for some basic information? Are they looking for a preview of how you do the work? Or do they just want to be reminded that your product is fun? Remember to ask yourself that question, and then build and plan your content. In the end, it’s important your consumers feel integrated as if they are part of your brand.
Emotional touchpoints are the forefront of customer satisfaction so brands will need to ensure their content gives remarkable meaning to their audience and foster in their consumers, the freedom and independence to make decisions as well as a sense of affinity.
In this series, we recommend content that will help draw you closer to your chosen user, provide game-changing trends and insights that step up your flair for video.
According to Adweek, August 2017, brands are “shifting away from aspirational messages with an idealised vision of family and instead infusing campaigns with moments of realism.”
In an era where parents are bombarded with ads and social media posts, vying for their shortened attention spans is critical. Brands need to reinvent themselves into as down to earth, value-creating and honest in their representation. Speaking intelligently to today’s parents will require thinking up of stories that can engage with their emotional touchpoints.
The anxiety and pressure that comes with belonging somewhere and comparing with what other parents are promising their kids is real. Here we show some examples of parenting brands that are transparent and vulnerable and that create meaningful videos that bind them with their viewers.
Providing practical guidance through tutorials
Parents are spoilt for choice when it comes to information sources and are always looking for easy to understand tips and knowhow. Johnson’s Baby comes to the rescue to parents in need of a good night’s sleep and delivers a tutorial for soothing toddlers for a peaceful night
Using identifiable brand influencers
Reality shows are wildly successful and have a huge following — brands are certainly well aware. It Takes Gutz To Be A Gutierrez, is a reality series that resonates with female viewers in the Philippines. Providing the best nutrition possible and helping parents with their kids’ transition to drinking milk is central to NIDO’s mission and their target audience includes housewives and young moms. The use of influencers that identify with the brand creates transparent and memorable messaging and connects them to housewives and young moms in the Philippines.
Telling a story featuring an everyday situation
Getting your kids into the car and struggling with their yelling and tantrums is enough to put any family off a vacation. #BehindCarDoors takes a candid and entertaining look at how the time spent in the car is invaluable to learning more about our kids. Through recreations of the funny, the mundane, the unavoidable and the ugly, Renault positions its vehicle as one that is family-friendly. The video was viral on social media, showing how family time in the car is spot on for meaningful interactions and conversations that draw the family closer.
Using testimony in a relatable and real way
Being a parent as everyone else is a vulnerable and fallible task. Krafts Mac N Cheese uses humorous confessions from parents about their imperfections and makes it into an ad that tugs at parents’ heartstrings. The ad isn’t encouraging you to swear in front of your kids but providing an objective and invaluable lesson as how you should educate your children if they catch you doing it!
Telling stories well requires fresh and honest ideas
These brands have catapulted their success and engaged audience through storytelling. By using fresh and honest ideas in their advertising, brands can keep their parents as long-term viewers of their ads and be sure they are remembered well.
The way in which people are consuming information and have brands captured in their memory is fast changing. From Amazon to Netflix to digital marketing videos shared on Facebook, video is fast becoming the most powerful way for storytelling and getting your message across to the audience you’re targeting.
These days, digital marketing videos are a component of a larger, continuously evolving campaign. Delivering a clear and focused message, they help to add a personable touch, lend a more visual feel and drive in the larger theme through telling a story that will stay with you or connect to your senses. Here we share a sampling of the various video formats you’ll want to help drive you closer to your audience and create interaction and an ongoing relationship.
The game of “content” is a challenging one to play and stay competitive in. With so much content floating around us, it’s often difficult to gauge what the audience would like to see. One thing we can do is learn by example. Here are a few of our favourite brands showing us how content can be made worth the viewer’s time.
What do you first think of when you see the word “sports related videos”? If you are dealing with sports products and considering video marketing for the same, the logical step would be to create a video along the product usage. But in this space, there is a lot you can do content wise when it comes to creating popular sports videos. Marketing here is about creating the excitement with live events, the gears sportsmen use, the thrill of watching them play and the emotions that are experienced during a game.
The following examples will help you come up with different strategies for your sports based videos. We hope these ideas will get you started on your marketing campaign, and help you create that video with a difference.
I have recently found my admiration for the comments section. For example, I came across an article on the “Advertising Age”. The article discussed how the Zen baby Zen ad campaign got it all right. While it did give a lot of insight into what practices make a video content click, I found myself drawn to the comments below the video itself. It was interesting to see people write that “this is the best commercial ever”(with multiple exclamation points)” or that if the viewer had a baby, she would buy this product. It got me thinking that in this ever-changing world of content, it must be hard to create that rule book which specifies how the content can click with its audience. But in the meantime, we can all look at examples and try our best to get it close to “right”.
