Good Way To Ruin A Marketing Video

Good Way To Ruin A Marketing VideoIt’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. Video can tap into people’s emotions. If you use video to tell a good story, you can build a bond with your audience. Vlog: How-to Help Tell Your Company’s Story

That’s a big deal

Connecting with viewers is a powerful asset. The stronger the connection, the more they trust you. The more they trust you, the more willing they’ll be to buy from you… or donate to your cause… or attend your event… it can help you achieve whatever your goal might be.

ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

Case Study: how to ruin a marketing video

I’m going to do something I’ve never done before. I’m going to purposely ruin one of my favorite videos… one of our Telly Award winners. Okay, not literally… just theoretically.

It’s a video we produced for Goose Island Beer Company. Goose Island leaders wanted a video to demonstrate to wholesalers the company’s commitment to marketing the 312 brand (Goose Island’s most popular beer)… which would in-turn encourage the wholesalers to push the beer to their retail clients because the marketing should make it easier to sell.

The plan was to shoot various events throughout the summer where 312 was a sponsor. We named a few of the events in the video, but the video wasn’t about those specific events. The story was about 312’s commitment to sponsorship and getting out into the community.

Now… how would we go about ruining this video? If I were to fall prey to the classic mistake of adding too much information, here’s what I would add:

  • listing all of the events 312 sponsors
  • give stats on how many beers were served at the events
  • the number of banners hung
  • how many ads were taken out

I could go on, but you get the point.

Oh… I almost forgot! Not only would I include that information, I would create graphics for them and put them on the screen. Excess graphics are a great way to ruin a video!

Why? Graphics force your audience to work. They’re no longer sitting back, letting the story come to them. You interrupt the flow and force them to read. That little bit of effort is an emotion killer.

Wrapping Up

I’m fine with facts and figures, as long as you put them in their proper place. That’s what a company website is for. As a matter of fact, you can insert a call to action at the end of a video directing viewers to a website to see those facts and figures.

But when it comes to video… stick to good, emotional stories that connect with audiences.

–Tony Gnau

Tony Gnau - T60 ProductionsTony Gnau is the Founder and Chief Storytelling Officer at T60 Productions. He’s a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, has led T60 Productions to winning 18 Telly Awards for its corporate videos, and is the author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller “Lights, Camera, Impact: storytelling, branding, and production tips for engaging corporate videos.”