Branded video content is becoming more and more prevalent on the web. Companies are realizing that to engage with consumers online, the 30 second spot model is largely ineffective. Instead, brands are trying to entertain their audience and create conversations and goodwill around their businesses.
Most companies do this subtely (like Red Bull and The Guardian), and for good reason. Research from Harvard shows that the more prominent or intrusive a logo is, the more likely the viewer is to stop watching. Marketers must find creative ways to inject the brand into the spirit of the video to make branded content a viable option for companies. Or turn that idea on its head and blatantly plug the brand in an entertaining way.
That’s what Nintendo has done with their new campaign starring Joel McHale. This video, promoting the Nintendo 3DS, centers around the marketing debate of how to create entertaining web videos that still promote products.
What do you think? Did Nintendo go too far in pushing the brand, or was the video funny enough that it worked?
