Represented by the rapid rise and widespread use of microblogs, a micro-era has arrived. "Micro" has become a social phenomenon and a popular term, such as micro-novels, micro-stories, micro-films, micro-analyses, micro-reviews, micro-expressions, micro-behaviors, and so on—everything is connected with "micro."
A microfilm is a short video specifically produced for playback on various new media platforms. It is suitable for viewing in mobile or short leisure time, and features a complete storyline supported by thorough planning and systematic production. These films have "micro-duration" screenings, "micro-production cycles," and "micro-investment scales." Microfilms are low-cost, short-cycle, highly adaptable to media, interactive, purpose-driven, closely related to everyday life, and also more entertaining, creative, and valuable for advertising. Mr. Qiao Yi, founder and CEO of Zuidongfang, Xianzhi Network, and Maidian Network, believes that compared to other marketing methods, microfilms offer many advantages and can become a new and effective medium for hotel marketing.
The advertising integration in microfilms is more flexible and subtly blended into the narrative style of the story itself, allowing audiences to accept the hotel brand unconsciously. Microfilms skillfully incorporate advertising themes into the plot. Although they may last only a few minutes or even tens of seconds, by telling an engaging and captivating story, their marketing goals can be achieved as the story gets shared repeatedly. Common integration methods include: featuring the hotel’s iconic facilities in the film; displaying the hotel’s logo in the filming locations; arranging hotel-related promotional materials in the scene setup using layouts that highlight hotel images, logos, and names; and having actors refer to the hotel scenes by their actual names during dialogue.
Microfilms have broader reach. Though short in duration, they attract a wide audience and achieve high total view counts. Data shows that the average Chinese person goes to the cinema only about 0.14 times per year, meaning most people go only once every ten years. However, a single microfilm can reach 210 million views, indicating a very positive operational trend that significantly increases viewership. Microfilms can also engage with the audience, further enhancing their dissemination effectiveness.
Microfilms are highly practical to produce. The cost of TV commercials has never been low, especially during prime time slots, where prices can run into hundreds of thousands. In 2012, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television issued the “Advertising Limitation Order,” which intensified competition in TV advertising. As a result, if hotels choose to advertise on TV, their costs would rise substantially. Moreover, the internet has become an indispensable part of people's lives. All these factors create favorable conditions for microfilm marketing. The low cost, short production cycle, and high media adaptability of microfilms also greatly enhance their feasibility.
2012 is set to become the first year of microfilm marketing, and many industry insiders even believe that 2011 marked the beginning. Currently, some hotels have already started experimenting with this marketing model. For example, a series of microfilms by Orange Crystal Hotels have garnered tens of millions of views on microblogs, along with enthusiastic comments from users. With microfilms gaining popularity, the next step for hotels is to figure out how to effectively leverage this new microfilm marketing approach.