Principles of Marketing – The Story of Content

Watch the documentary The Story of Content: Rise of the New Marketing(43.41 mins)
then answer the questions.  Your response should be a minimum of two pages, double  spaced, 12-point font.

The Story of Content: Rise
of the New Marketing DocumentaryDiscussion Questions

Julie
Fleischer (06:17) asserts that the first ads were really just
content that was connecting with people around value. Soap operas
like The Guiding Light and As the World Turns serve as some of the
earliest examples. What do you think caused the advertising industry
to move away from this, in favor of product-focused messaging? What
factors do you think have led marketing to circle back to a focus on
storytelling and entertainment content?

Kirk
Cheyfitz (12:51) characterizes content marketing as more art than
science: “There’s no way around needing to have talent. You have
to know a good story when you see one.” How do you recognize a
good story? What are its required components? Do these rules change
when the story comes from a company, rather than an individual
storyteller? If so, how?

Roxberry
Smoothies owner Holly Jackman (20:00) discussed how, after seeing
Blendtec’s “Will It Blend” series of videos, she was inspired
to start using Blendtec blenders in her stores. Do you feel that
purchase decisions like this are a common result of viewing viral
video content, or is this a unique case, and why?

David
Beebe (34:00) discusses Marriott’s marketing transformation from a
traditional brand into a media company and describes the
storytelling efforts that Marriott Global Creative and Content
Studio produces in partnership with influencers and Hollywood talent
— including TV and film projects, animation, and online video.
What other examples can you think of when it comes to brands that do
a good job of acting as a media company? Is this a role that you
think companies should be playing? What are they doing right, in
your mind? What do they need to get better at?

In
the film, Marcus Sheridan (24:00) shares the story of how he saved
his struggling pool business by using content to answer specific
customer questions on fiberglass pools. Being known as the
“Wikipedia of fiberglass swimming pools” gave River Pools a
significant advantage with customers once they were ready to make a
purchase. What other businesses opportunities and advantages do you
think can arise from content marketing?

Do
you feel that consumers trust what brands say in traditional
advertising, such as on television, in print publications, or on
billboards? Does it catch their attention, or influence their
decision-making? Does your opinion on this change when it comes to
online content marketing? Why (or why not)?

Are
you more interested, less interested, or just as interested in
watching a video or reading an article on extreme sports if it comes
from a company like Red Bull than if it comes from Sports
Illustrated or another professional media outlet? Why do you feel
this way?

Is
there too much content being produced by businesses today? What can
marketers do to create content more effectively and strategically,
instead of just adding to the noise?