Put an Emmy Award winner to work for you.
I know we’re in video production, but that headline is true for anyone in any line of business. You know what you’re capable of. You know where your expertise is. Play to those strengths.
Don’t try to be something you’re not. Don’t lead others to think you can do more than you can. Be true to yourself and to them.
Virtue like that will be paid forward in the future.
–Tony Gnau
Southwest Airlines happens to be a frequent topic here because they provide some great examples… both good and bad… of how to use PR and marketing videos.
Today, we add another… the mediocre.
Here’s a nice example of a company that “gets” it, but falls a little short. Southwest recently posted this video about its new line of 737-800 airplanes. I think it’s great when business leaders let us know about the innovations and investments they’re making on behalf of their customers. This particular video is professionally shot and edited, but the story falls a little short.
It’s great to highlight the new planes’ arrival, but here’s the deal… they don’t really say much about how it’s going to impact travelers. There’s a couple of things mentioned like more storage and comfortable lighting, but I need more.
If this video was produced for Southwest staff, than it makes more sense. Kind of a rah-rah for the rank and file. On the other hand, if it was produced for the public, the impact on travelers needs to be the focus.
It all comes back to the audience. When you’re producing a video, always keep them in mind. Ask yourself… why should they care?… why should they watch the video?… what are they getting out of it?
That’s your focus.
–Tony Gnau
Before the camera ever rolls, maybe the most important step to creating a great video is picking the person who’s going to produce it.
Make no mistake about it, you’re not selecting an ordinary contractor to work for your business. You’re hiring an artist.
Every producer has a different style, a different vision. That’s why I think it’s important for you to meet with the person who’s actually going to produce the video and not just a salesperson.
Look at their work. Let them talk about their vision. Is it a good match for your company’s style? Will they work well with your team? Do they fit your culture?
All good questions to ask yourself.
–Tony Gnau
Here’s what I love about the Oscars… the retrospective videos. The look back at classic films we all know and love.
Why? Because they give me an emotional jolt. Last night when Star Wars popped-up, and I heard Obi-Wan say, “Use the Force Luke,” I gasped.
That’s the power of video. If I had read a story about classic films and saw that quote within the text, I wouldn’t have reacted the same way.
This is why businesses need to be producing videos. They can reach your customers, prospects, and employees on an emotional level that the text on your website can’t.
You might not produce Oscar-worthy videos that will touch the lives of millions, but you can can produce great work that will impact your audience.
–Tony Gnau
Has authenticity become cliché? Creating authentic content is the mantra for a lot of social media experts, but I’ve been hearing more and more about some feelings that “authentic” has become an overused word.
Seriously? Authenticity isn’t going out of style. I don’t care how many people use the term. The reason it’s being used is because it accurately describes how businesses need to conduct themselves online.
It’s especially true when creating videos. Audiences can sense right away when a message isn’t genuine. Keeping it “real” is crucial if you want to connect with viewers.
Once they sense you’re trying to pull a fast one… you’ve lost them forever.
–Tony Gnau
One of the most frequent questions I get from clients is… how long should my video be?
There are all sorts of theories behind the answers. Yes, that’s answers with an “s” at the end. I don’t think there’s a single magic formula that’s always right, but I do think there’s some guidelines you can go by depending on where you’re showing the video.
–Tony Gnau
I love that the airlines put out a lot of videos. I don’t always love their videos, but this is a billion dollar industry that clearly gets it. Travelers are watching so they give them video content.
Today, I get to share one that I like from Virgin America. If you travel at all, you know about Virgin. They do everything they can to cultivate their hip image and they posted a video oozing with style yesterday on Facebook.
It actually serves as a valuable lesson. Lots of businesses have videos produced. A frequent problem is that they stuff them with too much information. Yes… too much information.
Audiences tend to subscribe to the “less is more” adage. Virgin does a great job here. The video is simple… a day at their terminal inside San Fransisco International Airport.. and the message is clear. It’s all about the airline’s style. Watch it once and you know this is an airline with its own unique style.
Virgin provides a really good flight plan to follow.
–Tony Gnau
Think about the last corporate web video you saw. Now give me the first few statistics you remember about that business.
If you’re struggling to remember, you’re not alone. We might remember the occasional fact and figure after seeing a web video, but those aren’t the things we typically retain.
Now… think of that same corporate web video. How did it make you feel? Happy? Interested? Confident in that company?
I sure hope so because that should be the goal for most corporate videos. While we don’t retain many facts and figures, our feelings stick with us.
That’s why organizations that produce their own videos need to focus on hearts first, minds second.
–Tony Gnau
We’re continuing our Telly Awards celebration this week with a look back at this year’s winning entries and some of the important things we can all learn from the projects.
Yesterday, we highlighted the recruiting video produced for the Warrenville Police Department. Today, it’s the “About Us” video we did for the after-school program METROsquash.
Like a lot of non-profits, METROsquash wanted to put a face on their program and show potential donors exactly what it is they do. Their video does a great job of that thanks to an invaluable asset… trust.
You see, the majority of their students aren’t exactly star squash players. They’re young kids just learning the game. It doesn’t exactly make for exciting video, and there was some concern that the slow pace of their games wouldn’t play well to an audience.
We assured them that we could still make an entertaining and informative video with a nice pace… and they trusted us. When you pick your storyteller, you have to pick someone you can trust.
We could envision how the video would be shot and played out in our minds, but sometimes it’s hard to get clients to share that vision. They simply don’t have the same experience and creative background that we do.
But they trusted us, and it paid off. They’ve been very happy with how the video has been received when they show it.
Pick a producer you can trust, and let them roll with their vision for your project.
–Tony Gnau
Well, I’m please to announce that T60 has won two 2012 Telly Awards.
The Telly Awards draw over 10,000 entries every year and are considered one of television’s and the non-broadcast video industry’s most prestigious honors.
We’ve now won 11 Telly Awards over the last five years, but who’s counting? :-)
See the winning entries: METROsquash – Warrenville P.D. Recruiting
All kidding aside, we owe a debt of gratitude to our clients. Not just the award winners… all of our clients. Our mission is to create quality storytelling at an affordable price. We’re able to do both because our clients put a lot of trust in our creative ability.
That’s the value we try to provide each and every client.
–Tony Gnau