Branded content

Branded content, also known as Branded entertainment and Product placement, is a relatively new form of advertising medium that blurs conventional distinctions between what constitutes advertising and what constitutes entertainment. Branded content is essentially a fusion of the two into one product intended to be distributed as entertainment content, albeit with a highly branded quality. Branded content, unlike conventional forms of entertainment content, is generally funded entirely by a brand or corporation rather than, for example, a Movie studio or a group of producers. However, it can be argued that this is just a new name for the same type of marketing that was pioneered by soap manufacturers in the early days of radio and television with the soap opera.

The technique

The notion of an advertiser or company producing something engaging for the consumer in order to sell more product has been around for decades. The term branded content, however, really took hold as a new marketing technique in 2001, when The Hire was produced and distributed on the internet and DVDs. It featured a series of short films by Hollywood "A-List" directors, with the BMW car as the real star of the action.

The popularity of these films spurred other marketers to create films, music, games, interactive content and real-life events. This content merely exists to entertain and educate the consumer, keeping their attention long enough to market a product or service. The most successful branded content programs are able to blend the advertising message in a seamless and transparent fashion, while still getting the information across to the consumer.

See also

* Branded entertainment
* Integrated Media
* Soap opera
* Reality marketing
* Permission marketing
* Experiential marketing
* The Hire
* As the Cookie Crumbles
* Naomi Klein, No Logo
* No. 5 The Film
* Fat Actress