The core to all of our content is our audience

Experts at world-building, the content production team at Amplify harnesses the opportunities in technology, data and social for immersive storytelling. We sat down with Anita Osborne, Head of Content Production at Amplify, to learn more about their innovative approach to content production.

Can you give us a brief overview of your structure and some of the clients you work with?

Amplify is an independent global creative agency specializing in experience, culture + entertainment.

The production department is made up of a team of multi-disciplined, engaged storytellers with global experience across in-house shoot production, commercial, VFX and experiential.

From live shows, events, social campaigns, and documentaries to fully integrated TV campaigns and everything in between, we focus on cross-pollinating our skill sets, to tailor each production approach to the creative idea.

A selection of our client roster consists of Airbnb, Epic Games, Google, LEGO, Nike, PlayStation, Chanel, BMW, Levis, Meta, Sky, Netflix and Activision.

How does your production team utilize social listening tools to understand audience sentiment, gather feedback, and adapt their strategies for improved engagement?

The core to all of our content is our audience. Each execution begins with a story that holds relevance to the community that we are speaking to. It is therefore crucial for us to lean into cultural insights, developing research fueled campaigns that tap into beliefs, passions and audience motivations.

Social listening provides an effective tool for us to really understand shifting trends, societal behaviors and brand sentiment. Our campaign Nike "1000 Victories" - a TikTok documentary, was the platform's first documentary showcasing the meaning of victory in the football community, told by those within it. It directly harnessed individuals to tell their story in their style and tone, which led to better engagement and a bigger cultural impact.

What innovative approaches does your production team take in using new tech or AR/VR experiences to create unique and memorable interactions with your audience or clients?

Technology is a truly mesmerizing space within production at the moment which is only getting more evolved with the use of OpenAI sources. What was seemingly possible has now moved into what’s probable, which in turn is steering the evolution of production and directly impacting the work we do.

Where it becomes really interesting is how it’s opened up and been democratized within the wider social community, whether that’s 3D creation through Unreal Engine, Unity and generative A.I.

Last year we created a content-led product launch for a sportswear brand with culture and innovation at the heart. Working with Daito Manabe we transformed the rooftop of Peckham Levels with a larger-than-life art installation of a sneaker, creating 3D-generated visuals which iterated to the ‘pulse’ of the beat. Paired with Daito’s AI systems, these visuals were projection mapped onto our large-scale sneaker canvas in real-time, manipulating sound into art portraying a live representation of the people, music and energy from the party below. Captured by dynamically shot drone footage and photography we dropped our content across the brand's social channels within 7 hours of shooting, creating hype and a social buzz that rippled through the community.

For a different brand, we worked with four female creatives on an immersive experience, each occupying a dedicated zone that not only highlighted their innovative creations but also showcased their unique reinterpretation of a sneaker. Spotlighting their individual style and technique using lidar scanning and projection-mapped 3D renders, we were able to facilitate their storytelling through technical exploration, intersecting digital and real-world events, told by those at the forefront of it.

How does the localization of content for different regions and cultural contexts factor into your media strategy, and what lessons can be learned from successful cross-cultural campaigns?

Developing an authentic audience understanding for any form of localization is key in order to communicate effectively. We lean into local research, community engagement and cultural insights, to ensure relevancy. Our broad global network allows us to tap into on-the-ground market knowledge supporting the creative and production process along the way.

Human stories travel organically. When you land on a human truth, the story resonates cross-culturally and so is not limited by borders.

Our Nike "1000 Victories" campaign was a great example of stories that appealed widely. The campaign was aimed at young women, girls and allies in Australia and New Zealand specifically, but more broadly, it was aimed at people. For this campaign, it was the universality of the topic Victory, that enabled it to travel. It allowed young women and girls to easily engage, showing us the meaning of what victory meant to them beyond winning, delving deeper into who they are and what drives them as individuals.

To read the full article, visit AdForum.