Tag Archives: corporate communication

Okay… a little peek behind the blog’s curtain today. I write here four days a week. A lot of people are surprised I can find enough material to generate that much content on corporate video production. The truth is I’ve never found it very difficult… until last night.

Whenever I think of a blog topic, I make myself a note. If I’m out and about and I spot something that strikes me, I take a photo of it. When I see a good/bad video pop-up in my social accounts, I make sure to note it.

When none of the above has happened… I go Facebook fishing. I follow a lot of businesses producing videos and love to write about them via this blog. I can usually scroll back two, three, maybe six hours in my feed and typically find a video to blog about.

Not yesterday. Actually, the only corporate video in my feed is the one T60 posted about our latest client, Yellow House Children’s Services.

I planned on sharing some stories from that shoot sometime this week and could have done it today, but I thought my Facebook fishing failure deserved some notice.

Why? Because this is how much the world has changed over the last few years. Videos are everywhere. Five years ago, searching for video to write about would have taken forever. Today, I’m put out because I couldn’t find one during a 60-second Facebook search.

The world has changed. Video needs to be part of your PR/marketing strategy. I shouldn’t have to go Facebook fishing for you.

–Tony Gnau

Here’s one of the big problems that plague clients and their video producers… competing visions.

The client envisions the video going one way, the producer sees it in different light, and they end up getting on each other’s nerves. Who’s right? Neither.

See… it’s not about you. It’s about the audience.

Video is a tough thing because it’s art that serves a business purpose. In other words, it’s a completely subjective medium that’s carrying a corporate message. The client wants to control that message, the video producer is usually more interested in the story that’s delivering the content.

The trick is for neither party to get so wrapped-up in what they’re doing that they lose sight of the most important piece of the equation. The audience should dictate which direction the video goes… not the client… not the producer.

Whenever there’s competing visions, someone better step-up and ask what’s most important to the audience. They’re the ones you need to consider. After all, it’s their video… not yours.

–Tony Gnau

I often talk and write about un-scripted videos being far more authentic than scripted stories, but I’ve never really gone into “why” they’re more authentic.

The reason is simple. When you allow real people to tell the story, it comes off as much more genuine than if someone sat at a computer and typed it out.

Real people stumble when they talk. Real people talk in run-on sentences. Real people sound like what we listen to in person everyday. When you put those things into a video, it sounds like real life… not some corporate marketing message that’s been tested by focus groups and approved by attorneys.

It sounds… authentic.

–Tony Gnau

Here’s a big reason why I prefer non-scripted videos over scripted… they’re authentic. I know, I know… that’s a term getting overused these days, but I have a different take on it today.

Authentic videos are good for a lot of reasons, but one that’s often overlooked gets right to the heart of why they’re better than scripted videos.

It’s hard to mess-up authenticity. I recently saw a video promoting Chicago’s Ribfest. Now, I LOVE Ribfest. The event is in T60’s neighborhood, and the date is marked on my calendar every year. The video though… I don’t love.

In truth, there’s a lot to like about it. It’s professionally produced, has a clear story, and accomplishes the goal of promoting the event. The problem is it’s a mock movie trailer that’s supposed to be funny… and it isn’t. Mildly amusing… maybe. Funny… no.

I don’t fault Ribfest or the video’s produces. They had an amusing concept and they went for it. The thing is that scripting something great is HARD. Some of the most talented people in Hollywood get paid millions of dollars to produce “funny” and even they fail more than they succeed.

Authenticity… when you have it… it just works.

–Tony Gnau

Surprises are a magical thing. The problem is too many storytellers can’t help themselves and rush into them too quickly.

A good surprise within a story is a great device to reinvigorate interest in your video. Just when the audience thinks they know where the story is going, you zing them with something they’re not expecting.

The key is to build up to the surprise. There’s no rush. The build up actually makes the surprise that much more effective.

It also doesn’t have to be anything earth-shattering. Sure, it’s better if it is something significant, but ultimately anything that’s going to take viewers off-guard is going to work. Whether it’s a piece of video or a tidbit of information.

A good surprise will make your videos much more memorable.

–Tony Gnau

Music can make or break your videos. Nothing sets a mood better. The feeling your video leaves behind will be greatly shaped by the music bed you put under it.

Having produced videos for a while now, we’ve built a nice little royalty-free music library… mostly songs we’ve downloaded from premiumbeat.com. We definitely have some favorites, and it’s easy to keep going back to them.

I had one in mind for a video we just completed, but at the last second I decided to download something new. It’s amazing how a new song spices things up. Not just for the video, for the editor as well. The new music really made me scrutinize the edit in a whole new way.

Music set the mood in the video… and the edit suite.

–Tony Gnau

You want to change the perception of your brand… your company? Video is the way to do it. It’s better than any other medium at changing people’s opinions.

Take the University of Southern California. The school is a frequent source of examples here. One, because I went there. Two, because the school’s leaders have a clear video strategy and they just flat-out bring it.

So… perception. USC is a private university filled with spoiled students and arrogant football players. You know what… there’s a little bit of that, but there’s so much more to the school and the football team. That’s one of the reasons for the videos they’re producing.

The latest documents a trip several football players made to Haiti. I challenge you to watch this video and walk away with the typical “perception” of USC.

This isn’t a group of a few unheard of players. Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, T.J. McDonald… these are guys who’ll be first round picks in next year’s NFL draft. This mission was clearly a priority for them, their teammates, and it comes through in the video.

If it weren’t for this production, we wouldn’t know that. Sure, we could read an article about what they did, but it’s not the same. Not even close. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. That’s what makes video unique.

Your business might not be sending anyone to Haiti, but you’re doing something. It doesn’t even have to be a charity effort. It might be a video about how you’re improving your customer’s lives in some way.

The point is to look for things you’re doing that will shake-up perception about your company. Video can do that.

–Tony Gnau

Just because you have an HD camera, doesn’t mean you can shoot good looking video. Actually, high-definition will actually shine a light on many of the things you’re doing wrong.

One of the biggest mistakes most amateurs make is not lighting interview subjects. I’ve seen a few videos like this lately, so I thought it warrants a blog post.

If you’re in a room with overhead fluorescent lights… you need to break out your light kit.

If you don’t have a light kit, get creative. Find window and use the natural light. Find a room with a lamp and figure out a way to use that.

I’m not here to post a lighting tutorial. Jump on Google and you’ll find plenty of them there. This message is simply an educator and motivator.

Don’t be lazy. Those overhead lights are terrible. Bad lighting… ugly video… no matter what kind of camera you use.

–Tony Gnau

Packed house for yesterday’s American Marketing Association-Chicago Chapter seminar on social media. Adam Lilly from Goose Island Beer Company talked about their social strategy and Nader Ali-Hassan from Razorfish talk about social’s future and how to measure its impact.

One of the big takeaways I hope everyone got was the importance of storytelling. Adam talked a lot about what the Goose is doing to tell its story and how it’s building a following using social media.

He also talked about how the company gets everyone involved. Marketing works with all departments to find stories that might interest their followers. They also use those people in the videos. Gone are the days of a single company spokesperson. If an employee has an interesting story… they’re in!

This is how you serve an audience. Focus on content that they will be interested in and feature real people.

–Tony Gnau

Big event today for the American Marketing Association-Chicago Chapter. They’re bringing together social media experts from Razorfish and Goose Island Beer Company to talk about where the medium is headed.

Here’s a tease straight from the AMA…

Facebook. Twitter. Tumblr. Google +. Pinterest.  Just when you master one platform another pops up. Where do savvy marketers invest their companies’ time, money and resources?  What strategies are used to engage customers and build loyal, active followers?  How does a company handle social media during a crisis to create an interactive dialogue that generates positive results and reviews?

The program starts at 3:00 p.m. today and there will be a networking opportunity afterwards. If you want to learn more/register, check out their website and by all means… watch the video!

–Tony Gnau