Where were you on June 17th, 1994? It’s the date behind a short documentary I saw over the weekend as part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series. I watched it late Saturday night via Amazon Prime video, and I was blow away. It really reiterated something with me about the videos we all produce.

First… the movie. There were some pretty interesting things happening in the sports world that day. The New York Rangers’ had a ticker-tape parade for winning the Stanley Cup, Arnold Palmer played the last round of his career at the U.S. Open, Ken Griffey, Jr. hit a significant home run, and the New York Knicks played the Houston Rockets in the NBA finals.

All of those events took a backseat to OJ Simpson riding in a white Ford Bronco.

The documentary pieces together the story from news coverage and some behind-the-scenes stuff surrounding all those events that day. The OJ material is familiar territory for anyone who followed the news that day, but the suspense builds and builds thanks in large part to the music chosen by the director, Brett Morgen.

Music sets the tone

Music isn’t something that should be overlooked or downplayed when producing your videos. Choose it wisely. Music is one of your most powerful tools when it comes to setting tone.

Morgen and his editor did a fantastic job with music in this documentary. It guides the audience through the story and helps recount the mood of the day.

So… where were you on June 17, 1994? I was interning in the WBBM-TV (Chicago) newsroom that day. What a crazy day to be working in TV news!

–Tony Gnau

I tell every business leader I come across they’re no longer just a retailer or service provider… they’re also a media company. The instant a business starts producing content, they’ve made the crossover, although many don’t seem willing to admit it.

Not Pottery Barn. The home goods retailer clearly understands they are now a media company. Take one look at their YouTube channel and you can tell. They have multiple playlists designed to attract various audiences.

What’s On Pottery Barn’s Channel?

There’s some self-promoting videos about Pottery Barn products, but for the most part the channel is programmed with all sorts of home decorating-related videos. If you’re a HGTV lover, Pottery Barn’s YouTube channel will be right up your alley.

Building and audience

It’s a wonderful example of a company that gets it. They have made a commitment to content. They understand by creating interesting videos, they’re building an audience. They’re building brand awareness.

Is it working? The channel has more than 3.5 million video views. I’d love to get a look at their ROI stats.

–Tony Gnau

Late night editing… early morning event… really short blog post.

I’ll be back with more tomorrow on a pretty cool way a retail outlet is using video.

–Tony Gnau

The American Marketing Association of Chicago is getting ready for its BrandSmart conference. They sent out a video late last week previewing the event featuring Ted Souder, Google’s Head of Industry-Retail.

He talks about two things important for businesses to get a handle on… mobile and video. Souder says,

Video has really gone from the days of dogs skateboarding and kids doing back-flips off parking garages to real content, professionally done content.

It’s not just me

You get this from me four days a week here at this blog. Maybe you listen, maybe you don’t. Maybe you sometimes chalk it up to… there’s goes Tony again. Preaching about home important it is for companies to harness the power of video.

Google’s bigwigs get it

This time it isn’t me though. It’s a Google bigwig. Think they know something about business and marketing?

They see the value in video, and so should you.

–Tony Gnau

For the record… T60 is an official sponsor for AMA-Chicago and does produce event preview videos for the organization, but the video mentioned above doesn’t happen to be one.

This post is for anyone who’s hosting an event. PR pros, event coordinators or the company employee who’s been given the task of organizing an important party, launch or meeting.

You booked the venue, worked out catering, created the invites… did you remember a videographer?

Sure, a photographer might be on your to-do list, but a videographer brings even greater social value.

I’m not talking about shooting some general video, slapping it together and sending it out. I’m talking about creative video, interviews and quality storytelling that gives viewers a sense of what it was like to be at the event.

perfect for email follow-ups

Now you have something special. Now you have something to email to everyone who attended. “Thanks for attending our event.  We hope you enjoy the video we produced and share it with your friends and colleagues.”

Now you have something to email to everyone who couldn’t make it. “Sorry you weren’t able to attend, but you can still be a part of the party! Check out this short video.”

Social Media and future promotion

We haven’t even gotten to social media yet. You can share the video there as well.

Did I mention you can use the video to promote the same or similar event the next year?

You spend lots of time, energy and cash on these events, and they’re usually over in a matter of hours. Why not produce a video that allows the it to live on well after the party ends?

–Tony Gnau

Want to see how some of our clients have done it? — Event Videos

Another good behind-the-scenes video today from American Airlines. Good, not great. There are some rough edits, but it’s still pretty good and I LOVE the concept.

American’s leaders understand there’s all sorts of aspects about their business people might find interesting, so they regularly do these types of videos. In this case, it’s the process of buying a new airplane.

That’s Them, Not Us

You might be thinking to yourself… sure, they’re an airline. There are tons of things they can produce videos about that viewers will find interesting. I don’t do anything special that people will watch.

Trust me. There are people at American who once felt the same way. Guaranteed there are people there who are always prepping new planes and don’t think it’s anything special. When you do something everyday, or frequently, it might not seem interesting to you, but in the hands of a quality storyteller it becomes something that will capture an audience.

Look Using The eyes of your customers

The idea is to start looking at your business through the eyes of your customers and prospects. What are the things you’re doing that might peek their curiosity?

Remember, it’s not about you. It’s about the audience. Focus your videos on what they might want to watch.

–Tony Gnau

I’m a big Dave Ramsey fan. My wife and I started on his financial plan when we got engaged, and we haven’t looked back.

If you’re not familiar with Dave, he’s a financial counselor who’s spread his vision and brand via a hugely popular, nationally syndicated talk radio show and best-selling books.

While those mediums have been a big part of his success, his daughter is going a different route… VIDEO.

Move Over Radio, Hello Video

Rachel Cruz is the face of FoundationsU, Dave’s financial curriculum for college students and young adults. How’s she communicating with her audience? YouTube videos via a vlog.

What’s significant about that? Rachel is the next generation of Dave’s company, and she and their team clearly understand they’re gunning for a different audience. Instead of being stuck on past mediums, they’re turning where these new followers reside… the internet.

The company is moving forward and not stuck in the past. While radio and print have served the brand well, they have embraced digital marketing and all it offers. No doubt, video is a HUGE part of it.

Learn From Dave And Rachel

Your company might be doing well. It might even be a success, but if you want it to continue to grow… watch those companies already growing and take some notes.

Dave and Rachel see value in video… do you?

–Tony Gnau

Ground Zero Video Shoot: Sept. 2010

Many of you might know I’m a former TV news reporter. On September 11, 2001, I walked into the WLWT-TV (Cincinnati) newsroom, set down my bag, looked at the bank of televisions over the assignment desk and asked why the World Trade Center was on fire?

Nobody in the newsroom had noticed the live picture on the Today Show. We gathered at the assignment desk, and minutes later the second plane hit the second tower.

My assignment that day was to do a story on all the people who flooded a downtown cathedral during their lunch hour. It’s the only story of my journalism career I got emotionally wrapped-up in. I was fine until the building spontaneously burst into God Bless America. I teared up and had to walk out to compose myself before attempting to interview people as they left.

Photographer Kevin Martin and I put together an awesome story that day… and it never aired. NBC went more than 24-hours without local programming, so none of the stories our team created that day were ever broadcast.

And you know what… I could have cared less. A good friend of mine from college was a reporter for Bloomberg Financial Network at the time and worked on the stock exchange. I was far more concerned about whether or not my friend was dead than my story airing. Thankfully, she evacuated before the towers came down and is alive and well.

I’d like to make some point here. Link the story to being detached when you create a video or working under pressure, but I can’t… or won’t. I just wanted to share what I was doing the day our world changed.

We should all remember our feelings that day. Never forget.

–Tony Gnau

USC quarterback Matt Barkley lost this week. Now, if you’re a college football fan, you might be a bit confused right now.

Didn’t Barkey tie a school record over the weekend by throwing 6-touchdowns en route to a win over Syracuse? Yes. Barkley continues to impress on the football field, but on a tennis court… not so much.

Off the field, on the court

As part of USC’s YouTube marketing/public relations campaign, the school posted a video last week of Barkley and his center, Khaled Holmes, playing doubles tennis with a pair of USC tennis players. FYI… USC has won the last four NCAA Championships in tennis. In other words, the Trojan tennis team is pretty good.

Anyway, while Barkley might be the frontrunner for this year’s Heisman Trophy, he’s not going to be taking center court at Wimbledon anytime soon. The video proves it. It’s fun, self-deprecating and gives you some insight into his personality off the field.

Your company can do this too

Why should you care? Look at this from another perspective. Think of USC as your company and Barkley as the CEO… or the maybe the top sales guy… or the chosen “face” of the company. How great would it be to humble that person a bit by forcing them to do something outside their comfort zone?

How about a video series where that person takes on different jobs around the company? What a great way to humanize the company and show customers/prospects your willingness to have a little fun.

Barkley’s willing to do it. Who’s willing on your team?

–Tony Gnau

I made another woman cry last night. I’m not proud of this, but I was happy when her voice cracked and her eyes filled with tears.

I’m not heartless. It was during an interview for a video we’re producing, and there are two emotional reactions that are money when you create a video… laughter and tears.

Video isn’t about facts and figures. It’s about emotion, and if you can get someone in the video to laugh or cry… well… that’s about as good as it gets.

It’s Contagious

Those two things happen to be contagious. Viewers who see or hear someone laughing or crying are more likely to do the same. That’s why producers like me get excited when we see an interview subject well-up with tears.

Even if you don’t get the same emotional response from the audience, laughter and tears are great triggers for viewer engagement. If they see someone breakout in a hearty laugh, it catches their attention. If someone breaks down and cries, they listen a little closer.

All of these things are great reactions because it means your message is getting through to them.

Videos Go From Good To Great

As soon as it happened last night, I knew the video we were producing was likely to go from turning out well… to turning out great. Professionalism and skill will take your videos a long way, but moments like that are where experience matters most.

You need to be aware of when emotional triggers are likely to happen. You need to be ready for when they do, and then pounce on them.

Not every video you produce will have a funny or sad moment. Actually, most will not. Those moments are often spontaneous, and that’s why you have to be ready when happen.

Be on alert for emotional moments. They can take your videos to the next level.

–Tony Gnau