Are companies like Red Bull, Mountain Dew and Buzzfeed the future of online media?
Redbull is a content company that just happens to make energy drinks. Think about it.
Some of the most captivating content you see is attached to the Red Bull brand. Felix Baumgartner skydiving attempt, all those incredible Instagram photos, extreme sports event footage.
My journalist friends (and my college aged self) would cringe at what I am about to say. But, this may be the future of media. Everybody has the ability to create and share content today. Gone are the days where journalists were the gatekeepers of info, and got to dictate what is the news. News does not just break at 5pm anymore. Now, news can and does happen 24/7, and it can come from a single tweet in the front lines, an Instagram photo of a natural disaster, an animated gif on Tumblr or a blog post.
For the smartest brands, this is great news. The news cycle playing field has been leveled. They can create compelling, valuable content and self-publish it with the potential of reaching millions of fans.
How can brands create compelling content? It’s all about great storytelling and adding value for your target audience. Some brands that are already creating killer branded content are Redbull (obviously), IKEA, Mountain Dew, T-Mobile, Coke Cola, Intel, Oreo and Sharpie.
My prediction is a lot more brands will jump on the branded content bandwagon in 2013. And, its only a matter of time before brands and news organizations begin to team up more and create sponsored pieces. Brands have money and an audience they want to reach, and news organizations are in need of revenue. (Read PPC banner ads for botox and plastic surgery, and paywalls are not the answer). We are already seeing the rise of awesome advertorial content with media companies like Buzzfeed, Gawker and Vice.
Do you think advertorial content is the answer for brands and news organizations? Is this the new business model that news organizations have been searching for?
