Fast Take On #ThinkContent Summit 2016
This year’s #ThinkContent Summit, NewsCred’s annual content marketing conference, reiterated the fact that content marketing is not an ephemeral trend—in fact, it is a requirement for marketing success. #ThinkContent featured speakers from across agencies, brands and publisher landscapes, as well as covering topics such as content marketing trends, predictions, B2B specialization and content for millennials.
In this Fast Take, MEC Wavemaker brings you the three key learnings and pro tips from the #ThinkContent Summit.
Meaningful storytelling goes deeper
The majority of the conversations at the summit shared a common theme—finding stories to tell from within the consumer journey will lead to more shareable content. For example, consider an adolescent girl’s first mascara purchase. Highlighting the emotions that come with the purchase is far more interesting than the purchase itself. After all, great content is not only about a brand’s voice – it is about audience identity. Those who connect with brand stories are the ones who will ultimately become brand champions. It is imperative to demonstrate that a brand story has purpose and value for consumers, either at an emotional or intellectual level.
Rob Candelino, VP of Marketing at Unilever, shared a great case on Dove’s new hair care video, which features women of all races, ethnicities and ages feeling free to wear their hair as they please. The video struck a chord among many women who felt their hair was not included in mainstream conceptions of “beautiful hair,” converting consumer identity into brand success.
Distribution means maximizing channel efficiency
Distribution is about more than just targeting—it is about using the right platform to highlight your content, or more accurately, using the right platform to best distribute each version of your content. Creative agencies can deliver beautiful products that in partnership with teams like MEC Wavemaker, deliver truly engaging and inspiring experiences along the consumer journey.
Consistency has its pay off
We know that spikes in spending lead to spikes in engagement, but they do not necessarily indicate a growing base of loyal consumers. Consumers need more than a brand experience or even a brand story—they need a brand narrative. Craig Hatkoff, of the Tribeca Film Festival, elaborated that a narrative is a collection of moments and stories that together provide a toolbox for constructing a relationship with your brand—both for organizing their beliefs and traveling along a trajectory.
To continue reading, download Fast Take On #ThinkContent Summit 2016 (pdf, 0.6 Mb).