Although the international macroeconomic situation is experiencing trouble, Italy chooses to invest in branded content which, year after year, is becoming an increasingly strategic lever in the corporate communication media mix. As told by the interviewees who reflect on the ‘media neutral’ approach of the projects.
Exploring the current landscape of branded content & entertainment comparing the Italian and international approaches, discussing the evolution of distribution and production strategies, the adoption of media neutral approaches and the heterogeneity of entertainment projects.
This was the purpose of the talk in which they participated, moderated by Salvatore Sagone, ADC Group; Roberta Zamboni, Global Head of Branded Content & Sponsorship Fremantle; Alessia Cicuto, Co-Founder & Managing Partner BrandStories; Davide NeriHead of Marketing Hasbro and president of the jury.
Let’s start immediately with the Italian situation Fremantle which, it must be said, has earned ‘a place in the sun’ in the world by becoming an exemplary case history. “I have been working in Fremantle for 7 years and in this time I have built the Brand Entertainment department where, within the production company that produces great shows – such as X-Factor, Italia’s Got Talent, Un posto al sole, The Voice – we build all our branding sponsorship activities such as brand integration, brand content, digital branded content and so on,” he explains Roberta Zamboni. “In these 7 years we have created a unique case on brand content production house market because we have structured a real department that is dedicated exclusively to carrying out all the sponsorship projects of our production company, something that doesn’t happen in other situations and which allows us to be extremely complete and competitive. Complete because we are able to realize sponsorship projects within our programs with a dedicated team of project managers, creatives and producers, but also to dedicate ourselves to unique and original projects also on other platforms. This know-how developed in Italy was then noticed internationally and they called us to export it globally. Today we work as a global department across 25 territories and I have to say that everyone looks at Italy as the flagship. Because we Italians are creative and we are a little more courageous even when talking to broadcasters, we approach customers in a more proactive way and this makes a bit of a difference. Without forgetting that we have a legislative context with respect to branded content and integration into programs which makes it much easier for us, there are rules, yes, but not as stringent as those in other countries”.
Italy is awake and one of the strengths that seems to make the difference is also a media neutral approach to branded content and in communication. “We develop all our own projects declining and amplifying them on all touchpoints of communication. For example, this has always happened with X-Factor, where on air is the tip of the iceberg, but then we produce a whole series of activities that we develop on the territory, on digital and also on licensing. As well as in other programs: with Italia’s got talent we customized a train and The Jackal became the drivers of the car, but also
with Un posto al sole we have developed a project that goes beyond television, which goes into the territory that lets fans live the experience through aibnb. With our creatives we always try to develop 360° projects.”
What are the trends for the future? “Surely we should figure out how working with streamers and then there is a great challenge that comes from the United States and that will expand, that of thematic channels, therefore brands will also create schedules on these digital channels”.
Second Alessia Cicuto, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of BrandStories, “the trend is not so much linked to a specific object, to a specific media, to a specific format but rather to the world building approach, which is nothing other than the construction of a narrative world that gives life and shape to the brand’s storytelling and which can then land on a series of objects, or rather, planets. Here, when we approach a client, we start by building the narrative world and then we land on different planets of a universe that must continually talk to each other, like TV, podcasts, audio, webseries, talks, documentaries, short films, social experiments, editorial products, exhibitions, installations, branded games. Which is the approach that guides us in everything This is Ideal group, also in the construction of events, commercials and digital”.
More and more people today buy products or services because they recognize the values of the company that puts them on the market. “Today, audiences expect brands to take a stand on what happens in the world. Furthermore, the new generations, when choosing which companies to go to work, consider important values, positioning and company policies and only last year +300% of companies that have decided to change their statute declaring not only profit as a priority objective, but the positive impact on social, environment and governance issues”.
So how do you describe a brand’s commitment? “There is a need for a narrative breadth that traditional communication does not exhaust and this is where we need a form of storytelling on various platforms that allows us to reach public opinion in an increasingly engaging and relevant way. We, for example, did it with the project ‘Have a nice day’, which was born as a podcast and then transformed into a 360° project with five participating brands, an original but multi-brand production, where we discover the world of diversity”.
Speaking of diversity, today it is an essential topic at a company level. “We have a Head of Diversity on the board at a global level and this already makes us understand how important it is for the company,” explains Zamboni. “All our programs are designed based on this footprint, e.g. X-Factor in Italy he was the first to eliminate gender categories in the competition, The Voice Senior it is the only senior program to give space to an important age group that is not much considered in the media… And we have many formats in the pipeline on diversity issues”.
Davide Neri, president of the BC&E jury and marketing director of Hasbro, talks about an evolution that is moving towards a impartial approach to the choice of media and the involvement of the public through innovative formats. “I like this term ‘media neutrality’ which for me means being able to talk to my audience regardless of the medium I prefer, but speaking their language and understanding their media diet. This is the present, not the future. In my opinion, a balance is emerging between how much I should aggressively communicate my efforts in terms of commitments or how much to do good without saying it. Branded content is an excellent way to communicate that you do good, for example. It is no longer a quirk or ‘I have some budget to spend’, but it is fundamental today in a world where attention is always limited. We are in a period of great evolution and that will be the direction, but we need to understand what will be the best way to do it. We, at Hasbro, since capturing the attention of younger people today is very difficult, put a cap on traditional media but, from 2017 onwards, branded content for us it has become a fundamental part of the media mix. The third expense item in which we are going to invest is the experience, physicality is back, and there is a need for it. Because the number one media medium is word of mouth and experience, in this, is a truly winning lever, a vehicle for engaging and involving”.
Even and above all in a historical moment in which great attention is paid to spending and the international macroeconomic context is very particular. “We are observing, especially in the USA, a significant global contraction. Because of the wars, the next American elections… It’s a difficult moment.” explains Zamboni. “However, in Italy the data Obe they are good, positive, they score robust growth and branded content takes on an increasingly important role. In this regard, Obe carries out a very important job, also because in other countries there is no institute that certifies investments and educates on the subject. Well, more is being invested in Italy, but the world is in a bit of trouble.” Cicuto confirms. “As Obe data testifies, every year branded content becomes an increasingly larger part of communication. I see the weights as they are changing, it is taking up more and more space. However, as regards communicating aspects of commitment such as CSR and similar, they still seem to me to be considered a bit secondary, I still see a lot of room for growth. Among other things, it makes us smile that today we are in the most connected society in history and it is the moment in which people feel most disconnected and alone. The task of brands, today more than ever, is create opportunities for human relationships and emotions”.
“With the challenge of translating this impact on sales to speak the corporate language,” concludes Neri.
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