No matter how powerful the story is, it cannot work without the right distribution: Pallavi Singh of MG Motor

British Automaker Morris Garages has kept its marketing strategy revolving around content to create a buzz before its launch in India. Recently, the brand partnered with global travel community Tripoto to co-create a seven-season web series, ‘World of MG: An Indian Abroad’, to be shot across seven countries. The objective behind the web series is to popularise the brand in India before its launch slated for June.

In an interview with BuzzInContent.com, Pallavi Singh, Head of Marketing, MG Motor India, said, “As a new entrant in the Indian market, we felt it was important to showcase MG’s global presence. But we wanted to ensure it doesn’t become yet another travel show. We are focused on building advocates and a strong digital community through strategic content collaborations like the one with Tripoto.”

Singh elaborated on how great storytelling drives content and why should brands with powerful stories give equal importance to choosing the right distribution platforms to showcase those stories.

She said content marketing doesn’t mean that companies go overboard with brand integration. “A brand should not be a force-fit in the narrative and distract the viewer, resulting in them disconnecting from the story; then the entire activity has failed. Brand integrations should always support the story,” she said.

Excerpts:

What’s the brand objective behind the web series with Tripoto? Why did you choose Tripoto as your content platform partner?

As a new entrant in the Indian market, we felt it was important to showcase MG’s global presence. This thought led to the idea of World of MG. However, we wanted to ensure it doesn’t become yet another travel show. We found great partners in Tripoto and Amol Parashar to bring alive this journey of an Indian who travels and experiences the local culture while zipping around in an MG. We are also focused on building advocates and a strong digital community through strategic content collaborations like the one with Tripoto.

What are the common mistakes that marketers make while storytelling through content marketing?

Going overboard with brand integration. It is, of course, important to ensure that the brand is part of the narrative. However, if it is a force-fit and distracts the viewer, resulting in them disconnecting from the story, then the entire activity has failed. Brand integrations should always support the story.

A lot of brands spend heavily on advertising to create a buzz before launching something new in the market. I see MG Motor spending heavily on content marketing in comparison to advertising. What is the strategy here?

Storytelling drives content today. MG itself is a brand full of stories, from how it started in a garage in 1924 to how it won land speed records and now coming to India – we all have grown up on stories. I believe it is important to connect with the core emotions instead of trying to sell a service or a product and that’s what we are building on. But no matter how powerful a story is, it cannot work in a vacuum. A good story needs the right distribution network to be successful.

There is a common notion among marketers that content marketing cannot be done with the objective of fetching sales or sales leads. Do you agree or disagree and why?

Content marketing is much more dynamic than it used to be a few years back. Today’s consumers are much more evolved and prefer brands that have a purpose beyond simply sales. This is where content marketing plays a major role; by focusing on authentic stories and using the right channels and formats. From bookings and lead generation perspective, we do have a performance marketing strategy in place. However, high-quality emotive content will always be at the heart of everything that we do.

Most of the user-generated content by brands these days is driven by contests and rewards. What’s the point of generating UGC which doesn’t come organically? What can make UGC successful without luring a consumer?

It is imperative to understand the objective of creating UGC. Is it only to reach your target vanity metrics or can it be turned into something more meaningful? As part of our #RecreateTheMagic campaign, we had asked audiences to recreate some iconic MG ads from back in the day. We opened a challenge and the response was overwhelming. This wasn’t only because of rewards. The participants were genuinely curious about this new brand, which led to higher conversations on social.

What are the means by which influencers can be utilised in brands’ content marketing practices beyond them just posting videos and textual content about the brands?

Today, micro-influencers who have a real connection with your customers are really valuable for a brand. While the mammoth task lies in finding the influencer, the right advocate will always help you grow the brand, as they genuinely believe in your product and your brand purpose. Influencers should be nurtured and made to feel a part of your brand narrative. The right influencer will help in impacting your consumer’s buying behaviour and choices.

What are two important questions one must ask while embarking on the content marketing route?

1) Is it relevant to my brand narrative?

2) Is it authentic?