GUIDE
What is a corporate media house
A corporate media house is a structure inside a company that regularly produces its own content, mainly video, the way a small publisher would: with an editorial line, a calendar and dedicated people. It differs from an agency because the content is born in-house, not commissioned one piece at a time.
This guide explains where the idea comes from, how it differs from an agency or a marketing department, how to build one in an SME and when it does not pay off. It is written by a video production company that accompanies businesses on this path: Wannaboo, in Cornedo Vicentino.
Where the concept comes from
The idea is simple: a company has things to tell (products, people, expertise) and can tell them directly to its audience, without relying only on newspapers or advertising. It has a precise name: brand journalism.
The underlying idea is older than the internet: in 1895 the farm-machinery maker John Deere began publishing The Furrow, a magazine for farmers made of useful content more than advertising.
The most quoted example today is Red Bull Media House, the media company of the Red Bull group, founded in 2007. It teaches one thing: content can be a business in its own right, not an accessory of marketing. But it is an extreme case, with huge resources. An SME does not have to imitate it; it has to understand what it can take home from it.
Media house, agency, marketing department
They are three different things, and confusing them leads to wrong choices.
Agency
It produces for you, on commission. You pay, they create. Great when you need a specific project or a skill you do not have. The risk: you always depend on someone outside, and the know-how stays with them.
Marketing department
It decides what to communicate, to whom, through which channels and with what budget. It usually does not produce the videos: it has others make them. It has a broad view and little time to do.
Media house
It produces content in-house, continuously. It does not replace marketing: it feeds it with its own material. It works well when marketing defines the goals and the media house turns them into stories.
The central difference is this: the agency delivers videos, the media house makes them happen inside the company.
How to build one in an SME
An SME does not have Red Bull's staff, and does not need it. You need a few things, done well.
A dedicated person
The starting point. Without a contact who has this task the media house stays an idea. It can be someone from marketing or communication, not necessarily a trained videomaker.
An editorial line
What we tell, to whom, in what tone. It starts from the company's values: a brand video is the starting point for all the others.
A way of working
Who decides, who shoots, who edits, how often you publish. Continuity matters more than single videos.
Support at the start
Learning alone costs time and mistakes. A professional working next to the team shortens the road and passes on the craft. This is what we do in the Media House programme, which lasts one year.
Proportionate equipment
You do not need a control room: you start small and grow once the method works.
Common mistakes
- Starting from the tools. Buying cameras and lights before knowing what you want to tell.
- Having no dedicated person. Video becomes “extra work” for someone busy with other things, and stops at the first deadline.
- Talking about yourself instead of the audience. A video that only says “we are good” is watched by no one. Stories about people, processes and solved problems work.
- Demanding cinema quality right away. Simple, regular content is better than one perfect video a year.
- Neglecting the brand. The more people produce, the easier it is to lose consistency. You need clear rules of style and tone.
- Expecting results in a month. Continuity is measured in months.
When it pays off (and when it does not)
It pays off if:
- you have content to tell regularly, not once a year;
- you want to reduce dependence on outside suppliers and control time and costs;
- you can dedicate a person;
- video is a stable channel for you (website, social media, sales presentations, internal communication).
It does not pay off if:
- you need a single video, for an event or a campaign: a production company or a freelancer is better (see corporate videos);
- you cannot dedicate anyone to this task;
- you look for immediate commercial results;
- you do not yet have a clear idea of what you want to communicate: in that case you start from a brand video, not from a media house.
An honest media house tells you this too, before you begin.
Frequently asked questions
What is a media house?
It is a structure that produces its own content continuously. “Media house” is also the name of some media companies of big brands, such as Red Bull Media House. Here we talk about the in-house one inside a company.
What is the difference between a media house and an agency?
The agency produces for you on commission. The media house produces inside the company, with the company's people.
Is it the same as brand journalism?
Almost: brand journalism is the approach (telling stories the way a newspaper would), the media house is the structure that puts it into practice.
Does it need a big team?
No. For an SME a dedicated person and a method are enough, with support at the start.
How long does it take to have one?
It depends on the starting point. Our programme lasts one year.
How much does it cost?
It depends on how much content is produced, how much work an outside partner does and which modules you activate. For our programme, the details are on the corporate Media House page.
Do you want to build one in your company?
With Wannaboo the media house is built in one year, with a dedicated person in the company and our team beside you. Find out how the Media House programme works, or write to us.
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