Edutainment in Marketing
It’s almost impossible to find a marketer who hasn’t spent hours hunched over their laptop, trying to figure out how to get people to listen.
People are racking up more screen time than ever, but they’re also bouncing between multiple media activities, making it difficult to capture your audience’s attention long enough to deliver your message. They’re facing constant information overload, so your content needs to stand out. But how?
A tactic some brands are using to cut through the clutter is edutainment. Edutainment, a combination of education and entertainment, is not just a buzzword but a strategy that marketers, advertisers, and content creators use to raise awareness, generate buzz, or educate their audience about their products or services.
What is edutainment?
In marketing, brands use edutainment to engage their target audience and provide a deeper understanding of their product or service and its value in a way that feels organic and relatable rather than transactional or salesy. It presents educational content in familiar entertainment formats like games, videos, animations, exhibits, and performances to make it more appealing and interactive to consumers.
Why does edutainment work?
Let’s find out what makes edutainment content so effective.
It doesn’t feel like a chore
Forget text-heavy content. 44% of consumers would rather do their research about a product or service by simply watching videos. Most prefer watching fun animations or humorous skits to gain insights about a product over slogging through a 1,000-word blog or 30-page white paper (except for you, dear reader). That’s because they don’t have to make a substantial time commitment and it’s far more engaging than reading through thick blocks of text.
Let’s be real: consumers would choose engaging over educational any day. But with edutainment, they can have both. Learning about a product or brand becomes a natural part of their daily social media routine, rather than a chore, boosting user engagement and driving better learning outcomes.
It’s easier to recall information
Edutainment presents information in a variety of creative ways, which helps learners grasp and remember concepts more effectively. As a result, they’re more likely to retain the information.
Consider this example of edutainment: educational games or gamified content. By integrating familiar entertainment elements and igniting people’s competitive streaks, educational games enhance focus and engagement, greatly improving information retention. This approach is particularly beneficial for product education, coaching, and internal training programs for businesses.
It reduces the mental load of learning
We all know too much information can cause cognitive overload. This can actually make people tune out and forget what they’ve learned, as revealed in a Harvard Business Review report. Meanwhile, content with a lower cognitive load was shown to boost engagement and improve retention. That’s why edutainment content works: It blends entertainment, storytelling, multimedia, and interactive elements, making learning something new less mentally demanding and, thus, more appealing to users.
Edutainment examples
Find out how brands are leveraging this strategy in their marketing initiatives.
Edutainment on social media: Adobe
Brands are using edutainment to create viral social media campaigns that blend fun with learning. Numerous companies are leveraging short, entertaining videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to share tips, product demos, and industry insights designed to both inform and entertain.
Adobe does a fantastic job of educating consumers about their products without making it feel like a sales pitch. In this TikTok, they highlight the benefits of Adobe Firefly in a way that’s both relatable and engaging.
Edutainment and AR/VR: Volvo
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are also integrated in edutainment content. Brands are creating immersive VR experiences that allow consumers to explore products or services in a virtual environment, increasing engagement and interactivity in the learning experience.
Looking to give consumers a firsthand experience of their new XC90, Volvo rolled out a VR test drive that users could access right from their phones. Instead of reading about the interior or imagining the driving experience, they could virtually step inside and try it for themselves—enhancing engagement and memorability.
Educational games: Duolingo
Gamification is another powerful tool in edutainment. Brands are developing educational games that teach users about their products or services through interactive challenges and rewards. These games make learning fun and engaging, encouraging users to spend more time interacting with the brand.
Duolingo is an example of an edutainment game done right. The app not only makes language learning enjoyable but turns it into a game where users can earn points, unlock new levels, and track their progress. This approach keeps learners motivated and engaged, turning what could be a tedious task into a fun and rewarding experience.
A tool worth trying
Edutainment is more than just a buzzword—it’s a powerful tool that helps brands stand out. By blending education with entertainment, brands can capture consumers’ attention, introduce their offerings, and provide a deeper understanding of their value in an entertaining way.