Using Branded Documentaries in Modern Marketing Strategies
The Power of Branded Documentaries
In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, staying ahead of the curve is essential for any brand looking to make a lasting impact. In recent years, one strategy has emerged as a powerful tool for engaging audiences, building brand awareness, and fostering customer loyalty - branded documentaries. These captivating and informative long-form videos have become a key component of modern marketing strategies.
They not only offer increased branding opportunities but can also be skillfully edited into short-form commercial content, giving brands the best of both worlds. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the benefits of branded documentaries in modern marketing and how they can be leveraged for maximum impact.
The Rise of Branded Documentaries
Before diving into the benefits, let's take a moment to understand what branded documentaries are and why they've gained so much traction in recent years.
What Are Branded Documentaries?
Branded documentaries are extended video content created by brands to tell a compelling and often emotionally resonant story. Unlike traditional commercials, these documentaries focus less on promoting a product directly and more on creating a narrative that aligns with the brand's values, mission, or customer aspirations.
A recent branded documentary I completed for KT Tape about professional triathlete Matt McElroy…
Why Are They Trending?
Several factors have contributed to the rise of branded documentaries:
1. Consumer Demand for Authenticity: Today's consumers crave authenticity. They want to connect with brands on a deeper level, understand their values, and feel a sense of trust. Branded documentaries provide an ideal platform to convey authenticity.
2. Digital Platforms and Streaming: The proliferation of digital platforms and streaming services has created a hunger for quality video content. Brands have seized this opportunity to tell their stories in a format that resonates with audiences.
3. Storytelling as Marketing: Storytelling has become a central component of modern marketing. Branded documentaries allow brands to craft narratives that captivate, educate, and inspire, fostering a stronger emotional connection with their audience.
Now, let's delve into the numerous benefits of incorporating branded documentaries into your marketing strategy…
Benefits of Branded Documentaries
1. Building Brand Authority
A well-crafted branded documentary positions your brand as an authority in its field. By exploring topics related to your industry or niche, you can showcase your expertise and thought leadership. When viewers associate your brand with valuable insights, it builds trust and credibility.
2. Emotional Engagement
One of the greatest strengths of branded documentaries is their ability to evoke emotions. These emotions create a lasting impact, making viewers more likely to remember your brand and its message. Emotional engagement is a powerful driver of brand loyalty and customer retention.
3. Long-Lasting Impact
Compared to traditional ads that are often quickly forgotten, branded documentaries have a longer shelf life. They can continue to engage and resonate with audiences long after their initial release. This extended exposure maximizes the return on your marketing investment.
4. Audience Education
Branded documentaries allow you to educate your audience about complex subjects related to your industry or cause. By providing valuable information, you position your brand as a trusted source of knowledge, which can lead to increased customer loyalty.
5. Storytelling for Connection
Human beings are wired to respond to stories. Branded documentaries provide a unique opportunity to tell your brand's story in a way that resonates with viewers on a personal level. This emotional connection can turn casual consumers into devoted brand advocates.
6. Enhanced Social Sharing
Compelling content gets shared on social media. Branded documentaries, with their longer format and engaging narratives, are more likely to be shared by viewers who resonate with the story. This organic sharing expands your brand's reach.
7. Adaptability for Short-Form Content
One of the most exciting aspects of branded documentaries is their adaptability. The same content can be skillfully edited into shorter video clips or commercials. This versatility allows you to leverage your investment by repurposing the content for various marketing channels.
Leveraging Branded Documentaries for Short-Form Content
The ability to repurpose branded documentary content into short-form commercials or promotional clips is a game-changer for modern marketing. Here's how you can do it effectively:
1. Identify Key Moments
Review your branded documentary and identify key moments that can stand alone as impactful short-form content. These could be emotionally charged scenes, powerful quotes, or compelling visuals.
2. Craft a Narrative
Create a narrative structure for your short-form content that captures the essence of your brand and the message you want to convey. Ensure that it aligns with the overall theme of your branded documentary.
3. Maintain Visual Consistency
Keep the visual style, color palette, and branding elements consistent with your longer documentary. This ensures that viewers instantly recognize the connection between the short-form content and the brand.
4. Optimize for Different Platforms
Tailor your short-form content for different social media platforms. Understand the optimal length and format for each platform to maximize engagement.
5. Engage with Your Audience
Encourage viewer engagement by asking questions or inviting them to share their thoughts. Short-form content is often more interactive, allowing you to connect with your audience on a more personal level.
Case Studies: Excelling with Branded Documentaries
Let's take a look at a few real-world examples of brands I’ve worked with that have harnessed the power of branded documentaries and successfully transformed them into short-form content:
La Sportiva
Last winter, I teamed up with professional skier Davide Giardini to help craft a series of adventure films about creating an inclusive and welcoming ski culture. In an attempt to foster that community, we created a six episode series all about how to ski tour with La Sportiva.
We tackled 13,000ft peaks, epic powder days, ski mountaineering races and steep couloirs to share the joy of the sport and created a video for each of those amazing experiences.
Over those six episodes we received the benefit of 6x as many views as a one-off short film AND created short commercial style Instagram Reels that could be shared alongside the launch of the video and used across paid ads to reach more customers.
KT Tape
In the summer of 2023, I teamed up with KT Tape to share the stories of a couple of their endurance athletes, Molly Seidel and Matt McElroy, as they trained for big triathlons and marathons in the second half of the year. Instead of simply sharing each of their stories in a short five minute video, posting it to YouTube, and calling it good, we took advantage of our access to these top performers and captured reels, and photos to supplement the launch of their new products.
Check out the short form content here and read more about this project by clicking below…
Canyon Bicycles
In the winter of 2022, I directed a campaign for Canyon Bicycles as they launched their new bike - the 2023 “Neuron” through this branded documentary series called The Crossing. The premise was to show their bike in action with different athletes using it across the world. By showcasing diverse regions in the video, with a wide range of race, gender and abilities using the bike it became a more inclusive campaign than one video with only one style of riding.
Traditional Ads vs. Branded Documentaries
Branded documentaries have emerged as a potent force in modern marketing, offering a unique blend of storytelling, authenticity, and emotional engagement. They allow brands to build authority, connect with audiences on a deeper level, and enjoy a lasting impact. Moreover, the adaptability of branded documentary content into short-form commercials provides a significant advantage in today's fast-paced digital landscape.
As you consider your marketing strategy, think beyond traditional ads and explore the power of branded documentaries. Thankfully, when you have a film team already in the field crafting this emotional arc for storytelling there’s no reason that both can’t be done. Take the footage from the long-form piece and create a short commercial style edit that can be optimized for social.
When done right, this can elevate your brand, foster customer loyalty, and propel your business to new heights in the modern marketing landscape
If you have a video project you need help bringing to life, please reach out below :)
Want to Work Together?
Roo is a commercial/documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Boulder, Colorado but travels all around the world for his filmmaking career. He has produced films for Outside Magazine in Ireland, camera operated for Netflix in the Rocky Mountain West, photographed among indigenous communities in Peru and Ecuador, directed videos with professional climbers in Mexico and has received notable recognition in his hometown of Orcas Island in Washington State for his work telling uplifting stories in the outdoor space.
Let’s chat - reach out and I’ll respond in the next 24-48 hours!