As marketers who are both creative and data-driven, it’s crucial for the Fat Guy Media team to take in inspiration. These branded content marketing campaigns served as great sources of education for us, and we believe they can do the same for you.
3 Times Branded Content Marketing Hit the Mark
Red Bull
Time and time again, Red Bull rolls out extremely engaging branded content marketing campaigns, typically featuring videos of people doing awesome things ranging from snowboarding down impossibly steep mountains to freefalling from SPACE.
However, we’re going to focus on a relatively new campaign entitled “Strongman Swimming.” It’s all about the strength and conditioning journey (which features a 15,000 calorie per day diet, and we respect that) of a guy named Ross Edgley, who swims long distances with a 100 pound log tied to him.
The videos of Ross’ journey are awesome because they’re all sponsored by Red Bull, but aren’t so heavy-handed with mentions of the brand. It just feels like watching a TV show, with some Red Bull references thrown in naturally. It’s really entertaining.
The Mighty Ducks
This is a huge throwback that may seem laughable now, 30 years later, but Disney’s Mighty Ducks (both the movie and the franchise) serves as a great example of early branded content.
You may not remember, but The Mighty Ducks Disney movie actually came before the NHL franchise. The NHL ended up awarding the Walt Disney Company an expansion team after the 1992 movie’s success. After that, there came two more movies and a short-lived TV show. The goal was to spark children’s interest in the game. It also aimed to prove that hockey could be popular in regions beyond Canada and the Northern United States.
As antiquated and childish as that cartoonish logo may seem now, it was wildly successful at the time. Mighty Ducks merchandise quickly became the best-selling among NHL franchises, and home game attendance was remarkably solid for their first few seasons.
TOMS
TOMS is a shoe company that believes heavily in social good. It’s best known for donating one pair of TOMS to children in need for each pair purchased, but it does some other great charitable work as well.
In 2015, they released a virtual reality YouTube video on one of their visits to Peru. This gave viewers the option to sort of explore the area from their own computers.
It works as good branded content because it doesn’t beat you over the head with constant mentions of TOMS. It’s just a nice experience that allows you to witness the joy and importance of giving to those in need.
Clearly, branded content is not so much about the brand name or logo as it is about the actual content. Telling original, memorable stories is what resonates with consumers.
