With so many channels and video outlets, the power of video to help SEO and how easy it is to track video, it seems like more companies should be jumping on the brand content bandwagon with video. However, we’re hearing from marketing folks that branded content often gets lost in the overall discussion of marketing strategy with a client unless a few people have a passion for it.

Why we wonder? We know marketing professionals are making the best decisions for their clients and brands with the information that they have. But we do run into a couple of misconceptions about video and branded content:

1. The brand’s message will be lost.  In fact, many people are investing in branded content because it creates a stronger emotional connection for the brand than traditional advertising. In a recent FastCoCreate article, Linda Boff, Executive Director of Global Marketing for GE said that for GE, branded content had a much greater impact on consumer perceptions than standard display ads.
2. It’s expensive. But since branded video is often unscripted storytelling, it’s often less expensive than a traditional commercial, or scripted corporate video … and for gosh sakes, it’s more fun.

Since, we’re doing a lot more branded entertainment at Gamma Blast lately– specifically for our national clients (check it out) we’re here to give a few tips. We hope this helps your company’s brand become stickier and more profitable.

Some thoughts about branded entertainment:

• The brand has to fit the story to make the best connection.
• While the brand is integrated into the story, you don’t want the piece to feel like the brand is first priority. That makes it feel, “icky”.
• Many people, especially Generation Y and younger, accept a branded message as long as they get something that they want. I could care less about the GE stove shots in Top Chef since I get to watch these chefs.
• Whatever entertainment you create, it has to be something that you’d want to watch.

Is your company using branded content? How is it going? We’d love to hear how you’re making it fit.

Our New Ninja on Set

We’re so pleased to add to our motion graphics and visual effects capabilities with the addition of our newest Gamma Blast video artist. Sam Stringer-Hye has already hit the ground running creating motion graphics and visual effects for key Gamma Blast projects. He not only does graphics and effects, but is also a lightning-fast Final Cut editor and, if needed, production ninja. When he’s not at Gamma, he’s been known to mix it up hitting the 1′s and 2′s as a DJ at a party or two. No, you can’t hear “Celebration”.

Chad making Christmas magic with Big & Rich

Check it out–airing from December 12th through Christmas is a Christmas special featuring Big & Rich that’s directed and edited by Gamma Blast’s chief Chad Denning. “Christmas in the Black Hills”, a music special on GAC (Great American Country) features artists Big & Rich, Thompson Square, Tracy Lawrence, a new trio called “The Farm”, Bradley Gaskin and Andy Gibson. Set in the city of Deadwood and the surrounding Black Hills in South Dakota, the special aims to brighten the Christmas spirit with holiday songs by each of the artists set against the landscape of this picture postcard, winter wonderland. Chad and Gamma Blast Team Member and DP Jeff Johnson shot the project through High Five Entertainment.

It was a large-scale endeavor as the city of Deadwood literally opened its town to the project for shooting–with hundreds of residents used in many of the outdoor musical numbers; a segment shot on a 1800s era steam train and a horse-drawn sleigh as the setting for another musical sequence. For additional dates and times, check http://tinyurl.com/7qcotl9.

For sure, there’s an interest in online video, as evidenced by the crowd and participation at the August 15th meeting of the Nashville International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) held at Sunset Grill.   Gamma Blast’s Liz Denning and Steve Thomas from the digital marketing firm The Net Impact gave tips about how to strategize, market and track online videos to get the most return.   Thanks IABC for letting us talk about what we love –video.  Check out the Keynote.

IABC talk 8_11