Brands as Neo Educators
What’s happening?
Savvy brands that embrace the future of Edutainment will give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the company. They’ll demystify professional processes, improve transparency, and make the impossible feel a little more possible. And they'll do it all in ways that feel accessible, engaging, and tactile.
Their ROI for doing so? Building brand awareness, trust, and connection. The priceless trifecta of creating customer loyalty.
And the best of the best will simultaneously build themselves a diverse pipeline of fresh talent. Win.
Beyond buying
Previously, for brands, Edutainment was just product education in an entertaining manner. It was an afterthought and often considered a tactic used by brands with poor marketing.
At Wavetable, we want to help brands reimagine this word by removing the stigma. Edutainment 3.0 is so much more than dropping science trivia into an ad campaign or using actors and comedians to front the customer support videos.
And you can do more than just entertaining product education. Now, with the psychology around people’s motivation to buy and the impact of content and experiences on that motivation, a new wave of influence is emerging. When brands think about neo education, they unlock new ideas for business models, product marketing, global expansion, and much more.
This Edutainment 3.0 trend explores how effective brands can be when they go beyond the “buy our stuff” pitch in education.
Why this trend matters
Amid an increasing reliance on - and disillusionment with - social media platforms as the primary vehicle to build awareness and engagement, smart brands will use the power of education.
The educational marketing of the future is rooted in creating demand. This will happen by educating potential customers in a way that transforms them into advocates and ambassadors.
In Action: Brands as Neo Educators
Key Themes for Edutainment 3.0
Offer Economic Uplifts
Shifts in culture are making brands realize they need to update their values. Movements like Black Lives Matter were a turning point that led organizations to fund initiatives that addressed systematic inequities. Coaching programs like Gucci’s Changemakers have made brands more inclusive.
Mind the Gap
Filling the gaps left by traditional higher education institutions is a new opportunity for brands. Areas like self-discovery, career exploration, and training through micro apprenticeships are prime examples of where brands can make a name for themselves. Pair this with our trend on businesses getting in the groove.
Take Audiences Behind the Scenes
Brands that demystify professional processes will attract new respect from people, especially Gen Z. Initiatives that bring newcomers into the fold will hit a sweet spot. Great examples of this are Elle UK and Essence/Ulta magazine co-creations with teens and Alexander McQueen detailing how couture garments are created.
Co-Creational Creative Catalysts
Marginalized creatives are having their voices heard and amplified by brands. They’ve sparked a sense of possibility within this audience through co-authorship. The focus is not just learning, it’s about collaboration, co-creation, and shared ownership.
Wavetable’s Hot Tip: Co-Creation
We see a real edge in co-creation. Creativity is amplified with real-life experiences and people often feel empowered after they create something new, something that they didn’t think was possible before.
Furthermore, more people need to engage in real projects to learn, grow and develop their professional profiles.
Universities and online courses can only do so much; theory can only go so far. It's through tangible projects that new voices can really thrive.
P.S. We're working on a number of projects in this area. If you're curious to chat, we'd love to hear from you.
In Action: Ones to Watch
Guidelines for Greatness
Go beyond
For brands to thrive as neo educators, they need to go beyond solely marketing and sales efforts. One way to be pointed in the right direction is to focus on developing programs rather than ‘one and done’ campaigns or activations
Find your fit
Certain brands will have an advantage simply because of the industries and activities they’re associated with. The likes of CPG, gaming, entertainment, toys, and supplies seem to have a more “natural” fit for the neo educator role. But just because it’s not immediately obvious, it doesn’t mean it’s not for you. Brands from all sectors can find their fit.
Purpose-driven brands perform better
Brands with a purpose witness higher market share gains and grow three times faster on average than their competitors, according to Deloitte. And they simultaneously achieve higher workforce and customer satisfaction levels. Just watch out for purpose-washing...
Make it a part of your identity
Those with activist-educational strategies and clear brand values are forging ahead. An excellent example of this is Patagonia. They’ve been an outspoken advocate of environmental conservation both in the US and abroad.
Increase opportunity
Create footholds in a post-pandemic era of diminished opportunity. Smart brands can become launchpads for a whole new world of careers.
Visualize
There’s plenty of opportunity to take the vast quantity of data generated by brands and repackage them into explorable visualizations. Check out our friends over at The Pudding for some inspiration around using data to create story-driven educational moments.
Unpack the process
Demystify professional processes and turn them into intentionally-designed learning experiences.
Accountability matters
Customers are demanding much more from brands - whether it’s better customer service, more social responsibility, or transparent environmental policies. Becoming a neo educator offers the chance to do just that.
Competition
How can your brand compete with other educators such as Youtubers and EdTech platforms? What can you offer that no one else can? In other words, what is your unique role as an educator?
CSR
How to make these initiatives valuable enough beyond CSR? Or is CSR enough of a driver?
Cost of entry
Do you need to develop new skills or capacities?
Unknown quantity
A combination of a “campaign-style” approach and relatively small-scale initiatives means there’s a lack of hard data to demonstrate success and outcomes.
Open source vs secret sauce
Balance the benefits of opening up processes without losing any ‘secret sauce’.
Spark Your Creativity
Ideas to jumpstart your imagination and help you include Edutainment 3.0 in your endeavors:
- If you could offer any asset, campaign or product from your brand as something for fans to remix - what would it be?
- What would it look if your brand becomes 100% transparent? What are the 2nd and 3rd order effects...?
- Perhaps the very best example of Brand as Neo Educator is Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA). Which elements of their success would you bring to your company? And what would the next generation RBMA look look like?
