One of the great things about a PR or marketing video is that it can serve so many purposes, and in some cases it can even surprise those who produce it… providing multiple marketing video benefits.

This is the first in new series of blog posts. I’m going to start sharing case studies featuring our clients. I’m consistently impressed with their marketing strategies, and I think getting some behind-the-scenes insights will help others as well.

We’ll start with Savor…Chicago. That’s the catering company for Chicago’s convention center, McCormick Place. If you’re unfamiliar with the complex, McCormick Place is North America’s largest convention center and Savor is in charge of feeding the millions of people who pass through it every year.… Read More

If you’re going to produce a marketing video this year, there’s an important fact to keep in mind. You aren’t buying a widget. You’re buying art.

Don’t worry… I’m not going to get all self-important on you, but it’s true. You might be buying a product that fulfills a marketing tactic, but a good marketing video has far more in common with a piece of art than something like a CRM app. Important to note since there’s more to hiring a video producer than looking at the price.

Video vs. widget purchasing difference

Not distinguishing between the two is a mistake I see a lot of business people, marketers, and PR experts fall into.… Read More

It’s been a busy year… but a good one! We tweaked our content strategy for 2014 based on insights from the likes of Gini Dietrich and Andy Crestodina and they paid-off big time. We hope to continue to provide you with valuable content on marketing and video production into the New Year.

So… Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from T60 Productions!

Top 5 Blog Posts of 2014

• How-To Figure Out Video Production Costs
• Experts Pick 5 “About Us” Video Mistakes
• How Storytelling Sold My Beat-Up Mazda
• Corporate Event Video Ideas Everyone Can Do
• Our Debt-Free Scream With Dave Ramsey

–Tony Gnau … Read More

It’s the conversation I have with virtually every client. I say the same line over and over, and I’ve written it time and time again here at our blog. It’s maybe the toughest concept for business leaders to accept about their marketing videos.

The fact about facts

“Video isn’t about facts and figures. Video is about emotion.”

It’s a crucial thing to understand about video. Too often, executives want to pack their videos with all sorts of information. Those videos often run like a visual version of the company’s website or a marketing brochure or worse… a text book.

When someone packs too much information into a video, they aren’t taking advantage of it’s best atributes.… Read More

This might be the biggest corporate video mistake business leaders make when they produce a corporate video. They create a video that’s all about the things they want to hear without giving any regard for their audience. Executives who don’t hesitate to preach “put the customer first” often fail to put their viewers first.

Why Should Viewers Care?

Which is why it’s worth a little reminder here. The viewer has to be top of mind as you work on different video projects. Anytime I’m faced with including something in a video, I ask myself… why would viewers care? If I can’t come up with a good answer, that material ends-up on the cutting room floor.… Read More

There is more to throwing a successful event than setting everything up and executing a plan. All that coordination is for nothing if you don’t get people to attend and make sure they leave happy. Which is why more and more meeting planners are producing event videos.

There are different types of event videos that serve different purposes. You can produce something for the expresses purpose of promoting the event. Videos can be created to show during the event itself. But in this case, I’d like to focus on a video that can take any event to the next level.

Expanding Your Reach

How many people are attending your event… five, 20, 100, more than a 1,000?… Read More

‘Tis the season to plan next year’s marketing budget, and if you want to create the best content possible you better include video.

It’s not just me… your friendly-neighborhood video producer.. saying that. A growing number of PR and marketing professionals say if you aren’t producing video content… you’re committing a social media crime (see #2).

Now that you’re on board, what are your next steps?

• Talk to a video pro: this might sound a little self-serving, but in this case it isn’t. At this stage of the game you can use most video professionals as a free idea bank.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked by the smart folks at Spin Sucks to write a few things about the benefits of hiring a video professional. I made some good points, if I do say so myself, but there’s one I left out.

Perspective

When you hire a video pro, you’re getting someone who sees the world differently. Where most people might just see people sitting at desks or products being produced, a video professional is seeing shadows, potential camera angles, opportunities for interviews… the list goes on and on.

They also “see” story ideas all around them.… Read More

DIY video production is something that makes a lot of video producers cringe. Sure, it means less business for us, but I think the biggest reason is we just hate seeing people/businesses struggle through it.

It takes them a lot of time… time away from other tasks they need to accomplish… and at the end of it all they have a finished video that usually isn’t very good.

Having said that, there are times I think it’s okay for businesses to produce their own videos. But in most cases… it’s important to go with a pro. Watch the vlog to find out why.… Read More

A company video hits the web. A few people watch. They share it with their friends and colleagues. Then, those people share it, and so on and so forth. Next thing you know it’s getting millions of views. Awesome, right? I’m sure that just about every business leader would love a viral video.

You know what, though?

I’m not a fan of executives setting out with that sort of goal in mind.

Forget the Viral Video

As a video producer, I’ve been approached on several occasions by business owners and executives who were looking for someone to produce a viral video for them.… Read More