Bang TV: "'Branded Content' Is Too Much Like Saying 'Branded Stuff'"
Original Branded Entertainment has launched as an expansion of award-winning commercials production company Bang TV. Founders Jeremy McWilliams and Tom Whitehead will use the company to showcase talent in areas where they already have a strong hand such as documentaries, online series and feature films. It also marks a change of emphasis within the company.
“Tom and I wanted a production company that wasn't fixed only to adland. I’ve been working on a feature-length documentary and we both knew we were comfortable in other formats. As you’d expect, there is a strong commercialism we can bring to everything we do. But we don’t believe in making “content”. It’s too much like saying “stuff”. We want to make films that will entertain the viewer, whatever the format,” said Jeremy.
Already the new company has been recognised with the Best Director at the Campaign Big Awards for Sharon Maguire on British Airways and an Arrow at the British Arrows a few weeks ago.
“We'd already established a good name for successful longer form films that didn’t fit neatly into the traditional advertising model,” agreed Tom. Range Rover ‘Spillway’ was over six minutes long and has over 2 million hours of online viewing, and the British Airways Cabin Safety film was so popular it was even featured on Radio 4’s Today program. The thing both films had in common was that they are hugely entertaining.
"So Branded Entertainment felt like a good way to express what we were doing. And who wouldn't want to be Original?”
