Why brands must be creative relationship builders

Amazingly, 62% of time spent in front of desktop video is not monetized in Germany, according to a 2015 report from Secret Media. Why? Because digital media consumers have installed ad-blocking software on their PC browsers.

According to PageFair and Adobe, global ad-block use grew by 41% year-on-year between Q2 2014 and Q2 2015. However, concurrently, the top 10 ads on youtube earned a combined 425 million views and accounted for more than 1 billion total minutes of viewing time in 2014, according to adweek, an impressive 54% more than 2013. These online videos, averaging 3 minutes in length, were also 47% longer than in 2013.

The top 2 of 2014’s most viewed were from Nike, so Nike is clearly doing something right. But, they are not the only brand leveraging creativity and engaging content in the pursuit of marketing excellence. In fact, content marketing is revolutionizing the entire advertising sector, putting the end user back in control of what advertising s/he chooses to view, share, and even participate in.

When brands seamlessly integrate content marketing with their social media strategy, they are empowered to build very effective and direct rapports with their target segments whilst influencing their segment’s influencers. These networks of relationships are generally based on trust, creativity, and a form of viral marketing that builds brand awareness and increases the value of brand identity.

Oh yes, I almost forgot; it also has an impressive sway on end user’s purchase and consumption intent. According to a December 2015 post on forbes.com, about 77% of marketers (B2B and B2C) state they will produce more content in 2016. Only 2% of B2C marketers will produce less, so content marketing is here to stay; but, how effectively will the advertising sector adapt?

You can view seven short videos about the societal implications of digital media and the impacts on various aspects of our lives:

How digital media is changing our lives
How we consume and share
Our digital presence and privacy
Our personal development, learning, and health
How we interact with one another
Our professional lives
How we engage civically

Find out more in the Forum's report, Digital Media & Society: Implications in a Hyperconnected Era.

Author: Claudio Cocorocchia, Content Lead, Media, Entertainment and Information Industries, and a Global Leadership Fellow