Branded entertainment in Australia is still emerging as a credible alternative to traditional advertising. The linear broadcast environment remains restrictive. Deals with commercial networks generally require a significant traditional advertising media-buy, in addition to funding production, and our public funded stations are inherently brand-integration averse.

As viewing habits begin to shift increasingly to “on demand”, it is unsurprisingly the online space that offers the most attainable opportunities for branded entertainment.

Ironically, whilst opportunities for longer form storytelling are increasing in Australia, budgets are growing ever tighter. The Mane Event for example – comprising 6 webisodes and 5 teasers, all shot, edited and released over three weeks – was produced with the budget of an average middle of the road 30 second TVC.

We ran a digital promotion in the UK to select 4 Lions fans to represent their nations in “The Mane Event”. We then flew them to Australia and filmed them on tour as they tackled the locals in five epic (if somewhat unusual) challenges (see case study film).

Well-known Aussie actor and comedian Rob Carlton served as Mane Event Tournament Director.

Filming by day and editing by night, we produced webisodes that were released on days on which there was no rugby for fans to watch. They were broadcast online through Microsoft and Bing and in Qantas inflight entertainment.

1.75 million people tuned in to the series.

Lions and Wallabies players got into the series too, sending messages of support to their athletically-ungifted counterparts via social media.

The Mane Event generated a PR reach of 79 million.

Australian national free-to-air television network Channel 10 chose to feature The Mane Event series finale as part of the TV build up to the final Lions vs Wallabies test match.

Post campaign research showed that viewers of the series were 37% more likely to consider using Qantas for their next flight.