Sofie Belgian Style Ale is one of the new videos we produced in this latest production run for Goose Island Beer Company, and it’s going to have special meaning to my fiancé Katie, A.K.A. T60’s V.P. of Marketing, and me in the future.

We’re getting married next month and Sofie will be one of the beers served at the wedding. It’s a brunch reception, and the beers we offer will all come from Goose Island. 312 simply because it’s Chicago’s beer, Honker’s Ale because it’s the bride’s favorite, and Sofie because the experts at Goose Island said it will pair perfectly with brunch.

Katie also pointed out Sofie’s packaging happens to coordinate well with our wedding colors… so bonus!

–Tony Gnau

WATCH THE VIDEO: Sofie Belgian Style Ale

Pere Jacques Belgian Style Ale holds a special spot in our hearts at T60 because we won a Telly Award for the original version of this video. Like Matilda, the packaging changed, so the video needed an update.

There wasn’t much else to tinker with in the new version, but a food pairing was added to the end which made for a foodie’s paradise. The chef at the Goose Island Brewpub on Clybourn kept bringing in all these dishes.  Steak for Pere Jaques, pulled pork for Green Line, Cioppino for Matilda…  it smelled so good in that room!

I know… tough job.

–Tony Gnau

WATCH THE VIDEO: Pere Jacques Belgian Style Ale

T60 Beer Week continues today with a video for Goose Island’s latest, Green Line. This pale ale is more than just a beer. The Green Line Project is part of a company-wide effort to make the production process “green”, so Goose Island leaders brewed a beer with that in mind.

Chicagoans may pick up on the duel meaning name, Green Line. Not only does it reference the beer being environmentally “green”, but Chicago’s famous public transportation system, the “L”, also has a Green Line… and it happens to be the line that runs by the brewery.

–Tony Gnau

WATCH THE VIDEO: Green Line Pale Ale

I know if you want to make a good impression at a party, you show up with Goose Island’s Matilda Belgian Style Ale. It makes sense then to start T60’s Beer Week with the Matilda video.

Each day this week we’ll be debuting a video we recently produced for Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company.

We produced the original Matilda video last year, but the packaging has since been changed so an update was needed. That also provided us with an opportunity to add some new elements, mainly, a food pairing.

Matilda might be my favorite beer to photograph because its color really pops when the light shines through it. I know, you’re thinking, “This guy has a great beer poured in front of him and all he’s thinking about is how the light makes it look?”

Well, take a look and you’ll see what I mean… and get prepared to be thirsty.

–Tony Gnau

WATCH THE VIDEO: Matilda Belgian Style Ale

T60 Beer Week is almost here and preparations are underway. Now, let’s be clear, no beer is being served, but we will be showing new videos that will likely have you craving a beer. Actually, we hope the videos inspire you to head to the store for some Goose Island.

Over the last couple years, T60 has been producing videos for Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company. We started with nine videos last year, and we just finished five more. Two are new videos for Green Line Pale Ale and Sofie Belgian Style Ale. The other three are updates we shot and edited for Matilda, Pere Jacques, and Bourbon County Stout because the packaging changed over the past year.

Next week, we’ll debut one video each day and I’ll be blogging about each video as well. So get your taste buds ready… T60 Beer Week starts Monday!

–Tony Gnau

Let’s face it, people are much more likely to watch a video than read a lot of text, which is why we’re seeing video incorporated into more and more newsletters.

Take a look at the example from outdoors retailer REI (REI Newsletter). I’m signed up for their e-mail newsletter and I love the little video tips they include. They’re not complicated, but they provide a nice supplement to the text at a minimal expense to the company.

–Tony Gnau

Editing is an amazing thing. It’s common to watch the first cut of a video and decide on taking out material, but it is a little unusual to add something.

I recently put together a video for a client, and after showing them the first cut I was asked if I could add more content. I took a nearly 3-minute video, added 1-minute and 30-seconds of new material, and guess what? It’s better.

The original version is really good, but the longer cut adds a whole other dimension. This is a little bit of a tease because the video isn’t ready to go public, but hopefully I’ll be showing it in the next couple weeks.

Anyway, in a time when everyone is talking cutbacks, it felt good to add something for a change. Maybe there’s something you can add in your job?

–Tony Gnau

Marketing guru Seth Godin was blogging about first impressions the other day. He basically confirmed the old adage that you only get one chance to make a good one. How true.

It’s a nice reminder for anyone producing a video. What if this is the first time someone has “contact” with you? Will they walk away from the video confident in your abilities or product? Will they want to learn more about you or your company?

A good video will do exactly that.

–Tony Gnau

I just read about McDonald’s naming its first social-media chief. His job priorities…

1. use social-media to build the business
2. manage customer problems
3. outreach to target groups

Let’s hope he reverses that order.  Actually, let’s add one… connect with people.

We all want to grow our businesses, but social-media should first and foremost be about developing a relationship with people. If the business grows because of that effort, great, but that shouldn’t be the motivation.

Now… if I could only convince them to make the McRib a full-time menu item.

–Tony Gnau

Jeremy Nichols (left) and Tony Gnau (right) at Medinah Country Club for a shoot at the 2006 PGA Championship. Their work on that video later won a Telly Award.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned T60 contributor Jeremy Nichols in our Blog. He’s a part-time T60 photographer and full-time photographer/reporter at WISC-TV in Madison, WI.  We’re happy to announce he’s now an Edward R. Murrow award winner, and in broadcast journalism… that’s a big deal.

Jeremy won the regional sports reporting award for a story he shot, wrote and edited.  We’re proud of his achievement and hope you’ll watch.

Murrow Award Winner: Long Distance Softball Fan