For the forward looking marketer or brand owners, content has always been an important area of focus. The manner in which people, especially millennials, are consuming content today suggests a need for differentiated content strategies not only for the clutter breakers but for any brand that wants to be heard or seen. Consumers are connecting with, searching for, watching, creating and downloading content at unprecedented levels and speed.
In this new normal, conversations are gravitating towards visual content strategies. “Strong brands are definitely aware of all the visual tools they should use for proper communication. The impetuous development and power of mobile technologies – and of course the rise of social media – has had great impact on the expectations and high demands of different target audiences regarding the visual language of brands marketers have to deal with,” commented Kim Sergey, CEO, Coruna Branding.
This combination of video and content is expected to be more than just a tactic in the coming year. Twitter’s Head of Revenue, MENA Benjamin Ampen stated that this is a big trend to watch out for. “Video is going to be a big one, be it mobile video and all kind of media consumed on mobile,” he said, adding, “Video is for marketers to connect with the consumers giving a sense of personal relevance. Many platforms are already coming up to offer quality video formats and measurable engagements. We are investing in video significantly too.”
Emphasizing on how the right content can work for brands, Mr Ampen cited the example of a Samsung video campaign. “The campaign was for a washing machine, and picked up really well. With due respect to washing machines, it shows that you don’t need to have a glamorous topic to create great, shareable content. If you put the right context, in front of the right people, at the right moment, it will work.”
Mr Sergey stated that many regional brands such as Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways, du, Ooredoo and Agility Logistics have displayed intelligent use of visual content and branding. Elaborating on Emirates Airlines, Mr Sergey said, “Emirates has spent billions of dollars on its communications, sponsorship advertising and public relations. It has developed a clear visual brand identity over the last 10 years, engaging a global audience. In this region, it has also established itself as a beacon of hope, providing positive growth stories and images during the recession and so on.”
Marketers need to ensure that they communicate their message through videos and visual content more effectively, suggests Mr Sergey. “Marketers need to remember that a picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to capturing your audience’s attention you want to take full advantage of every chance to communicate your message. Short attention spans have made lengthy explanations less effective so you need to keep people engaged and interested. Marketers also need to play closer attention to what the competition is doing – where are they having success, where are they weak, how can the brand be differentiated,” he said.
There is no denying that it is easy for information to get lost or ignored if it’s not in an easy, digestible format. Integrating visual content into the marketing plan can boost how much audiences absorb and remember the brand. Eventually, those are the areas that make all the difference for a winning strategy.
