Amid widespread ad fatigue, highlighted by the prevalence of ad blockers, Johnson & Johnson has sought to break through the apathy by capturing people's attention with cinematic proportions. Its documentary-length ad about an AIDS ward, which won a 2019 Cannes Lions Grand Prix award, showed how narratives can enhance engagement. We explore the insights behind this and why brands are using entertainment marketing to keep viewers viewing.
Produced in collaboration with the Oscar-nominated director Dan Krauss, UM Studios New York, and Highway 61 Films, Johnson & Johnson has harnessed the power of entertainment marketing with its award-winning film, 5B. The 50-minute documentary focuses on the nurses caring for AIDS patients at San Francisco General Hospital during the 1980s and highlights the importance of frontline medical staff. “We are at a tipping point where entertainment marketing is becoming established in the marketing toolbox, rather than something you dip your toe in the water in,” says Scott Donaton, jury president and global chief creative and content officer at Digitas.
With only 15% of those in the US stating that the like seeing ads on websites, and even fewer (13%) stating that they like to see them in video clips, brands need to go above and beyond in order to grab the attention of viewers. 5B does this by hooking viewers with the brave, heartwarming tale of the fearless front-liners providing care and comfort to those in the midst of a scary and unwinnable battle. In presenting a compelling narrative, the documentary and its supporting ads are able to maintain the viewer's limited attention whilst positioning Johnson and Johnson as a socially-aware, medically-focused brand. Additionally, in highlighting their role in the preservation of the archival footage used to produce 5B, Johnson and Johnson join the likes of brands such as Nike Air Max by doing their bit to preserve cultural heritage for posterity.
With 27.5% of internet users expected to be using adblocking software by 2020, Johnson & Johnson has adopted a marketing strategy that aims to grab the attention of those who would otherwise skip past ads at the earliest opportunity. Faced with a deluge of information any time they watch content online or scroll through their social media feeds, people are ignoring brands that simply sell products with little else to engage them. Responding to increased ad avoidance, game developer Capcom mixed things up by creating a commercial for Resident Evil that demanded viewer interactivity.
Aaron Hanaphy is a behavioral analyst at Canvas8, which specializes in behavioral insights and consumer research. As a synth-loving semiotician, you'll either find him fiddling with filters or diving deep into the cultural nuances of anything from bad TV to brand language.
