Content Creating Tips from Visit Faroe Islands’ Guðrið Højgaard
Guðrið Højgaard is Director of Tourism – CEO at Visit Faroe Islands and a judge for the World Media Awards, which are now open for entries until 25th January 2018. You can enter here. Having won the Travel & Tourism category at last year’s World Media Awards, here are her thoughts and advice to potential entrants on what makes for great cross-border, content-driven advertising campaigns; plus a little bit of insight into what makes her tick.
About content:
LBB> Why should agencies/advertisers enter the World Media Awards?
GH> Firstly, because the world’s leading media companies are partners in the World Media Group network (who host the awards); plus, this is a ‘content-driven award’ rather than just ‘one more advertising award’.
LBB> What are you hoping for most when you judge the awards?
GH> To see how companies approach challenges with great communications.
LBB> What advice can you give potential entrants for creating a winning entry?
GH> The results of the campaign should speak for themselves and they should demonstrate how they have faced a challenge differently to others.
LBB> What is the best content-driven advertising campaign you have seen in the past 12 months (which you weren’t involved in)?
GH> VisitSweden’s campaign with Airbnb.
LBB> What are the most important factors to consider when creating content-led advertising?
GH> Relevance, and sometimes humour as well, to make the reception smoother and stronger.
LBB> Repeatable content is a big trend right now – so how do you create a campaign that will bring consumers back again and again? And do brands need to start thinking and budgeting differently to sustain this kind of ongoing content creation, rather than using the traditional campaign model?
GH> Yes, certainly move more of the resources to content creation rather than traditional advertising.
LBB> Content needs to be able to attract audience's attention, not simply disrupt and annoy. What's the key to truly engaging content?'
GH> Again, I believe it is relevance and humour.
LBB> Content-driven marketing is often associated with higher volumes of content but often lower production budgets than traditional advertising - how do you achieve great content without compromising craft?
GH> You need to understand that, if you want the best content, most of the time it costs. Sometimes you can be lucky enough to find an idea that doesn’t, but you can’t be lucky forever!
LBB> What role does social media play in content-driven advertising campaigns?
GH> A lot!
LBB> What are the killer questions an agency/media owner should ask a client to ensure that their content brief is fit for purpose
GH> Around relevance and timing.
LBB> What advice would you give a brand about to embark on a branded content campaign that needs to work across multiple countries/regions?
GH> I believe that relevance is king and it is essential to keep the message simple and pure!
LBB> Do some content platforms work more universally across multiple regions than others?
GH> Video usage has a certain correlation with internet speed in different countries, but our experience shows that it does not differ that much.
LBB> What is the key to finding a content marketing idea that can translate across borders?
GH> People from different countries are more alike than different; most of us have the same daily challenges, which means that most of the time your brand can speak to the same demands that people have, no matter which country you live in.
About you:
LBB> Your dream holiday destination?
GH> Antarctica.
LBB> Your favourite band/artist?
GH> Eivør.
LBB> What was your first single/music download?
GH> ABBA.
LBB> Your favourite film?
GH> Amelie de Montmartre
LBB> Your favourite app for work? And for leisure/personal use?
GH> Flightradar and Shazam.
LBB> Who are your creative heroes and why?
GH> Lots of painting artists make me happy and I feel rich AFTER buying paintings, even though I shouldn’t! ☺
LBB> Your favourite restaurant or bar?
GH> Restaurant KOKS in the Faroe Islands, the first Michelin starred restaurant in our islands
LBB> Your favourite meal?
GH> Faroese fermented lamb!
LBB> Your favourite drink?
GH> Mojito
