Creating branded entertainment or branded content is an increasingly common string to the bows of marketers wanting stronger emotional connections with their consumers, specifically those predicated to spending their time online. And it’s in this context that we developed this mini-series of 3 shorts for The Art of Shaving – each developed with entertainment and 'share-ability' in mind over the delivery of product or brand messages.It was critical to produce films that would be highly engaging in their own right and not leave people feeling like they were being 'marketed to' – otherwise in the sea of available online video content, consumer could very easily switch them off (both figuratively and literally). Without a need for network clearance, the restrictions were minimal – aside from the customary legal approvals required of working with The Art of Shaving’s parent company Proctor & Gamble.

The content was part of a wider campaign of Outdoor (featuring a takeover of Grand Central Station in New York City), Print, Digital, OOH and Online advertising – all of which directed consumers to theartofshaving.com, our branded YouTube channel or to Facebook, where the videos could be viewed and shared.

The print and outdoor executions contained QR Codes, which would take smartphone owners directly to the videos via a mobile application. Additionally, we developed a promotional component to the campaign, which offered free Art of Shaving sample kits to consumers who viewed and shared one of the videos.

The campaign has been successful in building brand awareness and sales across the country. It is credited with a 9% lift in sales and an increase of over 12% in site traffic. During the critical holiday period, the campaign helped the brand exceed its (confidential) financial targets as well as more than triple its Facebook fan base, which now stands at 54k (17k pre-campaign). The videos received over 69,000 views in total.