Branded Content

Branded content is a marketing strategy that consists of creating relevant and valuable content for the audience, focusing on the emotions and values of the brand, rather than on its products or services.

Unlike traditional advertising, the goal of branded content is not to sell directly.

Instead, its aim is to entertain, inspire or educate, leaving a positive and lasting impression on consumers .

For example, imagine a short film produced by a sportswear brand that tells an athlete’s story of overcoming adversity.

Although the brand’s products may appear in subtle ways, the focus is on the story, not the items themselves.

Main features of branded content

For content to be considered branded content, it must comply with certain criteria:

• Emotional relevance: the content must resonate with the audience on an emotional level. This can be done through moving stories, humor or relevant issues for their day.
• Focus on values: more than highlighting product features, branded content can be used to promote brand values. This reinforces identity and generates affinity with consumers.
• Strategic distribution: although the content itself is key, knowing where and how to distribute it is just as important. This is where platforms such as social media, blogs and even email marketing strategies come into play to reach the right audience.

Advantages of branded content

Investing in branded content can offer multiple advantages to your marketing strategy:

• Deep connection with the audience: by focusing on emotions and values, branded content creates a stronger and more lasting bond with consumers.
• Increase brand recognition: this type of content is often more memorable than traditional ads, which helps your brand stay in people’s minds.
• Better brand perception: companies that use branded content tend to be seen as more authentic and committed to their customers.
• Generation of viral content: When the content is exciting or entertaining, it has more possibilities of being shared, which amplifies its ornic scope.
• Perfect complement to email marketing: sending branded content through newsletters can be an excellent way to build subscriber loyalty and keep them interested in what you offer.

Branded content vs traditional advertising

Although both seek to promote a brand, branded content and traditional advertising have fundamental differences:

Branded Content

• Create value for the audience
• It is based on emotions and narratives
• It doesn’t interrupt the user
• It can be used to build relationships

Traditional advertising

• It is focused on the product or service
• It is focused on advantages and characteristics
• It can be considered invasive
• It can be used to get immediate conversions

A good example of branded content is a Coca-Cola campaign highlighting inspirational human stories, whereas traditional advertising would be an ad highlighting price offers on its products.

Real examples of branded content

To better understand the concept, let’s review some success stories:

· The Lego Movie

Do you know that this popular movie is an example of branded content?

While it entertains like any other movie, it also reinforces the values of creativity and imagination associated with the Lego brand.

· Nike and their athlete stories

Nike constantly produces documentaries and videos that tell stories of inspiring athletes.

The objective of these contents is not to sell shoes, but connect with the audience through values such as perseverance and effort.

· Mailchimp Presents

This is a great example of branded content in marketing.

The email marketing platform launched a series of documentaries and podcasts aimed at entrepreneurs, without focusing directly on its services, but rather on providing relevant content for its target audience.

How to incorporate branded content into your strategy

If you want to implement branded content in your strategy, here you have some steps you can follow:

• Define your brand values: Before creating content, make sure you reflect the central values of your company.
• Know your audience: understand what type of content they are interested in and what platforms they prefer to use.
• Tell authentic stories: storytelling is the basis of branded content. Try to create narratives that excite and connect.
• Take advantage of email marketing:use your email campaigns to distribute your branded content. For example, you can send a monthly newsletter with relevant stories or inspiring videos that reinforce your brand.
• Measure your results: although the main objective is not to sell, it is important to analyze methods such as engagement, scope and interactions to adjust your strategy.

Branded content and email marketing: The ideal combination

Branded content complements perfectly with email marketing.

While the former focuses on creating valuable content, the latter is in charge of distributing it effectively.

For example, if your brand has produced an inspiring video or an educational article, you can include it in your next mail campaign.

This will not only keep your subscribers engaged, but also reinforce the emotional connection with them.

Platforms such as Mailrelay are ideal for managing these strategies, as they offer advanced tools to customize and analyze your campaigns.

Conclusion

Branded content is a powerful tool to strengthen your brand and build authentic relationships with your audience.

Its focus on emotions, values and narratives makes it stand out from traditional advertising.

In addition, combined with strategies such as email marketing, it can help you achieve exceptional results.