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Content Highlight of the Week: Double-Header

14/03/14

This weeks CHOW again gives us a glimpse of that rarest of beasts, the double-header. Yep, once again we've seen two things we want to share with you.

First up is a snogfest that's caused quite a stir online.  Earlier this week, this interesting observational film by Tatia Pllevia started racking up the views as innocent audiences, scandalised by lip on lip action, with utter strangers no less, started sharing this faster than the kissers were sharing germs. Watching people overcome social awkwardness to foster an unnatural intimacy made for a fascinating viewing experience.  But more fascinating to us was that it turned out to be content for a brand – Wren clothing. So minimal was the branding (just a little title at the start, and the volunteers' unremarkable threads) that the fact this was branded content passed by most of us until the film had hit 7 million views, by which time it became a news story, complete with credit back to Wren. So, heres how that model works: brand makes successful unbranded content, success of unbranded content creates PR, PR retro-brands content. The perfect circle. The minimal touch on branding was a brave and smart move. We doubt the film would have been shared so widely if it had had a heavier stamp from the brand.

 

Another lesson to be learned is delivered by the figurehead of the best marketing team in politics: Team Obama. Here is a great example of starting with the audience's interest and using an existing content vehicle to deliver your message to the right audience in the right way. President Obama wants to promote Obamacare to young people. Under normal circumstances young people would reply: boring, go away.  But not if the Obamacare message is presented as part of an amusing interview with Zack Galifianakis on his fabulously named online show Between Two Ferns. Obama's deadpan performance is pitch perfect. Imagine if our government or political messaging was as subtle and innovative as this. And compare it in conception and execution to the infamous YouTube embarrassments of Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband. Political marketers of Britain, raise your game. Please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnW3xkHxIEQ