Another first-rate example of Branded Content was posted last week on YouTube by Audi.  Titled “The Challenge” it’s a humorous contest between Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto (Old Spock vs. the New Spock).  It’s a short film in which the two agree to a race to their golf club for lunch (you can see it here).  Along the way, mixed in with a number of inside jokes for Trekkies, we get to see some of the features of the new Audi S7 sedan.  They even managed to put in some direct comparisons to the comparable Mercedes sedan, and did so in an unobtrusive way that doesn’t feel like “selling” the car.  I think it’s very well done, both entertaining and informative.

This is yet another example of work that transcends the tradition Broadcast TV format, in length, distribution, and content (there’s even a bit of profanity, though it’s bleeped).  Kudos to the team that pulled this one off.  I’m sure it wasn’t cheap to produce, with the two actors fees probably dwarfing the costs of the Production.  But the timing, coinciding with the release of the new Star Trek film, works to their advantage.  And the benefit to the Brand has to be greater than a traditional :30 Broadcast commercial.

Another interesting aspect to this piece is that it didn’t originate with the Client’s creative Agency.  The creative credits are claimed by a PR agency (with an unfortunate moniker consisting of 6 initials).  More evidence that the Sales / PR/ Marketing world has become a free-for-all where everyone is trying to offer anything they can in terms of services.  There are no rules anymore, and Clients are all too willing to take whatever services they wish from anyone who is able to provide them.  It’s a new world in the media space, and Broadcast TV isn’t the only game in town anymore.  The next few years look to be confusing and chaotic as all the players scramble for position.

Interesting times, indeed.