The Power of Live, Always-On Documentary-Style Content for Brands
Brands now communicate differently, utilizing social media, viral marketing, and influencers. Yet, live documentary-style content offers untapped potential for authentic engagement. By giving audiences an inside look in real time, brands can build trust and connection. Here are some reasons why, based on our own experience at LA PIPA IS LA PIPA and ReMotive, I strongly believe that this format should be embraced by more brand team in their marketing strategies:
Authenticity and Trust: Modern consumers are savvy. They yearn for genuine, unscripted insights into the brands they patronize. An always-on documentary style presents an unfiltered look into a brand's operations, values, and people. This transparency can significantly boost trust, as customers appreciate the candidness and authenticity.
Humanizing the Brand: Behind every product or service lies a team of individuals dedicated to its success. By showcasing the real faces and stories behind a brand, companies can humanize themselves. This creates an emotional connection, transforming brands from faceless entities into relatable communities.
Continuous Engagement: The "always-on" nature ensures that there's always something new for viewers. Whether it's a spontaneous team meeting, a product development brainstorm, or an unplanned event, there's continuous fodder for engagement, keeping audiences hooked and coming back for more.
Direct Feedback Loop: Live content allows for real-time feedback. Viewers can comment, ask questions, and share reactions instantly. This not only engages them but also provides brands with instantaneous feedback, which can be invaluable for product development and improvement.
Storytelling: Everyone loves a good story. And what's more engaging than a real-life, authentic story that unfolds in real-time? Brands can use this format to narrate their journey, challenges, successes, and everything in between, creating a compelling narrative that viewers can invest in.
Differentiation: In a saturated market, differentiation is key. Offering a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective can set a brand apart from competitors and create a niche in the audience's minds.
Cost-Effective: Contrary to high-production advertising campaigns, live documentary-style content often requires less polished production. The emphasis is on raw, real content. Brands might find it more cost-effective to produce, especially when weighed against the depth of engagement it can foster.
Building a Loyal Community: Over time, regular viewers will become part of a brand's community. They'll be privy to inside jokes, recognize team members, and feel a sense of belonging. This loyalty is invaluable and can lead to not just repeat business, but also brand evangelism.
Reinforcing Brand Values: Whether a brand values innovation, sustainability, community engagement, or any other ethos, live documentary-style content is an ideal way to continually showcase and reinforce these values in practical, tangible ways.
Crisis Management: If things go awry, as they sometimes do, being open about the issue and its resolution can be a powerful PR tool. Addressing matters head-on, in real-time, can reassure customers and stakeholders, turning potential PR crises into trust-building opportunities.
Owned Media Platforms and the Web3 Era: Owned platforms, unlike third-party social media channels, provide brands full control over content, user experience, and data, ensuring that their messaging remains undiluted. As Web3 emerges and blockchain technologies become mainstream, the significance of owned platforms becomes even more pronounced. In the Web3 world, value is derived from the depth of community engagement and the decentralization of data.
We have hard evidence from projects of our own such as LA PIPA IS LA PIPA or Bedrock and clients such as Cruz de Asturias Brewery, backed with solid data that proves this: Live, always-on documentary-style video and audio content offers a multifaceted communication tool that brands should seriously consider in times where authenticity and transparency reign supreme.
Topicality, natural behavior, and accessibility offer a genuine way to engage, inform, and bond with audiences like never before.
