rules of brand fiction from @bettydraper and @roger_sterling
Post on 22-Oct-2014
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"Rules of Brand Fiction from Twittering MadMen" panel given March 13, SXSW 2010 by Helen Klein Ross and Michael Bissell, with contribution from Ellen Mahoney.TRANSCRIPT
session hashtag = sxswbf
@BettyDraper aka @AdBroad
@Roger_Sterlingaka @Bissell
what is brand fiction?
• participatory entertainment in service of a brand
brandfictionfactory.com
brands used to tell stories that ended when the commercial was over
image from AMC’s Mad Men website
invitation to participate = the new ad
created by Deep Focus for AMC
brand fiction inspires consumers to fanatically spread the brand story
proliferated by Deep Focus for AMC
participation=the new metric
self-portrait as Mad Woman via MadMenYourself
gets results
• 1 million unique visits• 600,000 avatars created, “advartising”• 3.3 million tuned-in to season premiere
stats courtesy Ian Schafer, CEO Deep Focus
Mad Men on Twitter
TV characters began leading parallel lives in the twitterverse
Paul Isakson
giving audience a new way to connect with the show
building engagement
keeping up excitement between episodes, seasons
attracting new audience among potential fans around the world
remaining rigorously consistent with character
expanding to other social media channels
brandfictionfactory.com
brandfictionfactory.com
We began to create opportunities for deeper audience interaction
brandfictionfactory.com
inviting others to become part of the fictional universe
enabling them to create stories of their own
brandfictionfactory.com
fictional world was expanded by fan-invented characters
Budd Caddell
this added dimension to the universe
Sabina Maschi
extending it beyond the life of the show.
David Benardo
We went on to play with the time-space continuum
“tweaser” timed for Season 3 premiere
• an hour before Season 3 premiere
• a twitter event titled “Mad Worlds Collide”
• story: Mad Men on Twitter characters attend movie premiere of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World” which premiered 1963
• inclusive concept designed to accommodate all who wanted to participate
we prepared the venue
brandfictionfactory.com
set the stage
brandfictionfactory.com
We promoted event via tweets & blog
brandfictionfactory.com
“sold” tickets
which allowed us to collect names and email of ardent fans
which provided eligibility for snazzy Mad Men-era prizes
vintage Radio City Playbill
copy of signed Mad Men script
1960s Radio City Music Hall Pin
As showtime approached, we drew up timeline so we could synchronize our
(winding) watches
then launched our experimental improv theater
the audience had as much fun as we did.
brandfictionfactory.com
we ensured the event endured beyond the fleeting life of search.twitter.com
brandfictionfactory.com
the payoff
• deepens audience engagement with show• builds new audience• goodwill for brand• keeps show alive between episodes, seasons• provides deeper profiles of most ardent
supporters (stats of great interest to advertisers who no longer settle for age, income demo)
brandfictionfactory.com
Mad Men on Twitter was first fan-based campaign recognized for its branding power
every brand has a story
stories add warmth to frozen dinners
and make drinking soda an even happier experience
• coke happiness
just think if nescafe spots ran today
brandfictionfactory.com
foursquare | match.com | facebook | twitter | craigslist
so what are the rules of brand fiction?
1. content is king
• success depends on quality of creative• appoint a dedicated brand fiction manager• design a Brand Fiction Canon:
• highly detailed account of characters, settings, vernacular rising from central story
2. maintain continuity across platforms
• it’s not an alternate universe, it’s one universe.
3. be authentic—content must embody brand values
brandfictionfactory.com
4. be relevant to your audience
• know your brand fans• what distinguishes your story from others in their
minds?• consumer and programming insights enrich the
experience• the medium changes the message
5. share
• let fans engage• respond, retweet, relationship
6. don’t trust a zombie. your bot will show.
brandfictionfactory.com
7. Don’t dilute the brand
brandfictionfactory.com
7. Don’t dilute the brand
8. campaign assessment or the Scheherazade factor
• Monitoring• Engagement• Redirecting/Harnessing• Tracking• Archiving
9. Don’t underestimate time/effort necessary for success.
“The high-complexity nature of Digital programs makes it the most labor-intensive medium in the advertising industry.”
--A Marketer's Guide to Understanding the Economics of Digital Compared to Traditional Advertising and Media Services
report published 3/09 by The 4A’saaaa.org
10. Have fun
Lady Gaga brand fiction by former creative writing student
Stefani Germonatta
to speculate further…
Helen Klein Ross
helen@brandfictionfactoryMichael Bissell
bissell@ conquent.com