Brands take creating content seriously these days, offering a wide menu of different formats — infographics, blog posts, videos — that let people not only see their message but also share the content across the Web.
This week, all forms are represented and several touch on the holiday season theme. Here are some good pieces of branded content from the past week.
Client: IBM
Publisher: The Atlantic
Content: Power in Data: Turning Facts into Discoveries
IBM loves the infographic, particularly at The Atlantic. In this piece, IBM presents information about how police forces across the nation use data to make their cities safer. Presenting data as a visual sits at the intersection of art and science, and Big Blue realizes that this content not only informs but is shareable: As of this writing, the piece has been shared 70 times on Twitter and recommended on Facebook six times.
Client: Old Navy
Publisher: BuzzFeed
Content: 10 Reasons Why the Day After Thanksgiving Is Just Awesome
A smart post by Old Navy and BuzzFeed, as it not only plays on the Thanksgiving Day madness but also sets up the blitz to Christmas. In this fun listicle, Old Navy presents to BuzzFeed readers why the day after Thanksgiving is great — pie for breakfast, family leaves, etc. And Old Navy wants you to shop for gifts at Old Navy, naturally.
Client: State Farm
Publisher: Gawker
Content: Dating Expert Chiara Atik is Here to Answer All Your Romantical Questions
Gawker understands its audience, which is why brands like to run sponsored content there. But this piece takes sponsored content to new heights by enlisting a well-known Internet writer, Chiara Atik, to write a post and conduct a Q&A about dating issues in the comments section. This approach is a smart one for a brand as it ups the engagement quotient.
Brand: NBA
Content: BIG: Color
What do you get when you mix professional basketball players, Christmas and new uniforms? Apparently, you get this masterpiece of five NBA stars bouncing basketballs to the Ukranian Bell Carol.
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