Branded Content

At Epic Light Media we don’t subscribe. We don’t subscribe to boring or unoriginal. That means we take your big ideas and transform them into branded content your audience will love. Let’s make something together.

Branded Content

There’s too much advertising. I know that’s not what we’re meant to say at a media company that specializes in commercials. But it’s the truth. More than ever before we are surrounded by some form of advertising. With all the screens in our homes and in our pockets, there’s no limit to the reach we have as marketers. With all the choices out there, how do we make our impact?

That’s where branded content comes in. This is a form of marketing that taps into people’s desires, their image, and their way of life. It’s become the ‘go to’ content form for some of the biggest brands on the planet and when done right it can be dynamite for your company. In layman’s terms, branded content is advertising that’s not really advertising.

It flies in the face of traditional marketing, which usually focuses solely on conversion and sales. Instead, branded content concentrates on the content first and foremost – giving the audience something they can simply enjoy – then weaving some subtle branding messages throughout. It’s the trojan horse of marketing.

Keep reading if you want to gain a legion of loyal followers for your brand.

Advertising that’s not advertising.

The hard sell has a special place in our hearts. That crazy everything must go attitude is the bread and butter of the commercial world. Most companies will be automatically drawn to this type of advertising. They have a new service or product that’s better than their rivals and they need to shout about it. There is no point in wasting time, so let’s go straight for the jugular.

But what about an alternate world? A place where people’s everyday lives and understanding of the brands they love are intertwined. This is not a fantasy, this is branded content and it’s been around for a long time. Back in the golden age of TV, big soap companies used to sponsor and even produce original weekly drama shows to tap into their female demographic – hence the term soap opera. And that’s the beauty of branded video – you create unique content that pairs perfectly with your brand.

There’s no limit to the type of media you want to create either. It might be a series of short educational videos released directly to your social media followers. Or a fully loaded live event streamed to an exclusive audience and later released to the masses. Really the most important aspect of content creation is adding value to people’s lives. We love creating unique content at our Arizona production company and adding value to the brands we work with.

If the advertising they’re consuming is opening their eyes to new ways of thinking or simply entertaining them, then they’re more likely to connect with your brand.

Engagement, engagement, engagement.

It is a well-known fact that nearly 90% of viewers will skip advertising if given the opportunity. That means the odds are stacked against us marketing folk right from the start. There are always ways to catch the attention of the public, shout loud enough and you’ll turn a few heads. But if you get your audience to interact with your content, then you’ll open up a whole world of possibilities.

The catch-all term being used now is engagement. It is all about finding ways to affect the people watching your content. The old-fashioned way of doing this was creating a TV commercial that made you laugh or cry to reflect positively on the brand. Nice and simple.

The sole purpose of branded content is to create something that the audience will connect with. Once you have connected with the audience emotionally, they are much more likely to remember your brand and buy whatever you’re selling. In the modern social media-driven culture that translates directly into likes, comments, shares, and click-throughs. Get them to engage and you’ll get them to spend.

Where does branded content live?

Finding a home for your branded content is a big part of making it successful. The type of unique content that will get conversations started will need to be placed on the right channels to be most effective. As a medium, it can be just as comfortable on TV as it is on a social media feed but it should always target a specific demographic. We’re experts in creating content that can fit an established marketing plan or designing your content plan from scratch.
Our custom media packages can take you through the entire content creation journey from start to finish. These packages will help you at every stage of the production process, giving you high-level insight and understanding of how your advertising plan will work. The unique branded content you want to put out in the world can be part of a multi-level marketing strategy that will work across all the big media platforms.

Reaching your audience doesn’t need to be a guessing game anymore. We create your content with the endgame in mind, tailoring the messaging for TV, online, social media, and everywhere else. It streamlines a process and allows you to focus on designing content that speaks in your unique brand voice. And the best part is, we can place it with any media outlet directly meaning you never need to deal with data storage, media buying agents, or TV network specifications ever again.

How can branded content work for your company?

In short… yes, yes, and yes. This is a win-win for the modern company. It allows you to express the values and passions your company holds and draw in an audience that shares them. There are endless possibilities for you to reach the right people and convert them from mere customers to loyal brand fans. It requires a more subtle and sophisticated approach to your messaging. Branded content is often giving something away for free in its essence but really this will often lure in potential customers that would have otherwise gone elsewhere for their content fix.

This is the way forward for your company and ELM can be your guide. It doesn’t end with a simple video but can be a multi-faceted marketing campaign that finds a life of its own. Our aim is to help your company express its values and passions in the best way possible. If you want to build a fanbase for your brand and convert customers into loyal brand champions, then branded content might be the answer you’ve been looking for.


Common Questions

What is an example of branded content?

There are great examples of branded content everywhere you look. They are often the non-traditional advertising that is ever-present in the modern world. One of the biggest (and in our opinion best) examples of branded content is The Lego Movie. It has managed to raise the game for a brand that was already a global phenomenon, mixing its fun attitude with a bunch of its popular products in a super entertaining movie. But branded content doesn’t need to be a feature-length movie to be effective. There is no limit to what you can do, including product placement, sponsored events, and programming or social movement campaigns.

What exactly is branded content?

In a nutshell, it’s a marketing technique that puts the content first. That means the brand supports the film, event, or magazine article with the intention of creating meaningful connections with its audience. More often than not, the people interested in the content will make a positive connection with the brand supporting it. This content is focused on brand values rather than the products or services. It’s not invasive like traditional marketing methods. And it adds value for the customer, encouraging them to generate a conversation around the brand. All in all, it’s advertising for grown-ups.

What is branded content on social media?

The vast world of social media is a utopia for branded content. There are endless opportunities for brands to display their content and expand their reach to people who genuinely want to connect with them. This isn’t even taking into account the rise of the influencer, which is its own marketing universe. Brands are connecting with popular social media content creators to promote their products and services. These Influencers are often experts in their field who will add weight to the products they promote and add a level of trust that is tricky to achieve with traditional advertising methods.

What makes good branded content?

We believe that creativity is king no matter what the medium. We find that branded content works best if it hits the right emotions in the audience, builds trust in the brand, reflects company values, and starts positive conversations. With branded content, there needs to be some foresight into where the content will live, so we can create the right message. When we create any form of content we look to impact the audience in the most effective way possible and branded content is one of our secret weapons in the fight for the public’s attention.