7 B2B Content Marketing Lessons from Call of Duty 2

A documentary-style video featuring Oliver North? That definitely would not be marketing.

The video is entertaining. It is educational. It isn’t about a video game. But it is.

If you have not seen the documentary video for Call of Duty 2, you can watch it below. It is an example of content marketing that many B2B marketers can learn from.

Here are a few of the things that set this video apart as part of a marketing program. Everyone of of them can apply in B2B content marketing as well.

1. It Grabs You
The video immediately jumps to the content. There is no long intro animation or lead in that gives the viewer an opportunity to reconsider watching.

2. It is Provocative
Hypothetical nightmare scenarios that potentially impact every one of us? The video raises questions about the wisdom of weapons systems and weaknesses in our infrastructure that matter to anyone.

3. It is Credible
It’s Oliver North, and the perspective is closer to something from an investigative report than a typical marketing interview.

4. It Informs
What could happen if someone compromised our systems, instead of a physical location? Echoing credibility, when watching the video I believed I was hearthis is the perspective of Oliver North and other speakers.

5. It isn’t About Selling
The primary focus is connecting with the audience, not selling the game. Some marketers may cry foul here, but remember that you cannot sell to someone if you do not have their attention.

6. It is Unexpected
By delivering something unexpected, Activision captured people’s attention. Marketing that merely delivers what we expect does not surprise people and make them sit up and pay attention.

7. It is Worth Sharing
Because of all of the elements above, the video is worth sharing and on YouTube has been viewed more than 1.1 million times. Because of the approach, it has reached people that normally would never have seen or heard of the video game trailer.

Call of Duty 2 is not the only first person shooter game to include futuristic weapons and realistic scenarios. But it is the only one I have seen that packages these elements so effectively into a story that transcends the game.

The B2B Marketing Lesson

B2B marketing content can captivate your audience and transcend your solution offering as well. As garnering attention for your content becomes increasingly competitive, differentiating your content will become more difficult and more important.

Here are two examples of B2B videos that have effectively incorporated some of these elements.

A Day Made of Glass:
Although this didn’t start as a traditional marketing initiative, it has captured our attention and has been viewed more than 19 million times.

Life Technologies:
What struck me about this video were the comments that show Life Technologies “gets” the lab environment, its pressures, stresses and errors. And 150,000 views for a niche category like this is commendable.

In Summary

A marketing idea pulling from the headlines of the last decade, not particularly original in its material, connected with the audience and became credible, valuable and sharable. Your B2B content can too.

Your Turn

What are the biggest barriers to B2B marketers producing higher value content? Share your view in the comments below or with me on Twitter (@wittlake).

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