The goal for content marketing has long been to create something good enough that people actually want to see, without cramming your brand down their throat. During this year's Grammys, Target pursued that goal with an entire four-minute commercial break to stage a live show by Imagine Dragons performing their new song "Shots" on the streets of downtown Las Vegas.
It may have been enough to simply run an exclusive music video to get fans' attention and appreciation, but add in the live broadcast element and the brand pulled off an earned media coup (present post included) that essentially made its commercial a major talking point of the entire show.
Estimates peg the cost of the concert's air-time alone at $8 million–or roughly the price of two Super Bowl ads. Directed by Jonas Akerlund, the show was shot on a unique 360-degree stage with 22 cameras, a helicopter, and some LED wizardry. Check out the two behind-the-scenes videos chronicling the stage set-up and the band's perspective on the spectacle.