LONDON: Opportunities for product placement and reaching younger audiences are encouraging an increasing number of brands to use music videos as an essential component of their campaigns.
For UK online retailer Very, targeting consumers on YouTube has proved highly effective, to such an extent that the company's marketing director believes music videos will become the future of marketing.
"We know that our target customer over indexes on YouTube in order to watch music videos so taking fashion to that space is a no brainer and a big win for us," said Kenyatte Nelson in comments to Marketing Week.
"Music is a universal language and allows us to approach our customers in a less commercial and a more engaging way. There aren't many brands truly investing in this space, but they will – it will become the future of marketing," he added.
But it is not just music videos that offer opportunities, he said, pointing to the popular US TV show "Scandal", which he suggested is watched as much for the outfits worn by the lead characters as for the plotline.
"The main character Olivia Pope always wears a beautiful coat, it could be a Burberry or a Calvin Klein. It is a running joke that this thing sells out the next day," he said.
Product placement is also being made easier with the inventive use of modern technology, according to James Cornish, UK sales director of video-hosting service Vevo.
He cited MirriAd, a Universal-backed native advertising platform which can integrate brands messages into music videos, and said Vevo worked with MirriAd to insert billboards and branding into the Minions computer-animated movie.
Another advantage of online video is its ability to engage younger audience and its longevity, said music analyst Mark Mulligan.
"What's key to brands getting into music videos is longevity," he said. "If you advertise on television, it's time sensitive. However if a brand places an advert or product placement within a music video, it will still be seen two years from now and still in big numbers."
For UK online retailer Very, targeting consumers on YouTube has proved highly effective, to such an extent that the company's marketing director believes music videos will become the future of marketing.
"We know that our target customer over indexes on YouTube in order to watch music videos so taking fashion to that space is a no brainer and a big win for us," said Kenyatte Nelson in comments to Marketing Week.
"Music is a universal language and allows us to approach our customers in a less commercial and a more engaging way. There aren't many brands truly investing in this space, but they will – it will become the future of marketing," he added.
But it is not just music videos that offer opportunities, he said, pointing to the popular US TV show "Scandal", which he suggested is watched as much for the outfits worn by the lead characters as for the plotline.
"The main character Olivia Pope always wears a beautiful coat, it could be a Burberry or a Calvin Klein. It is a running joke that this thing sells out the next day," he said.
Product placement is also being made easier with the inventive use of modern technology, according to James Cornish, UK sales director of video-hosting service Vevo.
He cited MirriAd, a Universal-backed native advertising platform which can integrate brands messages into music videos, and said Vevo worked with MirriAd to insert billboards and branding into the Minions computer-animated movie.
Another advantage of online video is its ability to engage younger audience and its longevity, said music analyst Mark Mulligan.
"What's key to brands getting into music videos is longevity," he said. "If you advertise on television, it's time sensitive. However if a brand places an advert or product placement within a music video, it will still be seen two years from now and still in big numbers."
Data sourced from Marketing Week; additional content by Warc staff
