TAKEAWAY: It is a perfect fit: the storytelling strategies that we have come to know as the Snow Fall genre taken to branded content. An early example from Converse, the shoe brand.
If, as we are beginning to discover, multimedia storytelling is the epitome of lean back information consumption, usually woven together through a story, with a variety of multi sensory appeal, such as audio and video, then what better opportunity for a brand that wants its message put across to a sophisticated audience that happens to be in a relaxed mode to consume the information?
In an earlier blog post last week, I mentioned that 2014 is definitely the breakthrough year for branded content. With the rise of multimedia storytelling among publications globally, this will probably be the way to go for advertisers who wish to expand beyond traditional presentation of their products.
Converse, the shoe brand, is one of the first to take advantage of multimedia storytelling for branded content.
Converse and multimedia storytelling
The Converse “branded content” advertising follows precisely the structure and strategies used by journalists who engage in multimedia storytelling:
1. It all begins with a story.
Converse sets the stage with a narrative that reads:
There are those who make moves instead of standing still. They think big. The compulsively create. They experiment and explore. They’re skaters, ball players, spitters, beat makers, band members, teammates, DJs, artists, entrepreneurs and more.
They are fueled by the streets where sounds are born, styles imagined, and ideas are expressed with supreme confidence.
The current cultural landscape is full of people like this, kids who create the world they want to see through fashion, sport, art and mucic. Turning an eye to New York City’s hip hop scene, two dynamic collectives stand out: progressive rap proponents Ratking and the five-man Brooklyn Soul music band Phony PPL. Here’s a glimpse into their world.
2. The story is divided into six segments.
3. The package includes photos, videos, audio.
And, indeed, Converse shows the products it wants to sell, but it is not a direct “in your face” sale here at all.
This is an example of what we are likely to see more in the future.
One tip for those who have created what is a good, pioneering effort combining multimedia storytelling with branded content: try not to set long texts in all capital letters—-just not easy to read.
See the Converse “branded content” ad here:
http://agenda.complex.com/cons/
Read more here:
Prepare For the Avalanche of Native Ad ‘Snow Falls’
http://digiday.com/publishers/complexs-bet-future-native-advertising/