Why OTT platforms are the best bet for content marketers today

Google has predicted that two out of three entertainment content consumers will access OTTs by 2023. Looking at such industry reports and the trends, it’s inevitable for marketers to be present on OTT platforms to reach out to the consumers.

Another reason why OTT content works for brands is that, unlike social media and YouTube, consumers come to an OTT platform to especially consume content, while on YouTube or social media, the consumers go for various reasons and not just consuming content.

A Zee5 spokesperson said, “OTT platforms observe lean-back appointment-based content viewing experience where engagement and commitment are much higher than casual consumption. This can be observed in high view-through rates and higher average time spent by users per session on OTT platforms and these are the prerequisites for content marketing.”

Rahul Sarangi

Rahul Sarangi, Vice-President and Head- New Business at MX Player, added, “Most of the brands’ subscriber base is very limited on YouTube. Even if a brand collaborates with any social media content platform, its audience is limited to some extent. YouTube is more of a search-driven platform, where one can get everything. Whereas OTT is a destination, and each OTT platform has its own viewer cohort, allowing brands to target their consumers better. On YouTube, the accounts are driven by YouTube algorithms. When one puts content on YouTube, he/she can only hope that it sticks. The brands use YouTube more like a promotional and marketing tool over a content consumption tool.”

It’s also universally known that consumers have long ago started avoiding ads that only talk about the products and the brand. Even if they are willing to watch an ad, it should be either entertaining or purpose-driven. Therefore, the brands which are making the most from this sudden rise in content consumption on OTT are the ones that are embracing content marketing on OTT in the form of content integrations, branded content, and AFPs, where the story gets to lead and the brand is only subtly integrated into the content.

Deepak Kumar

Deepak Kumar, Director, The Story Lab, said, “OTT platforms have been the biggest gainers of 2020. It saw a huge jump in acquisition, consumption, and a quantum jump in average time spent. However, most of the marketers who are aware of the platforms saw this as a great new option to explore. Fortunately, the medium has not become templated as brands continue to explore each platform’s willingness to collaborate. OTT provides multiple opportunities for brands to innovate across the customer journey. In addition to this, OTT also offers content integration, content extensions, moment marketing, and the opportunity to create new IP.”       

Brands opting for content-led solutions on OTT is only on the rise. In fact, this year, MX Player will be releasing 10 web series for A-list brands, which shows how keen brands are to do content on OTT, given the fact that a web series is an expensive form of branded content. Some brands like Axe, OnePlus, PepsiCo, Too Yumm!, Legrand, Diamond Producers Association, Dabur, Colgate, and Pernod Ricard, and a few others tested waters with OTT content solutions in the past.

Covid has only accelerated this OTT-brand partnerships trend. Kumar said, “Covid times have helped tilt the affinity of brands towards OTT. We saw some of the best content being dished out to the consumers and OTT platforms were keen to push for the next seasons or new content quickly. Glocalisation has helped a lot. I believe it’s the right time for brands to explore and encourage this medium.”

Although, the Zee5 spokesperson said that in a cluttered and overcrowded content space, the idea is to always reach out to the quality audience with personalised messaging and this will be true irrespective of pre or post-Covid times. OTT platforms with capabilities of creating clutter-breaking and engaging content have established a niche space in the overall brand communication ecosystem.

But the challenges associated with executing content for brands on OTT are no less. On many occasions, people have raised doubts on the basis of OTT platforms’ individual reach, engagement, content-consumption disruption, budgets, and also the chemistry between the brand and the OTT platforms.

Sarangi of MX Player, commented, “India is not that evolved in terms of content marketing in comparison to the West. It is still a fairly new thing in India. Therefore, at times the budgets become a little bit of a challenge. At times, the turnaround time and the timing to produce branded content are very tight because the brands opt for content integrations when they launch their campaigns. We end up missing out on the opportunity even if the content suits the brands’ requirements well. The good news now is that the planning is happening way ahead of time unlike before.”

The Zee5 spokesperson listed four points that must be considered while creating branded content for OTT:

Novelty: Nobody is interested in watching ‘me too’ content. The authenticity in the idea is extremely important for the success of a branded content. Creative teams of all parties involved to work in close coherence.

Seamless: A seamless integration of the product or service advertised along with the show is vital. There should be a close connection with the brand ethos.

Promotion: Tactful promotional strategies to grab the right eyeballs at the right time.

Popularity: Brands tend to opt for the most popular shows and ride on the euphoria of it; on the contrary, they should be open for A/B testing with budget bifurcation.

In order to make the most from the brand’s investment in content, at times, it becomes very luring for the marketers to make the brand presence felt all over the content, which in turn makes the content consumption experience for the consumer very disruptive and unappealing.

Kumar of The Story Lab pointed out that we need to draw a line between advertising and branded content, as each has its own merits. He said, “The biggest challenge is the brand and creators version of ‘brand visibility’ and ‘creative liberty’. Managing expectations at both ends are the toughest. It is important to respect each other’s views. Thus, the best way to manage this is to view it from the consumers’ lens.”  

Another question that arises is that are the consumers ready to pay to watch branded content on OTT platforms?

Sarangi answered, “If one sticks a brand out in the content, it won’t work. Brands have to very creatively be integrated into the narration of the content. One can’t just place the brand in content for the sake of it. For example, if a cold beverage brand does integration in a reality show, one can’t sit in the AC studio where the show is being shot and say ‘It’s so hot, let’s have a sip of this cold drink.’ It’s a bad integration.”

The Zee5 spokesperson added, “Branded content is not something specific for only SVOD audience but both for SVOD and AVOD. Reach is one of the major KPIs of all brands, and the idea is to maximise the reach and not limit it to just a specific set of audience.”

Given the scope of growth of content marketing on OTT, several large-scale media agencies like Wavemaker, Dentsu, and IPG are aligning the brands’ content needs with OTT’s content solutions. In fact, OTT platforms have geared up to fulfil brands’ content marketing appetite with full-fledged separate brand solutions teams at their end.