Tag Archives: marketing

Google Music is set to take on Apple’s iTunes. I watched the company’s promotional video and couldn’t believe what I found.

It’s strikingly similar to Apple’s promotional videos. Company employee, white backdrop, product shots… heck, it isn’t similar… it’s pretty much the same thing.

Why do this? Did Google just like Apple’s style and copy it? Is there some sort of secret subconscious effort to draw in Apple customers? Or was Google just plain lazy?

I like Google. I use a lot of their applications, but I don’t know the answer to that question. It could be something else entirely. Whatever the reason… it’s just weird.

–Tony Gnau

I went to PRSA Chicago’s monthly luncheon yesterday and heard a nice discussion about multicultural marketing. The panel addressed all sorts of topics, but one of them in particular stood out as good advice for any PR or marketing situation.

Someone asked if it’s wise to focus on individual segments of the Latino community, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, etc., or create something with a broader appeal to all of them? One of the panelists said you can’t be all things to everyone. That by the time your try to satisfy every community, you end up watering down your message.

Pretty good insight… and it’s great advice for anyone producing videos. Whether it’s trying to decide what story to tell about a business, who should be in the video, or simply critiquing the final product. No matter what decisions you make, it’s not going to please everyone. Someone will nit-pick it.

Video is a subjective medium. It’s an art, not a science. Opinions are plentiful, and you’ll always have your critics.

Tell the best story you can, and that’s the best you can do.

–Tony Gnau

Why video content? Simple. Short of transporting prospects to your place of business, video is the rare medium that allows you to actually show people what you do.

It can provide a behind-the-scenes tour of your company that may even be better than the real thing. Reasons why…

1. you get to control the message and get it right every time.
2. you ensure your business looks its best.
3. you can take people to places that might normally have restricted access.

Throw in the fact that prospects can take the tour without ever leaving their office and you have some pretty good reasons to create video content.

–Tony Gnau

Soldier Field, Chicago

Alright PR and marketing pros… you like planning ahead, right? Mark Veterans Day 2012 on your calendar and copy this blog post as a note. Here’s a great way for businesses to honor that day.

I spotted this American Airlines video on Facebook last Friday. It’s a very simple video the company produced to honor the veterans who work for the airline.

The video itself is just okay, a little long, but I love the idea. I’m a big fan in general of featuring employees in corporate videos, and honoring a company’s vets on Veterans Day is something everyone can do.

Remember, video is all about emotion. You want material that connects with your audience.

Our veterans stir emotions for millions of us. Showing how a comany supports them is a great way to build a connection with clients and prospects.

–Tony Gnau

Pretty pictures are nice. Information is good. The two of them together are even better. The thing is you need more. More if you’re interested in creating a video that will connect with viewers.

Enter storytelling. Incorporating your information into a story and marrying it with good images will draw in your audience and make them more receptive to your message.

Create a story that’s relevant to your viewers and you’re on your way to making an impact.

–Tony Gnau

Video just does things that text can’t do, and I found a really good example. It’s an online ad for the new Bose bluetooth headset.

The text on the landing page promises…

• Exclusive Bose technologies let you hear calls better, even as noise levels change
• Noise-rejecting microphone allows callers to hear more of your voice—in windy and noisy environments too

Look… reading it is one thing, but seeing and hearing it? That’s what sells people on a product like this. Bose clearly understood this and posted a very clever video on the page to demonstrate the product.

Take a listen and you’re bound to agree with me. Video just does things text can’t do.

–Tony Gnau

My wife ran into a local business owner yesterday and complimented him on the video at his website. She asked a bit about the video and he revealed something interesting.

He said that everyone over 35 who goes to the site reads the text, and everyone under 35 watches the video.

Now, we don’t have the full analytics here, but they obviously got this business owner’s attention. He also mentioned he’s going to add more video to the site since it’s apparently driving traffic to his company.

That’s the power of video… ROI-style.

–Tony Gnau

If you’ve signed up at YouTube, than you should know you don’t have a YouTube page. You have a YouTube channel.

It’s the perfect title because it hints at the mentality business leaders need to embrace once they start posting online videos. The company may make widgets, but it’s now a television station as well. That means company officials have to program their channel with all sorts of videos that people will want to tune in to see.

It’s important to remember, without viewers there’s no point in having your channel. This is why you need to focus the content on the audience, not your company. Sure, you can communicate things about your company, just make sure you’re serving the audience’s interests. Constantly ask yourself a question from a viewers perspective… why do I care?

They’re only going to tune in to your channel if you’re posting videos relevant to them.

–Tony Gnau

We all know videos can serve multiple marketing purposes. Social media, email campaigns, live events… the list goes on and on.

How about internal morale booster? That’s right, the same videos used to cultivate relationships with clients and prospects can have a tremendous impact on your own team.

The way you do it is to include your team members in the videos themselves. In some cases, you can even highlight them and the good job they’re doing (see an example).

Have you ever given someone a pat on the back? I’ve been reading a lot lately about leadership, and encouragement seems to be a recurring theme. Think about how it’ll make your team feel to see themselves and their co-workers in the videos their company uses to help earn new business.

It’ll make them feel appreciated. It’ll make them feel like they’re a part of something. It’ll make them feel like stars.

–Tony Gnau

I’ve been on a tear recently blogging about behind-the-scenes videos. I love them. They highlight one of the great things about the medium… giving businesses the ability to take clients and prospects behind the curtain.

I found another example from syndicated radio host and best-selling author Dave Ramsey. He kicked-off the launch of his new book EntreLeadership with a whirlwind media and book signing tour, and cameras took his followers with him (see one of the videos). This is a guy who knows how to market, and video is clearly a part of his plan.

How did it work? The book debuted at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers List. I’d call that a successful campaign.

Behind-the-scenes videos make viewers feel like they’re part of something. They’re in on something special.

That could be your company.

–Tony Gnau