Storytelling as Strategy: Inside Banijay Branded Entertainment

Well, it's interesting 'cause I think also there, you talk about storytelling and how integral that is to all of these different sections that Banijay has, but I'm curious as to when you're working with a brand, how do you sort of balance making sure that you stay true to this inherent sort of, uh, integral part of what you do, which is creating a story and creating something entertaining and, and connecting, right, to not just a super fan, but a casual fan-

Yeah

... and really hitting all those audiences, when you also have a brand or a client that has a specific target or a specific goal or a specific message that they wanna get across?

So I think what's really important in that, and, you know, I, I always say this, but it's crucial because we make entertainment, so we have to start from the basics, and it, it is about making entertainment and drawing in audience.

The main thing is, would that audience watch that show regardless of the fact that it's with a brand? So that's where we come from.

Because, you know, you can't approach this, if a brand approaches this kind of marketing solution, because in the end it is a marketing solution, um, it, it has to be aware that you're getting into the realm that is different from, uh, advertising.

So you're not pushing necessarily one single product.

You're not pushing something that people need to buy, but you are focusing on very different elements, which could be the positioning, which could be the awareness of the brand, which could be, you know, the perception of it, um, or anything tied to maybe, um, CSR, you know.

And that, those bits are the ones that, of course, are closer to the storytelling.

Um, and so it is always, um, I think it's always a matter of the brand choosing, um, branded entertainment because they need that in that moment, um, of their history, of the history of the brand.

And it doesn't cancel out the, any advertising they're doing, right?

Mm.

'Cause the advertising is advertising.

You, you know, we see it, we're bound, you know.

Mm.

And actually, most of us are skipping it.

Mm-hmm.

So a very good part of this, what we are doing, is actually in line with, with what audiences are looking for.

But it's key not to confuse-

Mm

... um, a piece of, like, 30 seconds and a piece of, you know, three episodes, four episodes of entertainment.

Mm.

So that's where we come in and we talk with a brand.

So they work with us and we work with them.

Mm.