By Matthew Rechs, Chief Technology Officer
I’m proud to announce the beta launch of the Schematic-designed/developed Honeyshed site.
I think Honeyshed is one of the most exciting and innovative projects I’ve been involved with in my many years at Schematic, and I’d like to share the reasons why.
Marketers everywhere are trying to figure out how to move beyond traditional advertising formats like the 30-second spot and the banner ad to create ad experiences that consumers actually want to be a part of rather than merely tolerate.
Every Schematic client has a different take on this challenge. Some are working to make ad formats that are more targeted, others are offering more interactive ads, or designing inventory that is more immersive, personalized or engaging.
The Honeyshed answer is simple: Make the ad experience so entertaining that it stands on its own. I think that’s a brilliant idea and one that acknowledges two truths about advertising that people don’t talk much about.
First, people are passionate about the brands they love. We not only enjoy getting messages from our favorite brands, we actively seek them out. I know that it’s fashionable to dislike corporations and to hate their advertising. But if you show me a brand that people love to hate, like an oil company or a fast-food chain, I’ll show you three that those same people love and want to hear more about, from the folks who brew their favorite coffee to the company that makes their comfortable sandals.
Second, if you take a census of the content that we consume every day–from print to broadcast to digital–you’ll find that virtually all of it is enabled by advertising.
I remember reading somewhere that if you counted just by population all of the life on Earth, you’d conclude that the planet is almost entirely insect, even if the mammals get all the good press. Similarly, for all of our discussion about pay media like Cable TV, Netflix, and Amazon.com, nearly all of the content we see and enjoy every day is enabled by advertising, marketing, sponsorships, and the like.
The role that marketers play in creating that very same content isn’t talked about much beyond our nostalgia for the term “soap opera.” Exceptions prove this rule, like the almost embarrassing largesse our industry bestows on the Cleo Awards and the post-game coverage of the Super Bowl ads.
Honeyshed embraces this reality. Brands not only finance the creation of great content, they can provide a basis for a shared experience that is an important element of popular culture.
I think Honeyshed is the first to offer advertisers an opportunity to capitalize on that trust. And that’s another first that I’m proud to have been part of as a Schematic employee.
