Qantas series is good storytelling not dirty words like ‘branded content’, says Fremantle Media
Fremantle Media has described the term branded content as “dirty words” that undermine the industry and told brands who approach the concept with an advertising mindset to “go and make a corporate video”.
The production firm said it is attracting increasing interest from marketers keen to explore brand-funded entertainment but revealed most ideas never get off the ground. If there is no genuine story to tell, Fremantle Media will walk away, the company said.
The comments came as Fremantle Media’s general manager of brand partnerships, Zara Curtis, revealed details of a second series of the Qantas-funded Ready for Take Off, which returns to Channel Nine at 7:30pm on October 7.
Well done Zara – on point!
Trying to sneak “branded content” past audiences in the hope they won’t notice it’s nothing more than an ad has always been a dodgy proposition. Well done to those who have and made good money from it, but if you try lobbing that sort of stuff into zone 1, the audience will decide what you are. There is no more savage currency of consumer likes and dislikes than television audience research. Relentless and accurate. Ask the programme bosses.
Well done, Fremantle. Well articulated Zara. Well done Qantas, too.