Creating content itself is easy. Anyone with a WordPress or Blogger account and a keyboard can create content. Many companies and creators with the highest level equipment produce and publish content that is good, adequate or even downright mediocre. Having a solid infrastructure, a productive team and tons of creativity obviously helps to create good content. But that itself is not enough.
To create content that is truly outstanding, to reach your audience, to keep them engaged, loyal and to endorse you, you need to question yourself WHY you are creating this content. True leaders question this constantly. WHY exactly are they applying their creativity, pushing with their efforts and investing parts of their budget in producing the content they publish and offer to their users.
Projects and activities you engage in can be broken down into the WHAT, HOW and WHY.
For my case study in creating exceptional content I will use a case study of an influential TV Show - Peaky Blinders, produced by BBC and distributed in this channel and on Netflix created by Stephen Knight. This show is a huge hit with a global audience worldwide. Its show is not only engaging in terms of a gripping story but has influenced current trends in men's fashion and hairstyles.
WHAT - this is the simplest question to answer. What is Stephen Knight doing? He has created a TV Show which narrates the story of a family of Romani gangsters in Birmingham in the aftermath of World War I in 1918.
HOW - Stephen Knight has selected an ensemble of reputed and talented actors including Cillian Murphy in the lead role alongside Paul Anderson, Joe Cole, Finn Cole, Helen McRory, Sam Neill, Adrien Brody and Tom Hardy. He added contemporary rock music to a period drama with gusto and a keen eye to reflect different emotions from artists such as The Arctic Monkeys, Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. The show has been meticulous in recreating the costumes and iconic haircuts from this time in working class England.
WHY - This is the toughest question to answer. Why is this show (and not others that might be similar) so iconic? Why does this show appeal to its audience and forms a close engagement, adoption and promotion? Obviously the story is well written. For those interested in gangster movies and shows, this is an interesting option. The actors are immensely talented and the music scores fit in very well. Stephen Knight has a generous budget to employ the best designers in costume, special effects, post production and attract some of the most talented actors in our time. Yet WHY is he so vested in this show? And why is it so exceptional?
Please note When questioning WHY… Leave money out. Money is a result of a job well done. In fact, money is a great reward. Anyone who says they are not happy to receive a big fat paycheck for a good job is not being honest with you. However money is a drive, but if you include it within your “WHY” as your motivation for creating content then there is nothing special about it. It’s just a piece of content that anyone could end up creating just as good as you. Do not discard that they could end up doing even better than you.
To create truly great and engaging and everlasting content you need to display true leadership and question the WHY.
Stephen Knight obviously has earned a lot of money creating Peaky Blinders. But this is not the motivation that drives him into creating this show. Few fans know that the story is actually very close to him and his family. His great grand uncle was in fact, part of the real life Peaky Blinders gang. He was a good natured worker at the Shelbys scrapyard with a learning disability and loveable character. In the show fans will recognise him as Curly. This is one of the “WHY’s” this show is so remarkable. Stephen Knight is not just a Brummie telling us the history of his town, he is actually sharing the story of his family. It’s a very personal story for him and this motivates him in communicating with us not just as an artist but also a person who wants to pay a tribute to his roots.
Great leaders always question WHY should they create what they do. To question oneself is a good exercise, keeps you on your toes, makes you evolve and grow as a content professional and will direct you to create content that is truly great,
