According to eMarkter, this year, the UK will become the first country in the world where half of all advertising spend will go on digital media with just over £16.2bn spent on TV, newspapers, billboards, radio, online and on mobiles and tablets. As digital media continues to grow and progress, along with social media and connectivity, cross platform advertisements are becoming more popular and being used by a vast spectrum of companies.

So Lets go back a few years….

Take Skittles, for example, one of the many brands belonging to the global manufacturer, Mars. Skittles are a brand that have become best known for its various ‘Taste the Rainbow’ campaigns, interactive marketing strategies and its inventive tumblr website. In the ‘Touch the Rainbow’ campaign the viewer is asked to engage with their phone/ tablet or internet browser, allowing them to be part of the advert they are about to see. This video is available online and is unique to its online following. Its run time is short, and being on YouTube, is easy to share amongst friends, with this video hitting over 7 million views. This accessibility and lighthearted humour was the perfect formula for a successful viral video, with what begins as a cutesy video of a cat (the internet loves cats by the way ), soon becoming something humorous. If you want to know more about viral videos in 2015 click here.

 Skittles Touch: Cat (2011)

Social Media and Video

Another important feature of cross platform marketing is social media integration. Using social media to maintain a campaign or build up to the release of a video is an important tool that has been used to great effect by companies such as John Lewis.

According to Moz, ‘of the top 50 most-shared pieces of content, 48% were video! and 24% were image-based’, but with the help of social media an even bigger buzz can be created surrounding a video, allowing for greater audience interaction.

The John Lewis Christmas campaigns have been increasing in popularity every year and are one of the most talked about topics on social media during the festive season. With their own unique formula that audiences have become accustomed to, and no in-your-face marketing or product placement, it has become a sensation that is extremely popular with all ages. Generating a buzz before the release played a key part of the campaign last year, with the #montythepenguin hashtag being used on twitter, its integration with Channel 4’s Goggle-box, and with teaser posters also strategically placed around London Underground. As well as this, enigmatic Monty gifts were sent to journalists adding to the excitement and mystery of the new advert. This use of mass media to advertise companies like John Lewis can reinforce a strong video, and bolster its appeal virally allowing your product/ service to reach your audience through all forms. Audience members could then interact with an online story and even buy the Fluffy toy!

John Lewis Christmas Advert 2014 – #MontyThePenguin

Trans-media Storytelling

As we continue to get drawn into our own technology, often using two or even three devices at any given time, it is clear how many avenues there are to attract your audience. Trans-media storytelling is an exciting and interesting concept that can take all of this into account allowing for cross-platform advertising, interactivity and general buzz. Here is a video that animates an interactive and social media dependent version of the children’s classic, Cinderella.

Cinderella 2.0: Trans-media Storytelling

The video looks at creating ‘deeper and more engaging experiences’ from Facebook to Twitter to gifs to print to TV. By using multi platforms and liquid content a company can create different levels of depth and reach various levels of users, whilst still remaining a cohesive and exciting campaign. This cross platform involvement could well be key to 21st century marketing and its continued development.

Recent Success

Another example of a successful media campaign is the phenomenon that is Clash of Clans, the freemium mobile MMO Strategy game. With its Superbowl 2015 advert being the highest viewed ad of Superbowl 2015 it has now reached over 62 million views on YouTube with various other videos hitting over 1 million views. This app has gone on to develop its own characters, live streams and online following as well as creating some fun and entertaining adverts for TV. Clash of Clans also encourages its players to get involved and create their own videos to be included in their online video competitions. By creating and nurturing its online community, players have developed loyalty to the brand and along with sharing their continued viral videos.

Clash of Clans: Revenge (Official Super Bowl TV Commercial)

Ride With Hog Rider: Thank You!

Another recent campaign by Kronenbourg 1664 has consisted of a series of events in which the public were asked to support Eric Cantona in naming their beer as the number one ‘supreme’ tasting beer. According to the first video, If 10,000 people showed their support via YouTube, Cantona would swim across the English Channel. As the story progressed and the hashtag, #LeBigSwim, began trending the support reached the target of 10,000 and has continued to grow. With regular, well-produced videos and interaction with people in the comment sections of their Facebook page, Kronenbourg 1664’s cross-platform media has been a huge success with its audience, and maintained an exciting narrative online. The narrative climaxed in the video below.

Will Cantona swim the Channel? | #LeBigSwim | Kronenbourg 1664

Cantona Will Swim | #LeBigSwim | Kronenbourg 1664

Cantona swam the Channel in record time* for a Taste Suprême. #LeBigSwim

*For a Frenchman in a super yacht.

https://www.facebook.com/Kronenbourg1664/videos/vb.102266333195475/883360538419380/?type=3&theater

What is next?

As technology continues to develop and become interchangeable, it is important for companies to keep up with these trends. By providing multi-platform productions it allows different audiences to be maintained and developed in the most effective way. Through researching the various demographics you are aiming for, and their preferred digital medium, a company can maximise its reach by creating exciting and appropriate content for all.

Here are some more key tips for cross-platform success. (Via The Drum)

Sources

http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2014/06/06/five-tips-cross-platform-advertising-success

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/28/itv-profits-up-25-despite-continuing-decline-in-ratings

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/28/uk-advertising-spends-hits-record-47bn-in-first-quarter-of-2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP-zOCl5md0

http://www.geniusdigital.tv/will-2015-year-cross-platform/

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/27/half-ad-spend-digital-media

http://croud.com/blog/2014/11/john-lewis-advert-content-marketing-masterpiece/

https://moz.com/blog/content-outliers

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/here-are-two-new-clash-clans-ads-which-will-get-gazillion-views-159792

http://metro.co.uk/2014/11/05/when-does-the-john-lewis-2014-christmas-advert-air-everything-we-know-about-monty-the-penguin-so-far-4935530/

http://www.wired.com/2015/08/jukin-media/

http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/07/06/content-marketing-strategy/

http://www.postano.com/blog/6-cross-platform-hashtag-marketing-campaigns

Please Note: We did not produce these videos we just think they are fabulous!