Although only one of the following titles is going to win the Oscar for best picture, each of them has deserved an award in the different categories of best content marketing, and here are the categories…

Oscar for the best goals and strategies: Imitation Game

Imitation-game

Perhaps we can’t compare content marketing to what used to be the biggest puzzle in the world: Enigma, the encryption device used for all communications by the Nazis in World War II. According to General Denniston, who described it to the brilliant British scientist Alan Turing, it was supposed to be unbreakable. Turing’s answer – let me try, and then we will know for sure – could be the guiding thought for any successful content marketing project. Before designing and producing the content, it is important to define its goal.

What did we learn?

Every content marketing project has to have clearly defined goals, while its strategy and execution must be focused on its realization.
Before you start developing the topic, writing the article and thinking about the headline, think carefully about what you are really trying to accomplish, and then also how you plan to do it.

Oscar for the best content quality: American Sniper

American-Sniper

Regardless of the controversy surrounding American Sniper, directed by Hollywood veteran Clint Eastwood, the film continues to break records at the box office. Based on true events, it tells the story of Chris Kyle, the most successful sniper in the history of the US Army. But a gold statue requires more than just a good story. What separates American Sniper from many other hero war movies is the excellent direction and a great cast. Whether it is through images or through words, only excellent content can transmit a good story to audiences and readers.

What did we learn?

Excellent content is the prerequisite for a successful content marketing project.
An original topic and catchy headline can sometimes be enough to grab the users’ attention, but they are not enough when it comes to keeping it. Ultimately, what readers value most is the quality of content.

Oscar for the best visual support for the content: The Grand Budapest Hotel

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The grandiose lobby of the Grand Budapest Hotel pulls us into a stylized, visually impressive world of bright colors, memorable details and picturesque scenes in a distant, yet supremely real world of the fictional Republic of Zubrowka. From first to last scene, the film is marked by the signature style of director Wes Anderson, making it really stand out from the rest of this year’s candidates for the most prestigious film award, but the visual aspect of the story is what wins the audiences over at first glance. Content marketing works the same way.

What did we learn?

In order to attract the readers’ attention, content must have visual support.
People are visual creatures, and an image speaks a thousand words. Nobody wants to read a bare 5,000-character text with no visuals or photos, no matter how useful or interesting it might be.

Oscar for the most powerful message: Selma

Selma

The historical and biographical drama Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay, takes us along on the 1965 march from the town of Selma to Montgomery, the capital city of Alabama, during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. Making us more aware of the past, the film also helps us better understand the present in which America is still plagued by racism, as witnessed in the recent waves of unrest in the town of Ferguson, also in the state of Alabama. The portrayal of one of the key moments in American history is a powerful and inspiring account of a still pressing issue, which is why it has earned an award in the category of good content marketing.

What did we learn?

Good content has a powerful and inspiring message.
Whether it is a magazine, blog or newsletter, the goal of content marketing is to give the product extra value rather than selling it. Try to be at the service of your users. Inspire them!

Oscar for content authenticity: Boyhood

Boyhood

The most recent project of director Richard Linklater, one of the biggest talents of the American indie film scene, it has already won numerous awards at festivals, and it has been nominated for no less than 6 Oscars. The movie portrays a young man’s transition from childhood to adolescence to maturity in an original manner, no tricks involved. This drama was shot for over 12 years with the same cast, meaning that the lead role, actor Ellar Coltrane, started the shoot at the age of 6 and finished it at the age of 19. Just like in the movie world, in the world of content marketing, it is crucial to set yourself apart by being authentic.

What did we learn?

Content authenticity is just as important as content quality.
Original authorial content is what distinguishes great content from the good. Be consistent, both to yourself and to your audience.

Oscar for content consistency: Birdman

Birdman

Praised by American critics, Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu’s black comedy introduces us to the flipside of Hollywood through the character of Riggan Thomson, a used-up actor in the midst of a creative crisis. We spend the entire 119 minutes of the movie in one uninterrupted frame with Thomson, which, of course, speaks to the power of excellent montage, but also serves as proof to the value of consistency, which we can also apply to content marketing.

What did we learn?

Quality and consistency of content are inseparable.
Publish your articles periodically, regularly update your blog, distribute your newsletter at an even pace, and give all your content a recognizable form that your users can get accustomed to.

Oscar for the emotional appeal of content: Theory of Everything

Theory-Of-Everything

The drama Theory of Everything was named after one of the most popular works of the revolutionary scientist Stephen Hawking, and it was written after his wife’s biography, which gives it a special romantic tone. Retelling Hawking’s life through a sentimental prism, the movie has no trouble finding its way to the audience’s heart. Emotions are an important part of human communication, and as such they can be a crucial element of creating appeal in content marketing when appropriate.

What did we learn?

Good content stirs emotions.
Don’t be afraid to appeal to people’s feelings. Drama can provoke the readers’ interest, and humor can create a positive environment.

8) Oscar for evaluating the chosen strategy: Whiplash

Whiplash

Did you know that before he made Whiplash, the screenwriter and director Damien Chazelle also made an 18-minute short movie based on the same screenplay and with the same title? Having won the audiences and critics with this pilot project, he repeated it in the form of a feature-length movie that has found itself in the company of the finest movies of the year. Just like his main character, the young musician Andrew Neiman, who aspires to join the ranks of the best drummers in the world, Chazelle created ambitious plans and then made them come true through careful monitoring and testing.

What did we learn?

Evaluating results of content marketing projects is an important guideline for future performance and activities.
Follow your projects and their audiences. Analyze what they like to read, what they click on, retweet, comment and like. Pay attention and adapt.

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