In this week’s Content Marketing Rockstars, we speak to Neal Moore, who was the co-founder and CEO of Click2View, Singapore’s first dedicated content marketing agency. Neal has since sold his stakes at Click2View and started Moore’s Lore Media, an original content company that develops and produces short films, feature films, web-series and podcasts.
1. Why Content Marketing?
Because online advertising has not proved to be the laser-sighted, heat-seeking, magic-bullet we were all promised it would be. In fact, quite the opposite, as audiences go out of their way to avoid it either by watching catch-up TV or downloading ad-blockers as some 615,000,000 people have to date.
However, it’s these same people who are driving the demand for content, they just want to enjoy it without the constant interruptions or buffering due to bandwidth blocked by heavy ads. These people a.k.a the audience are sending us a clear message; we love content but cool it with the ads!
2. How did you get started with Content Marketing?
Back in 2009, I was running a B2B publication which sold display ads, recruitment ads, section sponsorships, events, etc. I’d always been very successful but all of a sudden demand for my products dried up. My subsequent investigation revealed clients’ no longer wanted to advertise around the content, they wanted the content itself.
My boss at the time wouldn’t provide the resources to me, so my top journo (Simon Kearney, current CEO of Click2View) and I jumped ship and started Singapore’s first dedicated content marketing agency Click2View.
3. Content Marketing requires lots of inspiration, how do you stay inspired?
Well, I certainly don’t go looking for inspiration at marketing and PR conferences, that’s strictly for networking. I read everything; tweets, blogs, books, magazines, everything! I listen to music, podcasts, audio-books I watch videos, films and TV. I go to gigs, exhibitions and theatre productions.
There is so much creativity in the world and want to take it all in! If you’re marketing to young women aged 16 – 24, for example, stop wasting your money on marketing conferences and go to a Taylor Swift concert instead. Get into the middle of it and try to experience what your audience experiences when they listen to Taylor.
4. What are some valuable insights would you give to businesses/organisations that are starting up or have been struggling with content marketing?
They try to do too much with too little; blogs, videos, podcasts, all the socials! They should focus on doing one thing well. The world’s best YouTubers just do YouTube. The world’s biggest influencers just do Instagram.
Brands think they are spreading the risk when they try to do everything but actually, they are diluting their audience, their budget, and the quality of both suffers.
5. What do you think is the future of Content Marketing?
I truly believe the time is right for brands to start creating high quality, character-driven, fictional content.
For example, I am working with a tech company to write and produce a three-part Black Mirror-esque audio drama based on their cybercrime reports. They have identified that their audiences are sci-fi nerds who love a bit of dystopian fiction, so we’re going to give them what they want.
6. Besides Content Marketing, what are you passionate about?
All the other types of content lol! I sold my stake in Click2View in 2017 so I could focus more of time and energy on producing original content of my own.
So far I have produced two short films, developed a six-part comedy web-series starring Pam Oei (sponsorships still available!), optioned a book which is being turned into a movie and, in March, I am launching a weekly podcast for and about filmmakers. Subscribe now at www.filmmakerfridays.com.
7. Give us an elevator pitch of your business.
Moore’s Lore Media is an original content company that develops and produces short films, feature films, web-series and podcasts
for brands, broadcasters, publishers and platforms. I also consult with and train my clients on content strategy, storytelling and production.
8. How can people connect with you/your business?
You can take a look at my projects www.mooreslore.com and subscribe to the Filmmaker Fridays podcast at www.filmmakerfridays.com.