Cosying up with our favourite branded content this autumn
As the autumn chill sets in, many of us will be excited to snuggle up on the sofa with a good book and a cup of tea. This cosy season, we asked the Speak Media team to tell us about the types of editorial content that they love to consume. To find out what makes their favourite channels stand out, grab yourself a blanket and a pumpkin spice latte and read on…
Johanna Stiefler Johnson, senior content producer
Ryanair's TikTok channel cracks me up. The brand often creates video reels inspired by customer criticisms – whether it’s charging passengers more for every little thing or providing a less-than-luxurious service. The airline is quick to jump on trends and poke fun at itself without it feeling forced. As a result, its TikTok videos fly high (pun intended!), with some reels racking up two million views.
What I like about Ryanair’s TikTok channel is that it doesn’t try to deny the characteristics that come with being a budget airline. Instead, it leans into these stereotypes. Following its TikTok page has genuinely improved my perception of the company – I don’t just think of it as a budget airline anymore but as a funny, bold brand pushing out entertaining content.
While I’m not sure I’d encourage our clients to follow Ryanair’s approach – I’m also amazed that a lot of the posts make it past its legal team! – the honesty, authenticity and humour used when creating its content are things that brands could consider to step up their content game.
Jiyoung Jung, creative project manager
Monzo’s LinkedIn channel does a good job of standing out from its competitors by publishing a range of multimedia content that is colourful, humorous and interactive. From infographics to striking imagery and thought-provoking carousels, the bank’s approach is creative and experimental, and it differs in style from other firms within the banking segment.
In 2022, Monzo overhauled its visual branding guidelines to make it “more friendly, more human, more Monzo”. Applied to all visual assets on its app, website and general content, this guidance now influences much of the content that Monzo publishes on social media. This new look helps the content to feel more accessible, engaging and memorable – and allows Monzo to highlight its brand in a unique way.
Comms leaders should always think outside of the box when it comes to creating social media content. Brands could learn a lot from Monzo’s approach to LinkedIn content about the importance of creating bold and engaging visuals that work hard to grab your audience’s attention.
Sarah McGrath, junior content producer
Absolute History, a channel dedicated to telling shocking and curious tales from throughout history, is one of my favourite pages to engage with.
Perhaps it’s my ‘curious’ mindset – which is also one of our core values at Speak – that means I’m drawn to content that helps me learn new things and keeps me informed on interesting topics. Content studio Little Dot’s Absolute History YouTube and TikTok channels do a great job of breaking down weird and wonderful aspects of history through a combination of animation and powerful storytelling.
With so much historical information out there, it can be tricky to distil key points down into a bite-sized video – an even bigger challenge is keeping viewers hooked from start to finish. But, with YouTube deep-dives on seventeenth-century battles and TikTok reels on medieval surgical procedures, Absolute History’s social channels have plenty to offer.
While the video styles or subject matter may not be relevant to our clients, Absolute History provides a good example of how brands can effectively incorporate animation and visual effects into video content. It also serves as a helpful reminder that videos can be an effective way to tell stories and break down complex information in a clear and concise way.
Gabrielle Bridle, account executive
I really enjoy scrolling through ALDI Australia's LinkedIn channel. The discount supermarket posts a lot of behind-the-scenes videos to show its audiences where its produce comes from.
There’s always a great variety of video content on the channel. I find these snappy videos interesting, informative and entertaining to watch. Plus, as a customer, I really like to find out the backstory behind a brand – and see where the products I buy have come from.
Seeing these short videos regularly appear on ALDI Australia’s feed reminds me of just how important it is for brands to create content that is personable and gives audiences a sneak peek into their operations. It helps you to connect with viewers on a more personal level and can also help to build trust.
Charlotte Willis, senior account manager
I’m a real foodie, and you can often find me scrolling through Mob Kitchen’s Instagram channel in my spare time. Whether it’s watching short cooking tutorials or reading recipe-based posts, the content on its social media pages often leave me feeling inspired.
A big part of Mob Kitchen’s mantra is to create recipes that are affordable and accessible for people with varying culinary abilities. Through easy-to-follow Instagram reels and short TikTok videos, the brand is able to bring this content to life using a range of interesting camera angles.
Employees also feature in a lot of the brand’s videos, which keeps the content relevant, authentic and purposeful. It’s great to see how Mob Kitchen is involving its colleagues in the content creation process, and it helps to build a community feel for those (like me) who are watching at home.
Showcasing the skill, talent and expertise of employees is a really effective way to create engaging video content, and I’d love to see more brands doing this.
Want to find out how to implement a best-in-class editorial strategy that connects your organisation with your always-on audience?
Contact Gabrielle from our client services team: gabriellebridle@speakmedia.co.uk