Categories:
When it comes to creating content, it’s easy to brainstorm ideas that relate directly to your brand. For example, you might write a blog post about how to use your products or why they’re important. But the second level of content, the stuff that really resonates and sticks in the minds of consumers, is content that’s all about emotion.
As we approach the holiday season, gratitude is a concept on most people’s minds, and one that can be applied to almost any brand or product. Here are 3 companies that took their content marketing all in on gratitude, and really got it right.
With almost 500,000 views on this video alone, it’s obvious this campaign touched viewers in a special way. The ThankList campaign was made up of a series of videos, created by two-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple, which told the sometimes sad, emotional, and also heartwarming stories of five different people, each thanking the friends, family, and mentors who helped them through tough times. The videos encouraged viewers to create their own “ThankList” and submit it online. The content itself had nothing to do with greeting card, but if you watch the video, you might just find yourself heading to the store to buy a thank you card for someone you love.
- American Express – Small Business Saturday
When American Express created Small Business Saturday, it quickly became more than just a campaign – it became a movement. While not directly tied to gratitude, the campaign encourages consumers to “give back” to their communities by shopping locally for the holidays. In contrast to the big box retailers that dominate Black Friday, Small Business Saturday focuses on the mom-pop-shops across the country that are run by friends and neighbors. In addition to the emotional videos, American Express also created an entire microsite filled with generic marketing materials for small businesses to use to promote the holiday. Created in 2010, this seasonal campaign continues to thrive almost 6 years later – a sure sign of content marketing success.
- Jet Blue – Thankful Traveler
Not all great content has to be video – or tug on your heartstrings. Humor is a powerful emotion, too, and Jet Blue is the master of it. Last year’s Thanksgiving email featured a series of hilariously bad puns, all oriented toward teaching customers how to be “thankful travelers” throughout the holidays. It was simple to create, easy to execute and perfectly positioned to give customers a good laugh and a solid reminder to carve out time for holiday travel soon – it’s easy as pie.
About Ethos
Ethos is a multiplatform branding agency that develops and executes integrated marketing campaigns across multiple channels for companies inside and outside Maine.
At Ethos, we believe that the most effective way to set a company’s marketing course is by finding its core truth – it’s ethos. We know that once we discover and communicate that core truth, we can truly make a difference to each client’s unique marketing and business objectives.
With Ethos, you get more than a Maine marketing agency. You get a long-term partner whose goals are your goals.
Learn more about the Ethos approach and the work we’ve done for our clients. Want to have a conversation about your brand’s core truth? Contact us!
