So… American Airlines filed for bankruptcy yesterday and they issued an online video. They get in front of the issue and we get a valuable lesson.

First, some kudos… American Airlines officials clearly understand that video is a terrific way to reach millions of people. I’m glad to see them explaining the situation using the medium.

Second, some advice for you… the business leader, marketing professional, public relations expert. Ditch the script.

American’s CEO is clearly reading from one and it makes him sound… corporate… like a phony. Not to mention the legalese at the very beginning… talk about stripping away any notion of sincerity.

Video is all about emotion, so speak from the heart. This goes for any video, whether it’s a basic profile on your company or breaking bad news to employees, stockholders, and customers.

Go ahead and write down some bullet points, but don’t script a speech. It just doesn’t sound genuine.

In the end, you still get to control the message whether you script it in advance or not. It’s your video. You don’t have to post it unless you feel like it will work for you.

–Tony Gnau

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