You know it better than anyone else – your product is problem-solver.  A hero.  It’s designed to save the day by making someone’s job easier, fixing something that’s been damaged, or offering a better solution than what’s previously been available in the marketplace.

It’s important for potential customers to know what your product does, but it’s even more powerful to make a personal connection.  Buyers are loyal to the brands they trust; and they trust the brands they feel connected to.

So how do you tell your brand’s story in a compelling way that builds trust and reaches the right audience?  Here are three keys to unlocking your product’s star power using branded content:

#1: Think outside the box.

What’s the first thing you think of when you imagine your product on TV?  If it’s a 30-second commercial spot, think bigger!  There’s a wide variety of ways to share your product with a TV audience, and if you’re not exploring these options, you may be missing out.

Automotive Racing Products (ARP) is a world leader in fastener technology, and they wanted to showcase this in a practical, real-world application that truly put their product line to the test.  By creating a storyline in which the hosts of Two Guys Garage participated in “dueling” high-performance engine builds across an entire season, while organically using ARP products throughout the process, the show demonstrated that ARP offers the highest quality product to prevent fastener failure, and that ARP’s extensive product line is readily available for OEM builds and well beyond.

Learn more about the ARP Engine Build series here.

Quality branded content like this puts your product in the hands of a TV personality, giving the audience the opportunity to see it in action, while fitting within the context of an entertaining storyline.

#2: Identify and target your audience.

Every marketing expert will tell you that it’s more effective (and financially smart) to share your brand specifically with the people who need it most.  Figure out who your audience is, and then find out how to reach them.

For example, Brenton Productions currently has five automotive how-to TV series in production.  These shows are a natural fit for showcasing automotive parts, tools, and products; and we’re able to do this by integrating those products and brands into the storyline of each episode.  Best of all, the hosts of these TV shows are trusted influencers in the automotive industry.

Brenton’s automotive shows air on MotorTrend, which features “all cars, all the time” programming for automotive enthusiasts and professionals.  This allows us to create the perfect pairing between automotive products and the people who need them! 

Dustless Blasting wanted a reputable expert to demonstrate that their unique wet-blasting system is an eco-friendly and highly effective game changer for paint removal. Truck U’s “Blasting with Bruno” tech tip series delivered high-end production values in the form of a customized, recurring segment with host Bruno Massel.  These segments provided well-delivered features and benefits from a respected automotive personality, while putting the Dustless Blasting system in different scenarios each week to show it could handle a wide range of paint and rust-removal jobs.  Delivering this message to a highly-targeted audience of automotive professionals and enthusiasts on MotorTrend helped Dustless Blasting get optimal impact from their branded content.

#3: Make it personal.

It’s important for potential customers to know what your product does, but it’s even more powerful to show them how it’s going to make a positive impact on their life, perhaps even serving them on a highly personal level. 

LMC Truck, a leading parts supplier for classic trucks, wanted to go beyond simply showcasing a product or two on TV.  Their goal was to demonstrate that they embrace the truck community by offering thousands of affordable reproduction and high-performance parts and accessories for those projects that represent more than just a truck.  Each of their “LMC Truck Life” features on Truck U tells the story of a truck being lovingly restored by its owner, while including useful installation tips featuring LMC Truck products.

You can tap into your product’s star power by making it the hero of a “problem-solution” story to build trust in your brand.  Communicate how your product is going to affect the user, whether it’s by helping them fix a problem, upgrading and improving their lifestyle, or giving them peace of mind.

Ready to unlock your product’s star power? Contact our expert team of media consultants!

Looking for more success stories?

Find out how creating tech tip features around the Hot Shot’s Secret product line helped Chris Gabrelcik educate his audience.

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