Accurate ROI, budget constraints are hurdles for content marketing

The constantly evolving content landscape has compelled brand marketers to embrace multiple media formats, find new strategies that enhance transparency and generate real trust with consumers.

But those aren’t the only hurdles marketers have come up against when it comes to content marketing. In fact, according to a study produced by Campaign Asia-Pacific, brand marketers and agencies report that the greatest challenges they face in content marketing right now are the lack of an effective measurement tool for ROI, internal budget constraints and creating and sourcing content.

These issues won’t come as a surprise.  While certain kinds of content can be accurately quantified through metrics, measuring brand loyalty from something like long- or short-form videos is a less certain prospect. Knowing that, companies can be reluctant to invest in new content marketing avenue, and that lack of investment makes creating and sourcing content even more difficult.

An all-in-one solution

Nevertheless, content remains a cornerstone of engaging consumers, and marketers and agencies understand its value—the value of video content, in particular. Over 60 percent of respondents to the aforementioned study said they believe video can build stronger engagement, increase shareability among audiences and be highly effective in reaching target audiences.

However, those same respondents admitted that video content takes too long to produce and is often too complex. Plus, they suggested, video is not cost-effective and therefore results in lower ROI.

The answer lies in a creative amalgamation, a one-stop shop for brands—an agency, production house and channel all in one place. This new ‘straight-to-the-source’ marketing and content creation strategy has proved popular with brands as they slowly shift away from spreading work across multiple agencies for campaigns.

From short- and long-form video content to active and passive product integration, Fox Content labs serves as a strong working model. The unit’s production teams are turning their credibility and content expertise into campaigns that drive impressions for brands across Asia.

Look no further than Taiwan. When data showed that tourists were increasingly interested in cycling holidays in Taiwan, Fox Content Labs took the lead in a multi-platform destination marketing campaign with the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. Research revealed that more than 9 in 10 millennial APAC travelers use social media to share their experiences, so the team sought out key influencers, including 2015 Miss Universe-winner Pia Alonso Wurtzbach and Owain Doull, a professional cyclist who rides for the decorated Team Sky; these influencers photographed and filmed their own rides across Taiwan, showcasing all that a cycling holiday in Taiwan had to offer.

The team has also embraced multiple platforms for brands, producing massive results. In collaboration with Unilever’s Rexona, Fox Content Labs stepped in with an integrated series aimed at unleashing the athlete in everyone. The campaign stretched across video, TV, digital and user-generated experiences, reaching 1.5 million viewers, achieving 2.4 million digital impressions and delivering 150 percent ROI to Unilever across their markets in Malaysia and the Philippines.

The production team’s greatest strength, though, might be its reach. Fox Content Labs can leverage its parent network for brands, engaging with Fox’s huge viewership and followers while sharing content across major channels such as Fox Sports and National Geographic. With a diverse network in its corner, leveraging connections with global and regional celebrities is also possible.