Case Study - Branded Content
Agua Negra
The Challenge
Dock 6 Films needed a way to connect with brands and people so they could enter the branded content and documentary video production market. They needed to show brands that they could do the work, a portfolio. Dock 6 Films needed a way to stand out in a saturated market.
The Solution
Create an amazing piece of branded content, a flagship movie that touched and connected with people in different countries, showing different brands the videos Dock 6 Films could produce. Show it how far the movie reached and how brands and people connected with it.
The Reward - ROI
After finishing the movie the word started to spread and Dock 6 Films got approached to work with brands like Red Bull, Hunting and Fishing TV channel and others. They started producing branded content and documentaries like they did on Agua Negra, driving results with the experience they got producing a feature documentary.
How we got the Film Production Company Dock 6 Films to connect with brands and people around the world through an epic feature documentary and drive targeted business towards the company.
SUMMARY
Dock 6 Films is driven by its mission statement - “To inspire people to the do things that inspire them so that together we can change the world.”
Here’s how we brought Dock 6 Films philosophy to life and delivered it directly to brands and people across the world.
OUR ROLES
Production Company
Content Development
Digital Strategy
Social Media Campaign
THE PROBLEM
Dock 6 Films wanted to work with brands producing branded content and documentaries that inspire people.
Despite being relatively small and not having a portfolio to match the productions they wanted to do.
So, how could we bring this company more potential clients… and the world at large?
THE INSIGHTS
We had to find a way to get it in front of as many people as possible. proving that the content was valuable and that it could have an impact on people, that it created a connection with the audience.
DOck 6 Films approach - an easy, flexible and professional crew = big results - had the great advantage of being a disruptive idea that made the movie possible. It might be counter-intuitive for most, but it’s a powerful example of the progressive thinking that Dock 6 Films crew loves.
Finally, stories at its best are an emotional experience. We wanted BRANDS AND PEople to “connect with the story” and form a stronger bond with the movie and brand.
SOLUTION
WE CAME, WE SEWED, WE CONQUERED
We created a movie that takes people on a journey. A journey through what gets you moving in life, the motivation and what drives you to know more about yourself. Dock 6 Films combined the expertise in Spearfishing of the Director David Ochoa with the Cinematography of Ricardo A. Nascimento to create a movie in a sport and culture that didn’t have one. There are other spearfishing movies but none of them tells the story of why you do what you do and the moments of magic you experience while doing what you love, the motivation, the ups and specially the downs that you never see, since we’re so used to just being shown the high fives. By creating a movie targeted to a niche audience, we could easily gather a following that would then spread to people outside of the sport, and it did.
“Agua Negra is an absorbing, artistic film about spearfishing and chasing the unknown. Dock6 Films impressively shows that a small crew and budget can result in high-end production. For those with an adventurous spirit, Agua Negra’s story will draw you in. Overall, even those who are completely new to spearfishing will appreciate the film’s sense of exploration and wonder.”
It’s a “spearfishing” movie where most of the story happens out of the water because getting in the water is a fraction of what the sport really is. So it’s more about adventure and life than about fish. And since all the other movies focus on the fish, Dock 6 Films movie “Agua Negra” stands out like a giraffe in a flock of black sheep.
Agua Negra is an independent documentary. Dock 6 Films decided to produce the movie with no sponsors. Spearfishing brands are very fish oriented and by doing and independent movie, Dock 6 Films had the creative freedom that’s need to pull off a success story.
We shared our message directly to people’s homes and by showing the trip on social media, we spread it even further.
Promotional Strategy
With ZERO money invested in paid promotions but thanks to a well-articulated digital/social strategy, we made sure “Agua Negra” arrived to mobile phones and computers of excited crowds around the world. Besides the video production, during the shoot, Dock 6 Films took its time to produce amazing photo content (200+) to be able to create a social media strategy to get the movie out there. Between photos, tailored social media videos for each platform and partnerships with social media partners, we made sure to keep content about Agua Negra updated and drive attention to the platforms.
“I don’t know where to begin. This has to be one of the best batches of spearfishing documenting pics I’ve seen in a long while. Congrats on the great eye!”
Social Media Engagement
“Agua Negra” was extensively shared on social media channels being featured on the biggest spearfishing Instagram pages (both videos and photos). With over 270 thousand likes on Agua Negra’s photos across multiple accounts on Instagram. Some examples bellow:
Audience Engagement
People volunteered to make subtitles in French, Spanish and Arabic
“Agua negra is such an amazing story! I’d like to volunteer to help you guys doing Spanish subtitles, I believe it will help you reach much more people. ”
French subtitles - Geoffrey Geyer
Arabic subtitles - Fida Baraké and Rachid Zock
Awesome independent review
Feedback from 2 of the best spearfishing athletes in the world
“Pulling the trigger is just a small part of what it takes to get to that moment. Agua Negra captures the soul of our sport, our relationship with the ocean, other divers, and the spirit of adventure that can’t be grasped in sixty seconds on social media.”
“I loved it! So much better than anything else out there. Best spearfishing documentary I’ve seen. Really captures the physical and emotional ups and downs of a spearo in search of his dream fish and the relationships forged along the way.
Badass work!!”
RESULTS
(No Paid Promotions and zero money in ads)
Our “Agua Negra” movie odyssey was a smashing success. Agua Negra was fully established as one of the best Spearfishing movies ever made. Since our premiere, Agua Negra has ben conquering brands, countries and people, spreading it’s the message far and wide.
STATS
Festival Selections
Semi-Finalist on the Irish Adventure Film Festival and Official Selection on Brazil International Film Festival, Cine Eco 2018 Film Festival and TMFF
#1 Google Search Result
#1 Google search result for “Agua Negra” and #1 on DuckDuckGo search even though there’s a Hollywood movie called Dark Water - Agua Negra made in 2005. Search made in incognito mode to avoid cookies.
Sold for TV - Caza Y Pesca TV Channel
Premier on Caza Y Pesca TV Channel - Hunting and Fishing TV Channel
+133,635 Page Views
on Agua Negra VOD platform Page
121 Countries
Movie was bought from people of 120 different countries. TOP 5 being USA, Australia, Portugal, France and Canada
Event Speaker - Nat Geo Exodus
Invited as speaker on the main stage for the National Geographic Exodus Aveiro Fest 2020
Brands Reach out to Sponsor
Several brands reached out to sponsor us, namely PELI CASE, SALTY CREW, HECS, PESCAVORE, ALCHEMY and TRITON
Review from top 3 Spearfishermen
Awesome reviews from the TOP 3 Spearfishermen in the world
240% ROI
On movie sales alone
3 Published Articles in Magazines
Articles published in International Magazines as well as a full page poster
What we know
We know how to grow a brand.
We know how to create stories that will connect with people and turn them into customers.
And we have the results to prove it.
Movie Platform Page Visits
without a Social a Media Campaign - Avr. 40 visits/day
In 2019 there was a period where we stopped posting any content to see the affects it had on sales and driving people to the websites
with a Social a Media Campaign - avr. 300 visits/day
Same time period in 2020 after an active social media campaign
Our Last Campaign
“Agua Negra” was free to watch for 48 hours
(18 months after it’s release)
223 Sales
+49,599 Page Visits
“Although it’s free. I will still purchase to support! I’ll try and spread the word as much as possible. It’s absolutely amazing!!!”
Dock 6 Films website - Every spike in visits in directly related to campaigns we launched on social media to promote the movie.
These campaigns would only drive the customer to the platform where the audience could buy the movie: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/aguanegra
But it also lead traffic to Dock 6 Films page - Call to action to go to the website at the end of the movie trailer.
How people are finding Dock 6 Films website:
66,6% Goole search
29,1% Direct - from the trailer
4,11% Social - People see the content on social media and Google it to search for the product, they don’t necessarily use the links we use on social media
Work due to Agua Negra
Branded content videos, Documentaries, Promotional Videos, High-End Trips and Videos, underwater photography work. brands would see the documentary and believe in our ability to produce the same type of content for them, some highlighted below.
New Brands
Red Bull Portugal - Portuguese Cobblestone with Matthias Dandois - Winner of the Peugeot Drone Film Festival
Red Bull Dedicate Series S02E03 - Iceland Slab hunt
HECS Aquatic - Sacred Waters New Zealand
Latitid - Bikini Brand rebranding Video
Underwater Photography Work
High-End Trips and Videos
To Madagascar, Fiji, Panama, New Zealand, Mexico, Zanzibar, Latham, Azores
