Interesting story, suitable stars and authenticity – branded content entertainment at its best

May 8, 2023

Mutti’s Henri & Sirly Italiassa branded entertainment programme became the second-most-watched food show on Ruutu in November. Distinctive video solutions and strong direction towards the branded content resulted in the desired number of viewers being well exceeded.

Objective

Tomato product producer Mutti was looking for a distribution channel for its Henri & Sirly Italiassa show, where top chefs Henri Alén and Sirly Ylläsjärvi travel to the Italian Food Valley to get to know cucina povera, the cuisine of the poor.

Generally, branded entertainment programmes are carried out at Sanoma in close cooperation with the production company and the show’s collaboration partner. This time, the idea and script for the show were ready.

“We broke down barriers in the sense that this kind of collaboration has not been done before. However, people at Sanoma were immediately open and eager to try new things, which is really great. They saw the opportunities instead of challenges. Sanoma’s team made a fantastic proposal regarding on which TV channels the show would be broadcast, how it would be displayed in Ruutu and how it would be promoted,” says Emma Vuorenmaa, Mutti’s Brand Manager Nordic Countries.

Solution

Mutti’s team realised the show together with documentary director Ada Johnson. The stars of the show Henri Alén and Sirly Ylläsjärvi were also involved in the series’ themes at an early stage.

“Collaborating with Sanoma was natural and easy. This was a new kind of project for us, too. There were a lot of questions, and we received help quickly,” Vuorenmaa says.

The three 7–8-minute episodes of Henri ja Sirly Italiassa were combined into a 23-minute show, which aired on Nelonen and Liv a total of 10 times in November–December. In Ruutu, the show can be viewed one episode at a time. Viewers were directed to watch the episodes by means of video advertising from the Sanoma network. Advertising and brand marketing was targeted at those interested in cooking.

Henri Alén and Sirly Ylläsjärvi played an important role in boosting the popularity of the show.

“When selecting influencers for a collaboration, many factors must be taken into account. It is important to find the people for whom the topic is important and who have good chemistry with one another. Henri and Sirly were the perfect duo for this show.”

Mutti has collaborated with Henri Alén for many years.

“In the past, influencers were selected for individual branded content campaigns. Today, companies are looking for brand ambassadors who really know and love the brand,” Vuorenmaa says.

The series combined food and inspiration with more serious topics, such as food waste and climate change.

Three lessons learned

It is important to find an angle for the branded content programme that is interesting to viewers and fits the brand.

“In our case, cucina povera was a theme that fits well with both criteria. From the viewer’s point of view, the show was interesting to follow, but it was also a way to talk about the brand in an authentic way. Too much advertising content makes a show less entertaining,” Vuorenmaa says.

The second tip by Vuorenmaa concerns the selection of people in the show.

“It’s a good idea to choose people who own the topic they are talking about and involve them in the planning process from the very beginning. At its best, the connection is authentic, much more than could have been expected.”

The third lesson learned from branded entertainment programmes concerns openness.

“In branded entertainment, it is important to be open. Difficult topics should also be openly discussed. It’s also OK to admit that there is not a solution to everything.”

Making branded content entertainment was a positive experience for Vuorenmaa as a whole.

“For this, thanks are due to Sanoma. We got a great partner who made sure that the series got the visibility it deserved,” Vuorenmaa explains.

Key numbers

“The collaboration resulted in a great show. The content was of high quality, and the desired number of viewers was well exceeded. Thanks is also due for the strong direction on the content and the utilisation of distinctive brand marketing video solutions.” Kristiina Ihalainen, Client Manager, Sanoma Media Finland.

100,000 readers of native articles

20,000 viewers of video episodes

466,000 viewers on Nelonen and Liv

The total reach of content related to the show is three million. On Nelonen and Liv, the show reached a total of 466,000 viewers. In Ruutu, the series has been launched 20,226 times. In November, the series was Ruutu’s second-most-watched food programme.

“The desired number of viewers was well exceeded. The results were excellent in light of the figures. Our experience of branded entertainment collaboration with Sanoma was really good. I look forward to seeing what comes next.” Emma Vuorenmaa, Brand Manager Nordic Countries, Mutti.

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TV and video advertising in 2025 – major trends to tap into

October 31, 2024

The world around us steers our consumption to an ever more digital direction, and TV and video advertising needs to stay on top of the changes. What are the trends to look out for and opportunities to seize in 2025? Video Commercial Manager Tuomo Sinkkonen from Sanoma brings you the biggest talking points on the table right now to help you make informed decisions about your advertising next year. Total TV places content above device In the past, we watched TV. Today, it’s the content that matters, and the device we use to watch it is increasingly irrelevant. “It’s about the viewer’s freedom to choose. Even in Finland, where traditional TV remains popular, it’s the show we concentrate on instead of the device or channel it runs on,” says Sinkkonen. The goal of Sanoma’s programme acquisitions has, for some years now, been to reach viewers not only through linear TV but also on streaming platforms. This means choosing more programmes that, instead of depending on a specific moment, can be watched whenever. Erikoisjoukot, one of the most popular programmes on TV channel Nelonen last spring, got a considerable amount of its views from streaming service Ruutu. “There is a time and place for big live phenomena, but overall, we try to create a selection of programmes that can be watched throughout the week,” Sinkkonen illustrates. Measure your campaign’s success accurately across platforms In 2025, the fall of device-specific TV viewing will finally also be reflected in the way advertising campaigns are measured. Instead of having to combine metrics from different platforms and make estimates of overall numbers, SpotOn technology gives us accurate data on the actual reach of a campaign across platforms. “We are entering a time where independence from specific devices is not just talk anymore, but a reality that can be measured. Next year, Sanoma will be sharing a lot of observations about measuring the reach of TV and Ruutu together”, Sinkkonen promises. News media challenge social media in the race for video advertising Social media tends to snatch a significant portion of marketing budgets – but this isn’t the only way to success or even the best one, claims Tuomo Sinkkonen. News sites work very much like a social media feed: we scroll through, find things we are interested in, and are given ads to look at. However, we tend to scroll a news site a whopping 31 per cent slower , which makes it far likelier for us to see a video ad all the way through. “My months-long analysis of digital news sites based on different data points shows that digital news media are a much more opportune environment for video advertising compared to social media. I’d be glad to see this reflected in the way marketing budgets are distributed,” says Sinkkonen. Extra tips to stand out with your TV and video advertising in 2025 Choose your platform to fit both the marketing goals and the creative production . In addition to your objectives, the material you have on hand determines the best platform to use. Video material that works in social media is often a good fit for a news media, too, while TV or streaming platforms call for a more traditional story arc. Go beyond the obvious when it comes to advertising on TV . An ad break has a dozen ads to get lost in, but with branded content within a show, you have the viewers’ full attention. Don’t get stuck on scripting only spot ads – think bigger! “I’d love to see new and brilliant ideas within programme co-operations and how brands can be part of the programme content itself. I don’t think we’re anywhere close to the limit of the creative potential here,” Sinkkonen says. Turn to a partner to stay on board the changes . Media companies have the responsibility to keep the fast-changing world of digital advertising accessible to advertisers. “It’s unreasonable to think that an individual advertiser should be able to grasp everything that’s going on. It’s up to us to help you navigate the new possibilities and best practices,” Sinkkonen concludes. Ready to plan a successful year of advertising? Contact us!

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