Localised video advertising is a global brand’s best friend

May 10, 2023

For global brands looking to enter a new market or expand efforts locally, video advertising is a powerful storytelling device. Yet videos should be carried out with specific target audience tastes in mind and with expertise on the local markets to yield the best results.

Video advertising is a good way for international brands to build momentum and awareness in local markets. Video remains a key priority for marketers, its importance moving at an all-time high.

Doing video marketing locally means replacing generic advertising with highly effective brand messages that speak to local audiences while supporting global strategies. Making video efforts count starts with good, data-based planning and expertise on audience behavior.

International brands should pay attention to certain key things when considering video for local markets.

Localised video advertising often makes for better reach

It’s all about the target audience, and global players may not have the necessary insight when it comes to local consumer behavior. Local partners and agencies, on the other hand, often have essential knowledge about the markets and data on target audiences: what type of messaging works, and which channels they prefer.

“Consumer insight is key when doing video advertising locally,” says Olavi Kajantie, Key Account Manager at Sanoma. “It all starts with defining what types of target audiences international brands need to reach, and how.”

Data about audiences also allows for brands to tie metrics to the overall goals of the video advertising, and to effectively measure and analyse results. The most common metrics are reach, impression and the amount of completions, but every campaign is different and may require specific approaches tied to local audiences – something local partners can help with.

Localisation translates into relatable brands

Authenticity is appreciated by audiences, and utilising local influencers and messaging makes the brand more relatable, even if the brand is already well known. In 2018, Finnish CokeTV was produced for Coca-Cola, featuring locally known vloggers and influencers as hosts of the YouTube show produced across Europe. The channel was extremely popular: it was Finland’s most watched brand content in early fall 2018, and Finland’s results were the highest in a country comparison. Video production of the channel was done by Videolle, which now operates as part of the Sanoma brand.

“Getting visibility locally can be very tied to local tastes. International brands should get creative in how they can reach their audiences,” says Markus Malvisalo, Key Account Manager at Videolle.

Compared to other Nordic countries, Finland as a market has its specific peculiarities and preferences that should not be overlooked. Finnish humour, for example, is a genre of its own.

Local partners can help at every step of the way

Local partners should be included as early as possible in the process, and should ideally support both the creative as well as technical side of production. The best partners can help with all the stages of planning the marketing, including the concept, messaging and distribution of the videos.

Including local partners from an early stage is also cost-effective. “Designing videos with a local approach from the get-go is a much more effective strategy than advertising for globally produced videos,” Kajantie confirms. “Videos designed with the local target audiences in mind produce brand awareness on a different level.”

The role of partners is enhanced when a brand is entering the Finnish market for the first time. For example, Danish car sharing company GoMore expanded its operations into Finland as a relatively new service and employed a multichannel approach with direct access to Sanoma’s campaign support and own channels. This resulted in building top-of-mind awareness on a large scale for the company.

Producing videos locally does not always have to be a massive effort or include shooting endless amounts of material – it can also mean animations with a local partner. “Partners can help brands see the big picture of where to get started locally and tailor video production to small or large needs,” says Malvisalo.

When planning local video advertising, remember the basics:

1) Use a local partner

2) Gain understanding of local target audiences

3) Define key goals & metrics

Want to get started on video advertising in Finland?

Get in touch >>

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

31 Oct, 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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