Marketers sometimes neglect to see beyond the funny videos and recognize Youtube as a platform to create and place relevant content to connect with their target audiences. Many simply write the site off as a video collection of funny random occurrences and spunky viral phenomenon.
Bank of America has taken advantage of Youtube to boldly position themselves as a helpful partner to the consumer with their tactful and relevant custom Youtube channel.
While utilizing the traditionally popular Youtube style of providing more humorous approaches at managing a budget and saving cash, they also provide more serious and helpful videos as well as the Dow Jones industrial average and links to other financial websites.
So although companies are becoming thrifty with their marketing dollars with the struggling economy, and especially with the newer opportunities of web 2.0, it is nice to see a strong branded use of Youtube by a company in tough economic times. Although they may have not been savvy about the idea in 2006 when the site launched, what a perfect channel of communication for the current financial times.
