Did Branded Content Spoil Bratz? Posted on September 22, 2008 1 Comments

Recently released reports forecast a big drop in sales of Bratz dolls. Previously the darlings of the toy store shelf, these wide-eyed, pouty-lipped dolls have lost a little of their cache of late. Both Wal-Mart and Target are pulling back on orders, and the dolls have even been found in the mark down bin at Toys-R-Us. Did branded content have something to do with this?

Last year, Bratz parent company, MGA, teamed up with Lionsgate Entertainment to release a live-action, branded, full-length film featuring the Bratz characters. Box office sales tanked with only around $10 million in domestic ticket sales. The Wall Street Journal quoted MGA CEO Isaac Larian saying, “The movie was a disappointment and I personally believe it had a negative effect on Bratz.”

Branded content having a negative effect? How can that be?

Whether five-years-old or fifty-years-old, the consumer isn’t stupid. They can smell a big fat commercial dressed up as branded content a mile away. It’s even more egregious if they have to pay for it. So, while many may say content is king, it’s not. Value is king. 

Reviews of the Bratz movie were abysmal, both parents and critics were appalled by the script’s portrayal of young girls. Blog and online reviews posted embarrassingly bad ratings, something that will live on well past the box office run of the the movie.

Branded content is only worth doing if it is done right. The art to creating branded content is staying true to the brand. If all consumers get is an ad, or worse yet, a bad experience, the price for the brand will be a loss in trust, and in cases like Bratz, potentially a loss in the brand’s value.

With their series of branded content cookbooks, Weber has succeeded in building brand trust and creating a profit center at the same time. Not only are these books highly rated by readers, they also are among the best-selling cookbooks in the country. (In fact, Weber’s Real Grilling was the top-selling book out of all titles in two major home centers in 2006.) This didn’t happen by accident. It’s a direct result of making sure every recipe, every photo, and every word in the book supports the brand. 

Weber’s books are proof that branded content can be an extremely powerful way to drive engagement, satisfaction, brand trust, and profit—but only if it’s done well.