There are very many ways of making a content strategy. It helps to create and view your content strategy from different lenses. It gives you perspective and new ideas.

So how can thinking like a movie director help your content strategy? 

A movie does not go on forever 

Nobody likes a movie that just drags on and on. You got to keep story line tight. It’s the same with brand communications. You get a very small bracket of time in which people are exposed to your brand through different forms of communication. In that fraction of a second, they decide if they want to spend more time on your ad or not. 

Micro-content does wonders for social media given that you keep it platform-relevant. Longer forms of content are beneficial too but must be used wisely in today’s makreting landscape. You will not watch a 5-hour movie but you do spend 88 hours watching Friends (over a period of time). Yes, it is about 88 hours in total. 

The hook 

Movies have clear messages (at least they try to).

Usually on the lines of – boy meets girl, boy can’t have girl, boy defeats villains to get girl. Or, person has a dream, person can’t fulfill dream, then he acquires the means to fulfill dream, story ends in a success. 

Every brand communication needs to serve a purpose or lead somewhere. Be it your overarching content strategy, a blog post, or even an Instagram story – it needs to have a goal. 

What is a movie without a story 

And what is a brand without a story? After the core objective of the movie (or brand), you chart out the brand story. The content marketing strategy is what should help narrate this story.

If you are wondering what a brand story is, read “What Is A Brand Story?“

The hero/heroine

Almost every movie has a lead character, the movie is centred around this person. 

And no, you are not the hero. The hero is who is famously known as the king – the customer. This is how you literally make your brand customer-centric, make the customer the hero of the story. Your brand helps the hero defeat the villain and achieve success. 

The setups, the location, the art 

The art direction behind a movie can make or break the film. It creates a unique vibe for the movie that beautifully carries the story along. Imagine the vibe of a The Intern, or the vibe Adolescence. Totally different, right?

This is where Brand Identity comes in. If your brand is a Eat Pray Love, don’t create the vibe of The Hangover.

The creative assets of your brand should be compelling AND consistent. They should be in line with the persona of your brand and its positioning. 

The experience 

Every movie tries to create an experience. It may make you laugh or cry. Takes you into deep thought or makes you dance along. It is immersive if it’s the genre of your choice. 

Do the same with your brand. From the moment someone is introduced to the brand, to their purchase journey, and after-sale services. It should be a seamless, pleasant, and experience people WANT to talk about. It might help to read – Little Moments of Customer Delight

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Time to put on your director caps and… action!