Crossing borders to give your content the edge

I watched a documentary on BBC4 about art theft. The delectable Alastair Sooke took us to Boston, Sicily and Belgium. He didn't need to go to the church where a priceless Caravaggio was stolen, but he did. Bringing stories from around the world inspire, delight and tell stories with extra richness, kudos and integrity.

The power of TV doesn't just need to be about adverts or sponsorship. And this skill isn't reserved for documentary makers. It should be exploited by brands too.

To make a documentary, you need:

1. A big, warm personality to front the show who has great knowledge on the subject
2. Camera equipment
3. Software to edit and send video clips
4. A keen sense of a story, to interview people and fearlessly take on tasks
5. Smartphone to follow up on emails and social media leads
6. Internet connection to do research
7. Clothes for all weathers and stylish enough to be front of camera
8. Camping equipment, like backpack, sleeping bag and tent.
9. First aid kit
10. Travel guides and maps
11. Translating software
12. Flights, bus and train tickets
13. Insurance
14. Car hire
15. Accommodation
16. Entertainment for those loooooong periods of waiting

All these things are provided by brands, whether it be British Airways, Fuji, Rock Face, Lonely Planet, Dell, EE, Hugo Boss, Netflix, insurance policies or access to funds. All these components add to the tapestry of the story and show your product/service. Imagine:

• Recording and posting a vlog of a trek up the Andes to show your camera, laptop or phone is robust, versatile and reliable.
• Capturing sound snippets from a Maori wedding or Sufi celebrations to enrich your customer's aural experience and score 'me first' points.
• Independently reviewing the hostels, hotels, restaurants, museums, exhibitions and experiences you have on your books through a tailored tour of a specific region - engaging local press or radio, as well as creating lots of great engaging content.
• Pulling together listicles like weird things to see in New Orleans or unmissable artworks found in Madrid.
• Fronting 360 tours and reporting on classical sites, art galleries, carnivals, music festivals, food markets, cookery classes, experiences, including live tweeting by knowledgeable and relateable presenters.
• Competitions to challenge the presenters or get them to deliver a message.
• Show your product in real-life, but inspirational scenarios like streaming Netflix in a Nairobi, Route 66 Spotify playlist or ordering an Uber in Ulaanbaatar.

Here, at Red Clay Media, we offer:

• Intrepid female travellers who are qualified journalists and senior copywriters in business to front the vlogs, 360 tours, write content and interview people.
• Offering sponsorship of specific travels, like the silk and spice roads, Inca Trails, classical tour of southern Europe and the Middle East, trek through the Caucasus, following the footsteps of Genghis Khan or exploring the medieval world with full exposure of your brand throughout.
• Commission us to create specific content (articles, videos, sound snippets or images) for your brand that's owned by you and adheres to your tone of voice and branding.
• Disrupt events all over the world for positive PR 
• Follow us on social media or we'll create content for your social media accounts, we'll also engage with your customers through interviews or competitions.
• Live tweet events like Fuji Rock, Burning Man, La Tomatina, SxSW, F1 or the Olympics.
• Create social media hashtags to make your brand searchable but not salesy.
• Experiential content marketing through cookery schools, celebrations, design and destinations.
• Expert reporting on art, culture, history, politics, music, charity, activism, nature, social and environmental issues, travel, tech and food.