Curious Creative

Transmedia Storytelling

As the marketing landscape evolves for brands Transmedia storytelling rises to the top. No longer a singular experience, Transmedia storytelling is a story universe told across many different mediums and it’s an exploding phenomenon. By extending the story arc to other medias including online, social networks, mobile, print, on demand video, interactive TV, and more brands are able to turn spectators into participants. More brands are creating Transmedia stories and immersive brand experiences. As we see more successful case studies marketers will consider how their brands/products/services could either integrate into stories or how brands themselves can create unique and compelling stories that could become a Transmedia platform on their own. The evolution of successful marketing is getting people to interact, use, open, respond, recommend, upload and share from multiple points of entry.

Search is not a silver bullet

Search provides a reliable element within any marketing campaign, but a robust marketing mix could never be more important. This point was reiterated with a recent ComScore study that suggested display advertising significantly lifts online search activity and demonstrated that consumers exposed to display advertising were more likely to search for brand terms. Seems obvious. Of course there are some interesting numbers to back it up with some compelling lift within specific verticals but exposure in general, leads to search no matter what the medium. Search engines require someone actively searching for something and while the engines can use that information to push contextual, behavioral messages they are at a disadvantage in selling something someone does not know they need. So when creating a marketing plan, know your audience and make sure the media mix includes lead gen that gets people interested, as well as search once they are.

Digital Shorts

So I’m watching SNL last night with both eyes on the TV screen for the first time in a while and I notice they are calling some skits “Digital Shorts”. Not sure what makes them any different from their regular skits. Unique, random, funny. Sound like criteria for what often becomes viral? But got me thinking, most SNL skits are in many ways perfect as short format digital videos. It’s a wonderful parallel, and maybe where SNL ultimately sees its fan base blossoming again. I got this one sent to me the other day, I have to admit I watched the entire 3:00 and had to share it. Interesting though. It was sent to me via YouTube (6,948,962 views), pulled from Hula (login required, but worth it, 113 reviews), and all the Digital Shorts are categorized on NBC.com. On NBC.com this one had (283,143 views).