Content Discontent: How to Build the Strategic Structure to React to Crises
CONTENT
DISCONTENT
PART 2:
HOW TO BUILD THE STRATEGIC
STRUCTURE TO REACT TO CRISES
CONTENT
DISCONTENT
PART 2:
HOW TO BUILD THE STRATEGIC STRUCTURE TO REACT TO CRISES
In our last post, we highlighted four reasons why brands lose control of the narrative in times of crisis. Now, let’s look at how brands can solve those challenges and build a culture, infrastructure and process to bring effective content to life in real time.
1. Create defined content guidelines.
When the conversation is happening, you need to use your brand voice to guide it. Be an effective moderator.
Your brand is a living, breathing entity, so think about how you want it to look, feel and sound. The world is different now than it was even a year ago, so revisit your brand guide and make sure it’s up-to-date. Build templates and guardrails that enable you to create (and approve) content quickly.
But most importantly, think about your brand’s purpose — what you authentically stand for and what message you want to put out into the world.
2. Break down internal silos to open up collaboration.
Content is king. Collaboration is what allows that content to reign. Just like King Arthur’s Round Table, all internal stakeholders deserve a seat. Involve legal and compliance from the beginning. Establish parameters for revisions and approvals so that you save hours of time and frustration during this crucial step. Everyone needs to be on the same page to present a unified message quickly and effectively, because every hour you delay is an hour someone else is writing your story.
3. Re-evaluate processes to identify efficiencies.
The ability to respond swiftly can be the difference between a hiccup and a crisis. So, take a bird’s eye view of your content creation process. Who is involved at each step? Where can you become more efficient? How can you leverage content more strategically, day in and day out?
With strong processes in place, your team will be ready to jump into action and create content that engages with events in real time.
4. Consider content partnerships.
The right partner can ensure your content reaches the right audience on the right platform at the right time.
At Summer Friday, we live at the intersection of big ideas and nimble execution. Our team is built around an always-on publisher mindset. That means when strategizing and conceptualizing, we aren’t thinking of one-off scenarios, but rather building content and solutions that are adaptable and expandable across platforms and mediums so that they work in real-time settings.
Our entire creative team works and thinks collaboratively in order to deliver high-volume, quality content, quickly and efficiently, so that our partners can tell their story on their own terms. In times of crisis, that kind of partnership can save the day.
Content Discontent: Four Reasons Why Brands Lose Control of the Narrative 2
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DISCONTENT:
FOUR REASONS WHY BRANDS LOSE CONTROL OF THE NARRATIVE
CONTENT
DISCONTENT:
FOUR REASONS WHY BRANDS LOSE CONTROL OF THE NARRATIVE
We could list brands that have faced recent PR crises, but by the time you finish this article, there will probably already be another brand making headlines.
In our 24-hour-news-cycle world, where one tweet can tank a brand’s perception, it’s critical that brands are intentional when creating content — and have the culture, infrastructure and processes to bring that content to life in real time.
Here are four major reasons why brands struggle to leverage content effectively in times of crisis.
They’re not moderating effectively.
If you’ve ever been to a talkback for a film screening, you can see why moderators play such an important role in guiding the conversation. Without a good moderator, an attendee takes control of the mic and ends up pitching their own movie idea.
When your brand doesn't control the narrative — or you’re not actively and consistently engaging and communicating with customers — the internet will control the narrative for you. And that’s when brands end up in damage control mode.
They’re in the wrong room.
What’s the most effective platform for reaching the widest possible audience when you need to get a message out?
Too many brands don’t have a good answer to this question. They’re putting content out on the wrong platforms, tweeting when they should be emailing (or vice versa) — and leaving too many customers in the dark.
They’re too much tortoise and not enough hare.
Slow and steady wins the race — sometimes. But in these situations, brands need to react quickly. A well-written tweet, posted right away, can be much more effective than a well-produced video that takes days to go live. If customers are upset, they need to hear from you, NOW.
They’re not speaking the right language.
Legal and compliance are an important part of the content creation process. No matter how great a piece of content is, it will never see the light of day without their sign-off. But, sometimes, brands focus so much on not saying the wrong thing that they end up not saying the right thing. Or they say it in a way that customers can’t understand (the average person didn’t attend law school).
Is this resonating with your brand? Stay tuned for Part 2 or reach out now to learn more.
Content Discontent: Four Reasons Why Brands Lose Control of the Narrative
CONTENT
DISCONTENT:
FOUR REASONS WHY BRANDS LOSE CONTROL OF THE NARRATIVE
CONTENT
DISCONTENT:
FOUR REASONS WHY BRANDS LOSE CONTROL OF THE NARRATIVE
We could list brands that have faced recent PR crises, but by the time you finish this article, there will probably already be another brand making headlines.
In our 24-hour-news-cycle world, where one tweet can tank a brand’s perception, it’s critical that brands are intentional when creating content — and have the culture, infrastructure and processes to bring that content to life in real time.
Here are four major reasons why brands struggle to leverage content effectively in times of crisis.
They’re not moderating effectively.
If you’ve ever been to a talkback for a film screening, you can see why moderators play such an important role in guiding the conversation. Without a good moderator, an attendee takes control of the mic and ends up pitching their own movie idea.
When your brand doesn't control the narrative — or you’re not actively and consistently engaging and communicating with customers — the internet will control the narrative for you. And that’s when brands end up in damage control mode.
They’re in the wrong room.
What’s the most effective platform for reaching the widest possible audience when you need to get a message out?
Too many brands don’t have a good answer to this question. They’re putting content out on the wrong platforms, tweeting when they should be emailing (or vice versa) — and leaving too many customers in the dark.
They’re too much tortoise and not enough hare.
Slow and steady wins the race — sometimes. But in these situations, brands need to react quickly. A well-written tweet, posted right away, can be much more effective than a well-produced video that takes days to go live. If customers are upset, they need to hear from you, NOW.
They’re not speaking the right language.
Legal and compliance are an important part of the content creation process. No matter how great a piece of content is, it will never see the light of day without their sign-off. But, sometimes, brands focus so much on not saying the wrong thing that they end up not saying the right thing. Or they say it in a way that customers can’t understand (the average person didn’t attend law school).
Is this resonating with your brand? Stay tuned for Part 2 or reach out now to learn more.
7 Types of videos that can boost your brand - Insurance
7 TYPES
OF VIDEOS
THAT CAN BOOST YOUR BRAND
At a time when many companies are confused about how to properly communicate with their customers, others are leveraging new opportunities. At Summer Friday, we believe now is the moment to dive in and connect with new audiences. But that doesn’t mean you have to follow the same old methods. We love to help our clients imagine new possibilities.
Here are 7 approaches that we use as a starting point:
Social Video Content
Explainer Videos
Brand Culture Videos
Educational Video Content
Broadcast Videos
Virtual Conferences & Event Content
Pitch/Sales Videos
1. Hit refresh on social content
Stop the scrolling with social videos that make your brand stand out. Whether you’re just beginning your journey in this space or it’s time for a fresh look, we’ll help you optimize for different channels and reach laser-targeted audiences.
2. Drive engagement with explainer videos
Bring landing pages, emails, and e-commerce pages to life with videos that showcase your brand and products.
3. Highlight culture and social responsibility campaigns
Your brand’s commitment to social responsibility has never been more relevant. Show audiences and employees how you are making a positive impact.
4. Cut confusion with educational and demo videos
Consumers expect a certain level of video support on a regular basis. Make sure users know exactly how to use your products with engaging and easy-to-follow demo videos.
5. Re-imagine broadcast video
There are several ways to approach a broadcast spot under normal circumstances. Now, more than ever, we’re helping to transform a challenging production environment into a land of opportunity.
6. Go virtual with conferences & events
With live events going online, your brand needs digital materials pre-, during and post-event. Think videos, animated content, engaging site experiences, and recordings that live up to the real thing.
7. Close the deal with pitch videos/animatics
Can’t meet in person for a new business pitch? Prime your buyer and sell your ideas with a compelling pitch video.
7 Types of videos that can boost your brand - Health Insurance
7 TYPES
OF VIDEOS
THAT CAN BOOST YOUR BRAND
At a time when many companies are confused about how to properly communicate with their customers, others are leveraging new opportunities. At Summer Friday, we believe now is the moment to dive in and connect with new audiences. But that doesn’t mean you have to follow the same old methods. We love to help our clients imagine new possibilities.
Here are 7 approaches that we use as a starting point:
Social Video Content
Explainer Videos
Brand Culture Videos
Educational Video Content
Broadcast Videos
Virtual Conferences & Event Content
Pitch/Sales Videos
1. Hit refresh on social content
Stop the scrolling with social videos that make your brand stand out. Whether you’re just beginning your journey in this space or it’s time for a fresh look, we’ll help you optimize for different channels and reach laser-targeted audiences.
2. Drive engagement with explainer videos
Bring landing pages, emails, and e-commerce pages to life with videos that showcase your brand and products.
3. Highlight culture and social responsibility campaigns
Your brand’s commitment to social responsibility has never been more relevant. Show audiences and employees how you are making a positive impact.
4. Cut confusion with educational and demo videos
Consumers expect a certain level of video support on a regular basis. Make sure users know exactly how to use your products with engaging and easy-to-follow demo videos.
5. Re-imagine broadcast video
There are several ways to approach a broadcast spot under normal circumstances. Now, more than ever, we’re helping to transform a challenging production environment into a land of opportunity.
6. Go virtual with conferences & events
With live events going online, your brand needs digital materials pre-, during and post-event. Think videos, animated content, engaging site experiences, and recordings that live up to the real thing.
7. Close the deal with pitch videos/animatics
Can’t meet in person for a new business pitch? Prime your buyer and sell your ideas with a compelling pitch video.
7 Types of videos that can boost your brand
7 TYPES
OF VIDEOS
THAT CAN BOOST YOUR BRAND
At a time when many companies are confused about how to properly communicate with their customers, others are leveraging new opportunities. At Summer Friday, we believe now is the moment to dive in and connect with new audiences. But that doesn’t mean you have to follow the same old methods. We love to help our clients imagine new possibilities.
Here are 7 approaches that we use as a starting point:
Social Video Content
Explainer Videos
Brand Culture Videos
Educational Video Content
Broadcast Videos
Virtual Conferences & Event Content
Pitch/Sales Videos
1. Hit refresh on social content
Stop the scrolling with social videos that make your brand stand out. Whether you’re just beginning your journey in this space or it’s time for a fresh look, we’ll help you optimize for different channels and reach laser-targeted audiences.
2. Drive engagement with explainer videos
Bring landing pages, emails, and e-commerce pages to life with videos that showcase your brand and products.
3. Highlight culture and social responsibility campaigns
Your brand’s commitment to social responsibility has never been more relevant. Show audiences and employees how you are making a positive impact.
4. Cut confusion with educational and demo videos
Consumers expect a certain level of video support on a regular basis. Make sure users know exactly how to use your products with engaging and easy-to-follow demo videos.
5. Re-imagine broadcast video
There are several ways to approach a broadcast spot under normal circumstances. Now, more than ever, we’re helping to transform a challenging production environment into a land of opportunity.
6. Go virtual with conferences & events
With live events going online, your brand needs digital materials pre-, during and post-event. Think videos, animated content, engaging site experiences, and recordings that live up to the real thing.
7. Close the deal with pitch videos/animatics
Can’t meet in person for a new business pitch? Prime your buyer and sell your ideas with a compelling pitch video.
7 Crucial Elements of Competitive Analysis Today
7 CRUCIAL
ELEMENTS
OF COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS TODAY
In today’s modern, pandemic world of content, competitive analysis is more crucial than ever. It’s a common assumption by brands that the exercise of building a proper competitive analysis is a lengthy, expensive and complicated process, but that’s just not the way it should be anymore.
At Summer Friday, we understand the value of competitive analysis in a digital landscape where the consumer is often confused and brands are fighting to stand out. Everyone is trying to “break through the clutter,” and in that climate you can’t afford to not do some version of this regularly.
Here are 7 tips for competitive analysis that can inform your content marketing plans this year:
Listen to the audience feedback.
Where are there customer needs that no brand is directly addressing, or that prospective customers have low awareness of?
Evaluate the core audience of each competitor.
This can unveil missed opportunities for your brand, and the marketplace overall.
Be honest about what your brand is doing better (and worse) than the competition.
These are opportunities to make improvements and fill gaps, like becoming more mobile-friendly or improving your SEO.
Assess content volume and the user journey of your competitors.
70% of consumers prefer to learn about a product or service through content and articles rather than ads.
Understand which content strategies are working for your competition.
This can be a helpful gauge when deciding where to invest your marketing budget.
Evaluate which types of content your competitors are using.
And assess what platforms are most effective at driving engagement with the brand. Check out whether your brand could benefit from a boost in video content, more visual whitepapers, or infographics. Maybe all three!
Assess how competitors position their brand in the industry.
How does their tone, style, and messaging help define their offerings and speak to their audience? Are competitors adopting similar brand positioning, and is there an opportunity to differentiate your brand in the market?
At Summer Friday, we’ve made it really easy for you. Not only can our team and research tools help you determine the answers to these questions, but our in-house content studio can solve for whatever needs those insights provide.
Reach out and we’d love to talk about what Summer Friday can do to help level the competitive landscape for your brand.
4 Tips for Marketing to Gen Z
4 TIPS FOR
MARKETING
TO GEN Z
Is your brand doing enough to engage Gen Z consumers? This generation will make up over half of the U.S. workforce within the next 20 years, so now is the time to get ahead of the curve with content targeted specifically for Gen Z. But there are a few important things to keep in mind when marketing to these digital natives — watch the video below to learn more.
3 Things to Consider for a Purposeful Brand Strategy
3 THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR A
PURPOSEFUL
BRAND
STRATEGY
Summer Friday’s Head of Client Strategy, Alicia Wiedemann, sat down with the Global Strategy Director at BrandZ Kantar, Graham Staplehurst, to discuss the corporate impact of brand purpose – or, in other words, the sense that a brand is doing something to make its consumers’ lives better.
Studies have shown that brands with a strong purpose grow their value by 175%, more than double those without a purposeful positioning, but it’s not a simple goal to achieve. Authenticity is difficult to create and not all brands have legacy foundations to build from. Here are a few factors that brands can consider to devise their marketing strategies with a greater degree of effectiveness.
1. Let people share their stories
Shifting the narrative to the customer vs. the brand is a great way to build trust and credibility. This gives your customers the platform to show you what’s important to them, rather than the other way around.
2. Focus on making lives better
It’s important to connect with your consumers by demonstrating that you’re trying to improve their lives or the lives of people around them. Showing a wider concern about society and the world will build a much stronger connection than a sole focus on the bottom line.
3. Being polarizing isn’t necessarily a bad thing
Taking a stand on a polarizing issue is usually perceived as a risk. But if the position you take is transparent, purposeful, and true to your brand, it can actually motivate consumers who are actively looking for brands that make meaningful and emotional connections.
To learn more about how to infuse purpose into your brand in an authentic way, check out the full interview with Graham Staplehurst, below.
3 Lesser Known Ways To Leverage Video Insurance
3 LESSER
KNOWN WAYS
TO LEVERAGE VIDEO
How is your brand using video to optimize the customer journey? If you think about video only in the context of broadcast and social media, you could be missing out on opportunities to engage consumers at key touchpoints. Watch the video below to learn about three under-the-radar ways you can leverage video content to elevate customer interactions with your brand.
