Why is Branded Content online important?

There has always been confusion when it comes to advertising and online TV; which budget does it come out of? Pre, mid or post-roll positioning? How long should an ad be? Does the same content work off and online? And while the industry pondered the user evolved.

Consumers have realised that when it comes to online they are in control. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are all struggling to find a workable model to successfully serve advertising despite having access to millions of users globally. Web users are no longer passive consumers of advertising, this is their space and their experience and if you want their attention you have to earn it.

Therefore, branded content has become the buzz phrase of 2009. Rather than serving a pre-roll advert around someone else’s content, your brand has now become the content. You can offer your audience entertainment and education, it’s cheaper than TV advertising, you have longer to engage your audience and if successful can become a viral phenomenon.

What the research set out to discover.

The success of a piece of branded content is extremely difficult to determine. Viewing figures don’t tell the full story with regards to engagement, brand perception and increased propensity to buy. As the consumer is in control the guidelines for this new medium need to come from them.

Simply worked closely with media specialist Work Research to devise the methodology for an in-depth qualitative study capable of understanding exactly how people think about, find and use branded content online.

Key areas the research set out to investigate were:
  • Which types of branded content work best?
  • When doesn’t it work?
  • What effect does it have on a brand?
  • Does it encourage sales?
  • Is it perceived as advertising?
  • Where do consumers encounter branded content?
  • Does the surrounding environment impact the reaction?

Why are these findings important?

This is the first qualitative study to unpick the complexities of branded content online from the viewers point of view and to outline why this area is so important to the future of online advertising.

It looks at the positives and negatives of this new advertising medium and compares it to more traditional forms of advertising in broadcast and print.

It looks at video from a consumer perspective and is able to suggest guidelines for creating successful content that will not only attract viewers but also increase sales.