La conférence China Connect organisée par Laure de Carayon le 28 mars sur le brand content en Chine a montré qu'une des voies royales du contenu de marque était les microfilms, court-métrages ou superclips de 2 à 7 minutes diffusés notamment sur les réseaux de partage. Voici quelques extraits des interventions en anglais.
Play Big via Video Marketing in China
Leo Liang, Senior Director of National Business Development Youku-Tudou
When we measure a media, we look a coverage and affinity. The video landscape has grown very fast.
Youku is a more mainstream brand, while Tudo is younger. These two brands run simultaneously.
Figures:
− Every day, we reach ¼ Chinese netizens visit Youku Tudou
− Weekly, ½ Chinese netizens visit Youku Tudou
We are a bit like an online TV Channels. We have our own content and a lot of other content. Some people said a few years ago that Youku should be the Chinese YouTube but it is not the case. 70% of the traffic is Copy-righted contents. The only cost for the viewers is the banners they have on their screens. Our users are getting used to upload their content. The last part of our content is the one we make.
We are compatible with almost all devices and systems. Our third brand is a video search engine, Soku. It covers other major video sites than Youku and Tudou.
Youku and Tudo positioned as comprehensive platforms. There aren’t many differences between our users. Youku users may be a bit older and with higher income. After the merger, we figure out what our differentiations would be.
Last year, we invited Asian directors to do micro-movies, setting an example to the industry.
People love our content. That’s because we talk about what preoccupies them, about their concerns. We choose the theme and script of our content according to those insights. Thanks to huge media platform and sufficient promotion, our content is viewed. Then, they are social discussions, creating a buzz. People watch, discuss, and that created a second wave.
We do banners on tablets and platforms too. If your banner is related to the video viewed, it builds relevancy. It is useful that the banners are interactive.
Beside likes and comments, Youku allows you to share your videos.
Perception and decoding of brand content and video in China
Laurence Lim-Dally, CEO Cherry Blossoms, Hong-Kong
Beyond brand awareness, building brand identity and differenciation is a major issue in China. Video has great potential. My point is to present examples of videos which resonate with Chinese culture and brands’ identities.
Qeelin, Celebrating moments of joy, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGCahXL2ANE
Here they took moment from the lion dance and transformed it into an artistic performance.
The process of westernization and esthetisation of a popular Chinese dance is really interesting. We start with something which belongs to the Chinese popular culture to transform it into a more western luxurious performance.
Originally, it’s a masculine and acrobatic performance, with movements which come from kung-fu. Here it becomes a feminine dance, mixing western ballet, modern jazz and Chinese opera. Traditionally, it is associated with colorful costumes vs. a more minimal black and white video here.
The concept of Qeelin is to take inspiration from traditional Chinese forms and transform them. They elevate popular Chinese auspicious motives or objects into luxurious, modern, possibly cute and playful jewels.
There is an interesting way to take a poetic distance from the product, which become a work of art through the duplication of the product. You’re not a consumer in front of a product anymore: you’re contemplating a work of art.
Pepsi, Bringing happiness home, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ_B-Nh5bHk
The concept of Pepsi ads is to capture the excitement of now. This video is a bit different: they adapted the concept which deeply resonates with the brand as well as with Chinese culture. This video is not about excitement but joy, and not about present but past, present, and future.
This first thing is that the movie is very emotional: it talks about core traditional Chinese values (family) and addresses modern issues at the same time (young Chinese are torn between pressure from families and the want to adopt a western lifestyle). It echoes to young Chinese people’s deep concerns.
There is a metaphorical opposition between winter and snow, symbolizing the hard outside world, and the warmth of the home. There is a second metaphor, of distance: the father lives is another China, with a train symbolizing distance, the fact that they communicate only on phones. The distance is therefore firstly geographical. But there is more: there is a deeper meaning for the metaphor of distance: it’s also the distance between the father’s China – traditional values, uniform, traditional New Year decorations, tradition of visiting neighbors – and his children’s China – western lifestyles, the older girl seems to be a very successful working woman, the boy a successful singer.
It’s the reconciliation of Chinese and Western cultures which is appealing. Pepsi literally reconciles those two universes and generations. When the father opens his fridge, there is traditional Chinese food, and Western drinks.
Celebrity endorsement, Key opinion leaders (KOL): from awareness to trust
Leo Liang (Youku-Tudou), Angela Au-Yeung (Lee Jeans), Jean Hsiao Wernheim (a-Peer), Yueping Wang (Sopexa Group), Alexis de Gemini (A2G Creations)
Leo Liang: For new brands, products, we think celebrities are very critical. It gives very good results. But content is even more critical. Celebrities are easy to remember, but a celebrity usually stands for something. There can be PR issues about relying so much on someone. Samsung is known for tablets, phones and computers even though they do many other things. They did the big bear commercial with no celebrity, but it was really funny and help brand awareness better just because it was funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at-Iq88aymI
Alexis de Gemini: If you’re not well-known, I thing celebrity endorsement is key. To make a brand more well-known, to have a celebrity endorse your product is a fast and strong way to do it. You sure have to be cautious about who you choose. I worked during a whole season of a show with a famous actress and a very famous Chinese makeup artist. The celebrity status is bigger in China than in any other countries. This makeup artist didn’t just endorse the brand but brought with him an enormous social community. It costs a lot of money but gives tremendous leverage.
Angela Au-Yeung: In general, celebrities in China are well behaved, so there aren’t as many problems. The real problem is to find the right one for your brand. Moreover, A-list celebrities endorse lots and lots of brands already. You’re in competition with brands which aren’t even in your category.
Brands & Music : tapping China’s Youth Consumer
Jean Hsiao Wernheim, Chief International Executive a-Peer Synergy Culture & Technology, Sweeden
We try to link business and music to generate revenue.
The China Music Industry Park has been financed by the government to help the music industry grow.
History of Chinese Music:
− 1940 to 1980 : China was closed to Western music
− 1970 through 1980, Taïwan & Hong Kong music entered.
− 1990’s international music are permitted to be licensed
− As international music become popular in China, CD piracy boomed
− 2006: the Internet exposed young people to new types of music.
Even though international music is allowed, there is a lot of paperwork and administrative steps.
No paid download market exists in China because pirate sites dominate the market. Mobile music sales are healthy, yet telecoms refuse to share profit with music companies. Only less than 2% goes back to music companies.
The music companies had to react. They had to expand and find new ways of doing things. Live performances are booming. They are more than 300 music festivals booming everywhere.
The business is very controlled by the government. It closed down thousands of illegal web sites in recent years. Free downloads will end – Service Providers are working with record industry finding ways to do it. In February 2013, Luxury products were banned from making TV commercials. They have to ways to market and promote their products.
90% Baidu searches are for music and entertainment.
Chinese favorite music styles are pop, classical and rock. Young people are very into indie music.
Our company does:
− Live performance broadcasting
− Mobile app ads
− Multimedia tools
To integrate branding, music is a good way to broadcast a message.
Interpol asked artists from different countries to make a song for their cause.
Each artist sang in their own tongue.
The Jay Chou Sprite Commercial, made for TV, was largely broadcasted on the internet. Jay Chou is the most popular Taïwan artist.
Jolin Tsai did a concert in Paris. We made a documentary film about her figuring the product (Renault car sponsored the film). The video was broadcasted on the internet.
