Branded Content vs. Viral Video

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It is a good article.

I think branded online videos are a good thing. It's better than watching a flat out spot and it's garunteed revenue for the producer vs hoping enough people click ads to pay for it. There's been some fun stuff that resulted from it too, like Toyota's Swagger Wagon.

In our ideal world, we'd make money off of shorts and other low-budget ventures like the bug bos do: consumer pays $x to see it.

Of course, the big boys turn to product placement all the time. In a 30 Rock episode, Alec Baldwin was determined not to loose more money on a script that had been tossed around so he stuck his hands in it, found grants and sold product placement and even put in a "Text 83739 to vote for..." in the middle of it, charging a $1 a vote haha. They turned a Saw-esque horror into a cheesy tourism ad. It was so bad that nobody was going to see it, but "that's ok, it hasn't release yet but we've already made a profit from the ads."

A slapstick joke, but becoming true.

When trying to appeal to an online audience, it's smart to incorporate viral elements. Cats, babies, groin kicks... But not smart to ever expect it to really go viral. It's not "honest" when it's planned and written (faked), people aren't as willing to accept it.
 
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PaulGriffith said:
When trying to appeal to an online audience, it's smart to incorporate viral elements. Cats, babies, groin kicks...
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No, it isn't. You pointed out yourself that authenticity is what makes viral videos go viral. The elements of the viral video are not nearly as important as the whole. While you may want to include things like cats and kids just because of the demographics of the 'net, you don't include them because they're 'viral' elements.

Semantics, I suppose...

Someone offered me a 'job' (no money, but I could use all of his equipment and a small theoretical budget, etc) to film some cheap Internet commercials for his camera shop. He brandied the word "viral" around quite often.

I didn't take the job.

As for the topic, I'm not sure how branded content is any different from regular ol' product placement or sponsorship?
 
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Eventually each viral filmmaker will find out there is no such thing as a viral filmmaking. If someone ask you to help with their "viral" project, demand upfront payment in cash. :)

Branding on the other hand is a marketing technique that does work -- having more than one item to sell to the same audience. Its more than branded contents -- related material (or media) counts too.
 
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When I think branded content I think of short films with the BRAND featured, I.e. A World Or Warcraft movie etc.. Not product placement, which is something different.

How would you do something the same say for a less cool product like laundry detergent?

EDIT: In thinking this over, I believe my view is way to narrow. Considering the orginal branded content, Soap Operas.
 
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