Pumping Value Through The Content Ecosystem - Maureen Norman - MediaBizBloggers

In my last posting I talked about Dr Carl Marci and the work being done at Innerscope where they continue to explore the use of neuroscience to put context and structure around the concept of engagement Dr Marci and his team have developed this simple and comprehensible definition quotAttention plus emotion equals engagementquot That39s a great foundation for approaching engagement from a planning and creative perspective But how can we find value in engagement and help media professionals determine what it39s worth Let39s start by acknowledging that people engage with content not technology No matter how big the HD TV in the living room how cool the iPad or how many cable subscribers have access to VOD it39s the content that captures attention and creates emotion not the device So what39s the value of contentThe use of original content creation to support brands has followed what has sometimes felt like a plodding tentative and zigzagging road to 2010 When Madison began to court Vine more than a decade ago although some would argue that this was the rekindling of a long lost relationship in the spirit of Mutual of Omaha39s Wild Kingdom and Hallmark Hall of Fame to name but two there was genuine discussion around whether brands should be paying to be integrated into content or whether media should be paying to associate with brands The latter effectively proposed a 39brand as medium39 model No doubt there are some global brands whose reach and frequency dwarf that of some traditional media outlets Coke Nike Apple Ikea to name just a few But it was this debate that really opened the door for media professionals and marketers alike to figure out what the opportunity was worth and who should be paying for itFast forward ten years The emergence of user generated content has to some extent sidelined original content creation for marketers And why wouldn39t it With video content in particular creating a professional televisionquality product to support a brand is no different than creating programming to fill network schedules It39s risky expensive and comes with no guarantees UGC on the other hand costs nothing so risk and guarantees are somewhat mitigated But that39s just the point No cost no risk no value Entertaining Sure Strategic Can be But what UGC can39t do is add value to the content ecosystem Conversely brands that tread into the riskier waters contribute to the entire value chainRecently a client challenged us to optimize the placement of a brand message Acknowledging from the outset that one of our networks was a great environment the client asked us to explore production of custom content that would provide much greater context than any of the existing programming on the network After a couple of working sessions to uncover where the network39s brand and the client39s brand shared attributes we proposed two original custom halfhour specials As we worked through the concept development phase and the subsequent execution and budgeting phases the client gained a greater understanding of the value that creators and producers bring to the content ecosystem The company39s experience based on many years of bringing quality television to audiences was leveraged along with a solid understanding of the expectations of our viewers With the negotiation of talent fees there are almost certainly efficiencies that arise from existing relationships media companies have with potential hosts Oftentimes there are projects in development with the network and the spectre of these potential opportunities will enable the media company to negotiate more favorable fees on behalf of the advertiser That39s value being added to the content ecosystem All of these inputs are quantifiable and can help media professionals assign dollars to content creation and ultimately understand what engagement is worthMaureen Norman is a highly strategic creative and clientfocused advertising professional Maureen has extensive and progressive experience both agency side and client direct She has an established a record of success developing engagement opportunities with measurable ROI in both traditional and emerging media She can be reached at mnorman6sympaticocaRead all Maureen39s MediaBizBloggers commentaries at SOV MediaBizBloggersFollow our Twitter updates MediaBizBlogger

Become a Thought Leader.
Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Pumping Value Through The Content Ecosystem - Maureen Norman - MediaBizBloggers

Author

Publish date

Channel

Maureen Norman

Hispanic Leadership Roundtable: Inclusion, Mentorship, and Building the Next Generation (Video) - By Juan Ayala

More Videos:

Become a Thought Leader. Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Pumping Value Through The Content Ecosystem - Maureen Norman - MediaBizBloggers

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Maureen Norman

Hispanic Leadership Roundtable: Inclusion, Mentorship, and Building the Next Generation (Video) - By Juan Ayala

The payment was successful

Cookies

Become a Thought Leader.
Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership