The mic is always on. What you say into it matters as much as when you say it. A few months ago, Barbie and Oppenheimer super fans understood their release dates would clash. What began as light banter has now turned into psycho-sociological debates on misogyny and female autonomy for basics like entertainment choices. That escalated quickly. Beyond the frenzy of moment marketing, why must brands care about evolving narratives? For starters, to avoid getting caught out on messaging antithetical to their core values and what their loyal audiences expect from them.
Timeline of diffusion of content model
Every day, consumers demand more. Every day, brands are presented with opportunities to deliver communication value. The exaggerated and hyperbolic timeline suggested in the content graph is designed to help readers of multiple generations reach orientation faster.
Think of any recent digital content trend (clue: 99 percent of users do not know how to harness the power of AI tools) – as a consumer, chart your journey from the first sighting that piqued your interest to when you wish you could expunge all mention of that topic – content relevance is a cruel mistress. Brand managers who are accustomed to the challenge of getting the content timeline right – iykyk.
Innovative thinking and creative freedom are essential pillars of memorable campaigns. When Reddit bought and played a 5-second TV slot at the Superbowl, they short-circuited the Mecca of modern-day advertising. A 5-second slot (yes, you read that right) that included cars, horses and disclaimers was enough to convey more curiosity than 30-60 second ad slots that cost brands tens of millions.
The 3-Pinch content mode
Pretty confident that you have looked up a new Google Maps location recently. It takes us three ‘pinches’ to get our bearings right – locality/street/door address. With each pinch on your screen, the complexity of information increases, but you get more information, direction and context.
In the era of fast-moving timelines, the format of storytelling can make all the difference. The content equivalent of the 3-Pinch Model works similarly – tell the story in 3 words, 3 paragraphs or 3 pages. The 2022 Twitter Outdoor Campaign is a good use case: If you can dream it, tweet it.
What separates winner brands from the also-rans? Winner brands always say just enough at the right time and place. Brand managers have the broadest range of channels available to communicate today. But only a few get it right on digital when everyone has the same tools at their disposal. Clarity of thought is important, but the 3-pinch filter is essential to help communicators harness the channel’s full potential to the message.
3 Words
Immediate, be the first, tell it now – worry about the consequences later. The limited word filter is all about the urgency of the moment. Did Argentina win the World Cup? Dhoni’s PPT based retirement video? The frugality of the message should be matched by immediacy of its deployment.
Exhibit A: Elon tweets – Let that sink in while he carries an actual bathroom sink into Twitter HQ, hours after buying the company.
3 Sentences:
Give more context. Early customer communication, reporting of the news which goes beyond the obvious, and a chance to add meaning to the dialogue are apparent benefits. A bit of planning, brainstorming and original design goes a long way toward creating dialogue and context with your audience, irrespective of the adoption curve.
Exhibit A: The annual deluge means loads of car owners wanting to hear the right things from their insurance companies.
3 Pages:
Not to be confused with literal content over 3 pages – the idea here is to use the longer format to its full force. The extended format content manifestation possibilities are the best for a well-word CEO blog or even a full-length feature with an influencer. However, with today’s decreasing attention spans and higher mobility ranking, long format need not be a one-time exercise but the continuation of a deep-rooted brand thought.
Exhibit A: Ryan Reynolds contextualizes Aviation Gin into every possible marketing opportunity. Apple’s Vision Pro introduction breathes life back into the Metaverse, take your pick.
View content as a parallel product
A hyper-inflated content economy can be toxic to brand value very quickly. Keeping pace with a generic audience is easy, but not with the customer. Brands that help the audience view the product’s promise in the shortest time possible will win. Just like brands plan product or feature launches, content and messaging needs a deployment timeline strategy. Much like the difference in instant noodles, lavish buffet’s and fine dining.
The writer is the director and head of content of Ideosphere Consulting. Views expressed are personal.