A+E Networks: Coaching Brands to Stronger Partnerships

DeSocio and his team are focused on solving an increasingly difficult problem for brands standing out amidst a clutter of media choices with volume clarity and frequency To do that they identify AE media properties that match a brand39s personality and then integrate that brand message in meaningful and creative waysquotOur job is like being a matchmakerquot DeSocio explained quotWe pair your brand with a relevant and meaningful environment so your message can resonate or take on valuable new context and then we create custom elements that connect the brand and the environment even more But it doesn39t stop there The right idea the quotright matchquot needs to be nourished actualized and given the chance to thrive So maybe we39re brand coachesquotWhen advertisers begin working with AE Partnerships the first thing the team members want to understand is what the brand stands for and what it values They know that it is not their job to reinvent the brand but to quottake what they stand for amplify it and get it out into the world in a new and exciting wayquot said DeSocioquotWe believe that television remains a superior medium for building brands and selling products and services We also know adding platforms can make an idea even more effective So now it39s about encouraging our clients to be a part of the content everywhere it appears Supplementing big TV partnerships with digital social podcasts and so forth is so important because it allows brands to meet consumers wherever and whenever they are engaging with content It also allows us to introduce a brand or or key benefit on one platform offering trial or 39click to purchase39 on another Each platform or element plays a key role in the brand39s health and wellbeingquotMore platforms also translate to more eyeballs and opportunities DeSocio noted quotMore and more we are talking to clients about the importance of a Total Audience From engaging 55 consumers who by the way are 95 million strong and account for 40 of annual consumer spending and are open to new products and brand to amp160supplementing their linear buy with a digital campaign that delivers an independent and additive audience it39s never been easier to pull these levers And the right creative idea can be the thread that ties it all togetherquotThe ideation involves a deep dive into a client39s brief to see if there are hidden gems quotSome new insight about the consumer or how and why they use the brand might spark a new connection or suggest an unexpected propertyquot he added quotThat39s where the magic happensquotCustomizing the Content A HISTORY of SuccessA few years back Ford wanted AE to help launch a new campaign by targeting new truck buyers and intenders With a love and affinity for trucks The HISTORY Channel39s audience was perfect Existing programming coupled with new custom content took viewers into the Ford factory to see and experience the product from assembly line to the open road Not every brand has the time and resources for such elaborate partnerships according to DeSocio quotIn the past two years we39ve seen a greater appetite for more turnkey but still custom ideas and approachesquotIn today39s changing landscape working nimbly is also part of the process Last year when many were still homebound Ancestry asked the network to help them create a virtual Memorial Day Parade so that families and friends could still share a meaningful holiday experience togetherThe HISTORY Channel was able to use their storytelling skills and resources to assemble Memorial Day Parade footage from over the years to create a shareable consumer experience that was also great for the brand DeSocio said Coupled with moving narration the partnership resulted in a shared consumer experience that paid off for both brandsEncouraging Brand Stories with PurposeFor inspiration DeSocio39s team looks deeper into the process of creating content quotTo us who gets to tell the story not only makes a difference but creates opportunities with reallife impactquot He cites the Lifetime network and their Broader Focus initiative as an exampleThe program helps young women from diverse backgrounds get their first job in media The effort also includes a scholarship program for film school so that more women can enter the industry quotIn this way Lifetime has been supporting women not just by telling stories that they love but by encouraging and cultivating female talent in media scouting content leaders who are creating the best femalefocused stories for television and raising awareness about the need for more women of varied backgrounds in influential contentmaking rolesquot DeSocio saidquotWe always invite clients to share their social values and outreach programs with us There39s been a real shift from brands towards supporting meaningful and socially responsible messages and causes and we39ve had great success in telling those storiesquot said DeSocioFor more than four years The HISTORY Channel has partnered with Rocket Mortgage to show how the brand is working to eradicate veteran homelessness quotThis is another example of good match making These uplifting stories resonate even more with the HISTORY audience who support and celebrate the veteran community all year longquot DeSocio explainedWinning ResultsEvery brand appreciates creative work that stands out but what they ultimately want are results amp160quotDid we make an impact Did we encourage or close a sale It39s not enough to have a great ideaquot DeSocio said quotYou have to have a great idea that worksquot To understand the power of a partnership39s results DeSocio asks four questions about the intended audience quotDid they hear it Did they remember it Were they moved by it And ultimately did they take some actionquotIf the answer is 39yes39 to all the above then we39ve done our job in helping our partners become a part of the larger conversationquot he saidThose questions will certainly be asked about the Lifetime minimovie A Merry and Bright Makeover which wasamp160just released for Procter ampamp Gamble39s beauty brand Olay quotWhen balancing creativity and commerce we must always keep the consumer in the front of our minds If we create content with their needs in mind and it represents our audience and the real world everyone wins The audience is entertained the brand makes its point And if it39s organic and feels right viewers are more than willing to come along for the ride and embrace the brand more fullyquot DeSocio saidYou can watch A Merry and Bright Makeover at topamp160Click the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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A+E Networks: Coaching Brands to Stronger Partnerships

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