Over the past decade, the notebook PC market has become commoditised as both manufacturers and retailers have focused all of their communications on high specs and low prices. Consumers have never been presented with a real reason to prefer one brand over another as most laptops feel like “same thing, different badge” (with the obvious exception of Apple who are arguably in a category of their own).
More recently we’ve seen brands like Dell attempt to differentiate themselves, publicising the launch of their failed half tablet/half phone device with a “me too” flashmob stunt that mostly went unnoticed. Branded entertainment is not a new concept, but in more recent times we have seen the balance shifting away from the “entertainment” part and too far towards the “brand”. It’s not suprising then that we’ve seen dwindling interest from consumers – no one wants to watch a long boring ad.
So it’s surprising to see the latest effort from Toshiba.
“The Beauty Inside” is a social film – rather than just allowing the audience to vote or comment to influence the story, the film’s plot cleverly incorporates content from the audience and puts them in the lead role. Viewers post content on the Facebook page, and this is incorporated into the weekly episodes – think of it as a virtual casting tape.
Toshiba’s Ultrabook plays a low key role in the content, but it’s not overwhelming. The branding is subtle but memorable, understanding that the primary role of the piece is to entertain and create awareness. With over 3 million video views in the first three weeks, this is a new form of branded entertainment that’s well on its way to success.
