For my second morning tea at The FARM I decided to share with the team some of the cool case studies presented at Metro Screen's Transmedia Seminar on Friday June 25th that I attended as part of my Certificate IV in Screen & Media.
A bit of a buzz word in digital, I thought it good timing to go through some examples of successful transmedia projects to spark thinking in the group as many of our clients go into business planning for FY11.
What is transmedia?
A project that consists of narrative storylines across multiple platforms such as film, TV, web, social media, mobile – the list goes on. Most importantly, the narratives are not the same as repurposing material from one platform to another.
Why do clients want it?
They often don’t know! A study by Digital Brand Expressions in May 2010 found "52% of social marketers are operating 'without a game plan' (read the article here) and brands are afraid of being behind their competitors without presence in social media, video, viral and mobile.
How do you decide the platform?
Content dictates the platform – story comes first! What is the nature of your content and what platform is it suitable for. On the flip side, the platform is not simply a vessel with shapes and fuels the creative – it is a symbiotic process.
Case Study – Miles Becket (EQAL) and LonelyGirl15
Watch the LonelyGirl15 sizzle reel
This project worked because it was timed with what users were doing at the time. Youtube was becoming highly popular, it was recognized that youtube audiences were a recurring audience like TV and video bloggers were emerging.
Case Study – Darius Devas and Justin Buckwell with Goa Hippy Tribe
Watch the Goa Hippy Tribe intro video
Darius and his team invested greatly in digital strategy (with The Dubs) for this Facebook delivered documentary series to be such a success. Launching with a Facebook group to recruit and reunite the original Goa Hippy Tribe it was from here that the real story leads and talent were generated. Key to this project I believe is the knowledge of difference between a Facebook GROUP and FAN PAGE. Once the story leads were gathered from the interactive and community group, the completed documentary was distributed via the fan page which allowed the producers more control over the content and the interactions with it. Group for discussion. Fan page for celebration of the final product.
Not so good examples
Unsuccessful examples of transmedia products often come down to a duplication of content across medium rather than extension into new content or failed use of UGC (User-Generated-Content). UGC should fuel other medium not simply be created and lost in the ether. The pay off for users must be greater than the effort required (credit to Cora Spear at Wanted Digital for that equation) meaning a tangible end purpose can be gained.
Viral, and when to use it?
Viral is perhaps one of the most common buzz words in advertising yet there is not a great understanding of how to use it, when to use it, why to use it or how to measure its success (we are all still learning as we go!). The viral videos seeded for the Black Water movie (Andrew Traucki) are a good example of reaching the target audience by using the same medium (online video) in its marketing strategy. It is a logical avenue and was very successful.
Risks?
Understandable brands see an element of risk involved with UGC, viral video or other interactive media as there are associations and social commentary that come with it and the content becomes inherently unpredictable. To avoid this some golden rules:
Be transparent with your audience – you cannot initiate conversation and not maintain it, the brand must be constantly involved and responding to its users (invest in social media moderation!)
So, leaving The FARM to think about the possibilities I hoped this presentation not only got people excited but reignited the team to own our agency, to be the experts and to ask the right questions. We are here to not only find out what platforms brands are interested in but why and to what end with the hope of delivering something with just as much a buzz!