The rise of "Edutainment" in digital branding

Small businesses with new and innovative products face a particular challenge when it comes to educating consumers on what they sell. In addition to creating distinctive products and meeting the ongoing and evolving needs of their customers with limited resources, they face challenges like effectively building their brands and driving website traffic. The result of this challenge is a unique type of platform that is more along the lines of a portal. The portal acts as more than just a website to gather information--it provides interactive content (videos, games, reviews, etc.) that familiarizes the viewer with the brand and bolster the brand reputation. Often, these attempts to reach the audience are more playful and represent the human side of the brand. For example, Remy Martin has an interactive timeline so that viewers can explore the company's 300-year history in videos, games, and information. These "portals" are having an impact, as studies show that viewers prefer content that is funny or informative. This accomplishes both. The content also often focuses on the uniqueness of the brand, something that small companies often excel in. Again, this is a strategy pushed by many small businesses that cannot afford mainstream big marketing, but it proves that often it is the style of content that gets impressions, not might of the brand.