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Kneebone: TV networks ‘disengaged’ and ‘disinterested’ in branded content

Jonathan Kneebone speaking at today's Festival of Branded Entertainment

Jonathan Kneebone speaking at today’s Festival of Branded Entertainment

Advertising creative and co-founder of The Glue Society Jonathan Kneebone has told an audience that Australia’s major free-to-air TV networks are largely “disengaged” and “disinterested” in creating and broadcasting effective branded content.

Speaking at The Festival of Branded Entertainment today, Kneebone chastised the industry for how it was engaging with advertiser driven content and singled out the TV networks who he argued still preferred to focus on 30 second commercials.

“The free to air networks are entirely disinterested – and in the main – disengaged. They’d prefer to keep running  – and prefer to keep making more money from – ads that last 30 seconds, rather than ads which last 30 minutes,” said Kneebone.

“They are being forced by clients to do more than just play 30 seconds of advertising for them – but they are resisting because their current structure does not allow for the flexibility required.”

Kneebone cited a number of recent attempts by the networks to move into the space with greater product placement and integration, however he argued many Australian examples of this branded content were “self-indulgent marketing purporting to be entertainment”.

During his speech, Kneebone cited a number of examples and held up Ten’s recent effort with Recipe to Riches as one example where a network had made an strong attempt to bring together brands and programming.

“Recipe to Riches is at least an attempt to bring brand and programming together, but perhaps the balance was still a bit favouring the brand rather than the audience,” he said.

The advertising creative also criticised the advertising industry’s attempts to deal with content creatively.

After citing a number of examples of good branded content, Kneebone made the point: “For every shining light, there are thousands of exhausting and unbearable examples of try hard, self-interested creative. And there are too many people confusing a desire to innovate with a requirement to communicate… it’s also important to see this world from the perspective of people making great entertainment.”

Nic Christensen 

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