Branded Entertainment has been ingrained in the US media for a number of years now. It is typically acceptable from an audience standpoint, but content should be considered compelling in order to be effective. The US audience is receptive to marketing within branded content so long as there is some kind of benefit for the viewer. While there are restrictions and regulations imposed on the overall US media landscape, there are not any regulations specific to branded entertainment for adults 18 years of age or older.

The audience was drawn to the campaign through on-air promotional spots and a co-branded digital and social media campaign. Different creative was custom tailored to the different personality of each award show. The Golden Globes is considered to launch the Red Carpet season so we featured a celebrity manicurist who provided insight on nail trends you may see during the awards reason. The Grammy’s is about personality and standing out so we featured a photographer who stands out in his professional field. The Oscars is considered the pinnacle of Red Carpet fashion so that creative featured a celebrity stylist.

Outcome:

a. 3 distinct and interesting narratives played out via custom :60 spots that was exhibited during the Red Carpet coverage of three of the biggest award shows: Golden Globes, Grammy’s, Oscars

b. Volkswagen sponsorship awareness for the award shows among exposed respondents showed a significant increase. Exposed respondents were 2.4 times more likely to be aware of the Volkswagen sponsorship

c. Brand Familiarity & Purchase Consideration all show gains of 25% among exposed respondents.

d. The Durability, Reliability & Quality attributes all saw significant increases among exposed respondents.