In our line of work, we watch countless hours of video, but sometimes we see one that really sticks with us. The ones we remember often have similar characteristics – they’re creative, they’re both affective and effective, and their message is crystal clear.
Articles
How to Use Humor to Create a Memorable Corporate Video
We’ve all sat through a boring, dry corporate video that tries to communicate some new organizational change or service offering — something really important — that falls flat.
Are Virtual and Augmented Reality Just Another Fad?
People are talking a lot about Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), and these trends might be just another passing fad. But some marketers are making good use of this technology, at least for now. Here are 5 examples of VR and AR being used to make some compelling marketing.
Good Design Makes All The Difference
The hyperventilating and drama that embarrassed so many at the 2017 Academy Awards could have been avoided but for bad typography. As demonstrated by Benjamin Bannister at FreeCodeCamp, poorly laid out text was the start of this catastrophe.
Samsung Is A Hot Mess. Can Video Be the Fire Extinguisher They Need?
This video from Stephen Colbert is hilarious, unless you are a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 customer. In that case, it’s not so amusing because you probably have burn scars and insurance claims to file. And if you’re Samsung marketing department, have another handful of TUMS.
Samsung needs to extinguish this and video is a part of that.
On-the-Go Video: Using Vertical Video to Engage Mobile Users
Welcome to the age of mobile video. Well, a newer age. While mobile video has been around for some time now, Snapchat’s discovery buttons have opened up companies to vertical video content like never before. Snapchat’s increasing popularity and style has companies itching to tap into their large user base and vertical video is allowing them to do just that.
Vertical video utilizes the whole screen for users holding a mobile device in a vertical, one-handed position. To put it simply, this is a technical change from filming in widescreen, which has been the default for video up until now. Its rise is mainly due to the fact that it omits the inconvenience of needing to turn your device sideways to view the video full screen. Thus the birth of vertical video: a trend, like it or not, that businesses in some verticals will need to consider as part of their mobile strategies.
Buzz Feed, ESPN, CNN, People, National Geographic, Cosmopolitan and many other outlets have taken advantage of vertical video, using Snapchat as a channel for their content through their own discovery buttons, which appear to every user. The emergence of these channels allows ads to be inserted between the content clips when exploring each discovery button, an opportunity companies can take advantage of.
Are you ready to test out vertical video? Here are a few tips for getting started:
- Keep it mobile: Vertical videos should be kept to strictly mobile channels. Vertical video’s aesthetic doesn’t translate well to other screens – but there still should be the same amount of effort and care used in creating these videos as with any other company video.
- Create a company Snapchat account: In order to purchase an advertisement on Snapchat you will have to drop a lot of dough. Your best bet for getting started is to dip your toes in the water by trying out some ideas using your organic audience as a free testing ground for your videos.
- Practice: A big draw of Snapchat is that videos shared through the platform disappear after a short period of time. When you are first starting out on Snapchat, the audience will be small – but so will the risk. Any less-than-perfect efforts will disappear eventually. Don’t be afraid to try something creative.
- Utilize Snap-story: While Snapchats delete in ten seconds or less, Snap-stories are accessible for up to 24 hours and can be viewed multiple times. This is ideal for businesses because it creates more opportunity for visibility. Snap-story even keeps track of how many views your post gets (though it won’t show if a person viewed it more than once).
- Move to other platforms: Once you’re comfortable with the format, try developing more complex videos for your mobile versions of Facebook and Twitter. Unlike Snapchat, you can edit these videos and craft the exact message you want.
- Gear your videos towards millennials: Vertical video, thanks in large part to the popularity of Snapchat, is a millennial trend. They are less interested in big, wide screens as generations before them and like to enjoy a quick video on the go. Keep this audience in mind when creating a vertical video, as they’ll make up your largest viewership demographic.
Looking for inspiration for how to make great Snapchats? See how two big names have gotten creative with vertical video:
How CNN & National Geographic are developing vertical video on Snapchat
Acura sent out this exclusive vertical video through Snapchat below to its first 100 followers
Making Effective Political Ads
By surveying hundreds of people, television analytics firm, Ace Metrix, evaluated political spots to determine their effectiveness. Politico tells us that Ted Cruz’s ads are the most effective among the Republicans because his ads are 5 of the highest scoring 11 — probably sounds better than saying 4 of the top 10.
High Jump
The endless debates surrounding Chicago’s educational institutions have taken the grand stand in Chicago politics. It can be a disheartening landscape. Video Parachute was happy to help draw attention to a program that is a positive light, taking action to really make change for Chicago’s youth: High Jump.
15 Seconds Goes a Long Way
The videos done. Now let’s get it to as many eyes as possible.
According to statistic.com, Instagram had reach 300 million monthly active users as of December 2014. That’s 600 million eyeballs that your video could be missing out on.
The Personality Test: Does Your Video Have It?
The best lighting, sound quality and direction can’t save a video that is dull and unengaging (as much as we wish it could).
The truth is that your video must connect with your audience in order for it to make an impact. Even if your brand or company isn’t perceived as interesting or exciting, it doesn’t mean you can’t add a personal, engaging element into your videos.