You still think content marketing is hype and there is no need to invest a marketing budget in a blog post, photo shoot, etc. Below I show you how old the concept of content marketing is and why it is crucial to your brand’s success.
The content creator and Content Marketing are broad terms that describe many different things. The job title of a content creator nowadays is in high demand. The content creator is a videographer, journalist, photographer, or even you. Some business owners mistakenly think content marketing is a post on Instagram. However, the term became especially popular between 2004 -2007 when Apple introduced iPhone, Zuckerberg launched social media, and every person gets an opportunity to create and share content. But we know not every content published online is successful content.
To start with the end, I want to mention the importance of content marketing. Content marketing is a marketing area that mainly concentrates on creating content to build an emotional connection to the brand /product. By content, I mean everything. It can be a text, picture, video, sound, etc.
Stage 1: Print press
The invention of the print in 1440 by Johannes Guttenberg can be considered a birthday of content marketing. The print allowed brands to communicate with the target audience by creating a single piece of content that would be later copied and distributed to a large audience. The designed book by Benjamin Franklin was published in 1732 and promoted his burgeoning printing business. The first magazine for farmers,” The Furrow,” that issued by a farmer’s equipment company John Deere. The magazine advised how farmers can improve their businesses. And, of course, the famous Michelin Guide in 1990. All those focused on recommending to potential customers the product they needed, but in a “hidden” way.
Fun Fact:
Michelin Guide was created by an auto maintenance company that wanted people to travel more, enjoy the best food and change their tires more frequently. Restaurants and tires, would you believe in this connection?
Stage 2: TV invention and the first video content
First TV will celebrate 100 years in 2027. Hard to believe that it is relatively young media, but it has already been replaced in multiple ways by the internet (YouTube/Reels/Tiktok). The first TV advertising was done in 1941 by the watch company Bulova. The price for the 10 seconds commercial was back then only 9 USD. Today in 2022, the 30-second commercial on the national channel will cost around 105 000 USD to the brand.
In 50′ the breakfast Cereals Tony the Tiger changed the childhood of all kids for generations by using content marketing. Tony the Tiger was the first time a Cereals company decided to put a friendly cartoon on their cereals packages to create engagement with kids and build an emotional connection. Lately, brands have used those cartoons in video advertising too.
Check out content marketing in 1950 below vs 202
Stage 3: Internet and omnichannel communication
Omnichannel is a must for brand communication, broadly discussed only recently. Nevertheless, multichannel advertising began back in 1960. At that time, the printed media, TV, and radio were all into advertising. Advertisers of all times are interested in reaching as many customers as possible. To create a strong connection and create loyal customers with high lifetime values.
Content marketing is much more than just advertising. Content marketing has become more popular and more challenging. Customers’ attention span is decreasing every year. In 2000 the human attention span was 12 seconds. In 2015 already 8,25, and nowadays, scientists believe the average human attention is shorter than a goldfish.
To be successful at content marketing, the brand has to save its identity across all channels it chooses to communicate. You have only 8 seconds to catch a potential customer. Hence, better be creative or build a content strategy and follow the safe path.
