Scott Cullather, President & CEO at [INVNT GROUP] explores the changing nature of the strategy in 2020.
When it comes to content strategy, most of us are familiar with the saying content is king, but context is queen. Whether it’s communicated across social, web, TV, or as part of a live or in-person event, no one can underestimate the power and pull of a compelling piece of content.
However, that content will completely miss the mark if there’s no context behind it. No matter how creatively driven or visually stunning it is, if it’s not well researched with respect to the target audience and what’s going on in the world at any given time, the content will fall completely flat.
Or worse… The brand or company faces criticism for its lack of sensitivity and authenticity at a time when those two traits are needed most.
Context: more important than content?
In many ways, this age-old saying has been turned on its head, as in 2020 the context in which content is shared is more important than ever to a sound content strategy.
The modern consumer is intelligent. We can tell, for example, which TV spots or marketing campaigns were produced before the pandemic or the 2020 activities surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement. We cringe a little, too, because we expect brands to immediately adjust their content in-line with what’s happening in the world. No matter how fantastic their original marketing campaign plans may have been, they need to react and react fast.
Consumers look to brands for education and support during uncertain times, and the brands that have leaned into the sensitivity of storytelling and made sure it’s appropriate for the times we’re in are building greater connections with their target audience as we speak.
It’s a move that has ultimately turned them into brand believers and advocates, as not only have these brands gained consumers’ respect now, they will be remembered for taking action for years to come.
Predictive analytics: a new era of understanding for content strategy
A creative idea is vital, but what’s even more important in the context of brand storytelling is that it actually resonates with people. Enter predictive analytics: a data-driven approach that enables marketers to understand the success of a campaign before it runs.
The algorithmic formulas leverage over 220 million minutes of video that has been tagged with a variety of relevant metadata points, which is used to create personalized, contextually sensitive brand storytelling campaigns.
Drawing on this approach, our team at branded content studio and content marketing agency, HEVĒ, for example, are able to predict with 85% accuracy how content will perform before they create it. They then match it with empathy to unlock deeper, more meaningful, and relevant ideas and ultimately, BrandStories.
By now you’re probably busy planning for 2021. Don’t get left behind – make sure you weave context into your future brand storytelling content strategy.
Read the piece as it originally appeared online here.
