5 Examples of Brands Using Short Form Content

Will short form content be preferred over long form just as digital downloads have replaced CDs? With new applications such as Snapchat and Vine (which we just reviewed in detail here) exploding in popularity throughout the digital world, consumers are becoming accustomed to flash marketing and shorter messages. While long form content may never disappear, brands that embrace short form marketing will have an advantage over their competitors.

Consider This:

  • New social media platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram are shifting the digital paradigm towards visual content.
  • Over 60 million photos are shared on Snapchat every day.
  • Over one third of the United States population – 130 million people – own smartphones and the projected trend is still upwards. 

In the US, Snapchat is the second most popular smartphone app for video and photo sharing. Unlike other applications; however, both the sender and recipient can only see content on Snapchat for up to 10 seconds, before it disappears into the digital abyss forever. The 10-second limit makes sharing content through Snapchat fun, exciting, and surprising.

Snapchat

Can you imagine a consumer calling your brand’s marketing fun, exciting, and surprising? Indeed, short form content is perfect for consumer engagement because it’s easy to digest and even easier to share.

How Brands Increase Exposure by Going Shorter

Brands on the front-edge of digital media are taking advantage of short form content by implementing it into their marketing strategies. Erasable or short form content can help build your brand if it’s used correctly. Some great examples of short form in brand marketing include:

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola used short form content in their “Twelve Days of GIFs” campaign during Christmas. GIFs are spectacular because of their ability to tell a bite-sized story within a few seconds. Because of this campaign, Coca-Cola increased their Tumblr presence while bringing the essence of their brand to life.

CocaCola_12Days

Adidas

By creating a Tumblr page dedicated to lifestyle and good fashion, Adidas is able to engage consumers visually while highlighting their most eye-catching products. Best of all, each image links back to the official Adidas online store.

adidas Originals

SweetShot Photography

By taking advantage of Vine, which loops 6-second videos, this boutique photography service promoted a short video clip of their studio.

General Electric

This one is very fun to watch – who would have thought that watching a company draw its own logo could be so exciting? Even if you disagree, it’s only 6 seconds of your time.

Home Depot

By taking advantage of memes, Home Depot is adding humor and “shareability” to their marketing. Check out their charmingly funny Richard the Cat campaign.

HomeDepot

Bonus Tip: Any Brand Using an Acronym Is Short Form Content

When was the last time you heard someone say, “Let’s visit the Consumer Value Store (CVS), American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T), or Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO)?” Brands using acronyms as part of their name have been using short form longer than most of us – and look at how successful their name recognition has become!

Take Advantage Before Short Form Disappears

While it’s more than likely that short form will become a new standard in the digital marketing industry, we can’t guarantee that for sure. There’s always the possibility that short form might disappear as quickly as that photo on SnapChat.

Regardless, brands that practice short form content and marketing strategies are more likely to engage users and go viral than their competitors. Short form content is still relatively new and uncharted territory. We’re all pioneers in this new medium of marketing, so it’s okay to experiment. Simply capture your brand, and share!



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