VR vs 360-Degree Video

Featured image from http://www.themonitordaily.com/

 

Updated on February 10, 2020.

 

So you’ve decided to take your branded content to the next level by replacing the conventional video approach with VR and 360-video. After strategizing a careful video marketing plan, you have to choose between the two formats. But what’s the difference?

Although they may seem the same, VR and 360-video have stark differences. Their functionalities and features make them particularly effective for certain types of content. So forget your preconceived notions about VR –because you might be mixing it up with 360-video, anyway. 

Perspective

When people watch a 360-video on a VR headset, it’s technically not a true VR experience. What they see in this format is footage taken from the 360-degree overview from the camera’s physical position. Viewers cannot explore beyond the setting that the filmmaker presents. But in VR, the headset tracks the movement and position of users. The users are in complete control. They can both walk and interact in their surroundings, activate certain functions with controllers and other motions, or even just abandon the narrative. In this way, VR imitates life through this freedom of choice within the simulated environment.

Image from youtube.com

 

Progression

360-videos are known for their natural progression from scene to scene. That means filmmakers handpick what they want to present their audience. Viewers consequently don’t have any power over their interactions.

By contrast, VR thoroughly immerses users into the environment and allows them to explore however and whatever they want. Unlike in 360-video, a VR story is not set in stone. It doesn’t follow any pre-determined timeline. Rather, users are able to create their own experiences in the VR simulation. 

 

Context

Now that you know the difference between VR and 360-video, you might be wondering which format fits best for your next video marketing project.

If you want to create a large-scale experience that your audience will never forget, consider the VR approach. With the technology being so complex, it’s best to feature VR experiences at conferences or festivals. Consider the Gear VR Theater with 4D at the Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona. The experience transported the participants to a Six Flags roller coaster ride in California. The chairs they sat in had motors installed underneath, allowing the individual to feel the toss and turn of a roller coaster. With 4D elements in combination with the groundbreaking visuals, VR proved to be a perfect marketing platform for the company. 

With this captivating VR, you are more likely to create an engaging experience for customers because you are already reaching out to an active audience. They either bought the ticket to your conference or came to your store, and agreed to have the experience in some way. All of these factors make VR a successful, engaging advertising tool.

But if you have video content that is documentary-style or from a live-event, 360-video is perfect for you. This format lets you broadcast to a larger audience quickly and easily. Your video can be uploaded onto compatible apps or mobile websites, like YouTube and the New York Times. Users can then watch 360-videos on Google Cardboard. This feature enables average viewers to access the content anywhere and anytime for their own enjoyment. Plus, there’s no intimidating, bulky equipment to put on!

But, with this easily accessible 360-video, you are sacrificing the fully immersive experience that is the essence of VR. Without a large VR production, you have the full responsibility to develop enticing strategies that will push users to voluntarily download and watch your video.

Whichever route you decide to take, VR and 360-video have the power to garner the attention of countless viewers! So the next time you’re trying to refresh your content, consider these two innovative options. 

How to Humanize your Brand through Video and Social Media

Updated on February 10, 2020.

 

In brand marketing, consumers often complain about a sense of disconnect between a big company and real people. Many sales and customer service brands have been automated for years and others are rapidly moving in that direction. It makes sense, of course, that the cost of maintaining a working website is less than the cost of paying employees to do the same work. Many brands hide behind their size and their ability to deliver a product on time and for a good price. Over time, customers notice the lack of personality, and eventually, it can have a tremendous impact on a brand.

 

Intentional Social Media Strategy

 

One highly effective way to humanize a brand is through social media. Many companies seem to set up Facebook or Twitter accounts because it’s simply “what companies do” and people need to see the brand’s name everywhere. In 2014, “74.5 percent of SMBs [Small and Medium Sized Businesses] reported using social media to promote their businesses—more than any other category of media,” according to a study published by BIA Kelsey.

 

But social media shouldn’t just serve as a compulsory presence; it’s a powerful way to connect directly with consumers and fans of the brand. “Many people join social channels because they want to be entertained. They don’t want to listen to business-speak and industry jargon while browsing their Facebook news feed,” according to Ishita Ganguly of Social Media Examiner.

 

Business parlance should be saved for an informational website. Instead, use humor and actual conversations on social media to connect with people who use your products. A great example is the way Oreo connects on social media. There is a clear connection between the people in charge of the accounts and the people who follow them.

 

13,000 likes and 6,000 shares. Not too shabby for such a short video.

 

Clever marketing platforms on social media are effective but they aren’t fooling anyone. They can sell products, but over time, people will get tired of being constantly subjected to brand marketing if they just logged into Instagram to see their friend’s vacation in Italy.

 

Community Development

 

Businesses should be using social media as a way to build a community, growing a loyal follower base that enjoys consistent engagement. “People join social communities because they have a purpose, an intent and communities let them act on their intent,” according to Meghan M. Biro in The Huffington Post. “They are looking for a place to be (Facebook), a place to learn (Google+, Pinterest), a place to interact (Twitter).” Used effectively, social media means customers can trust that when they reach out, they’ll connect with a human being. In turn, the companies are showing that they can connect with a consumer base on their turf. That’s not a marketing gimmick. It’s a unique opportunity that companies didn’t have twenty years ago.

 

Branded Video Content

 

Producing brand videos are a great way to extend a company’s social media reach. These can be commercials, but they should connect viewers to the company on a human level, and shouldn’t just serve to explain how much you need a product. “Video provides an opportunity to show faces of your company, so if you feel that will work toward the goal of, for example, a customer having a good experience learning about your product, then you should absolutely use video there,” says Elise Ramsay of Wistia in an interview with Stream Creative.

 

A successful example of this strategy is Dollar Shave Club, whose CEO and co-creator of the company is constantly featured in viral video and TV spots. Their “Our Blades Are F***ing Great” video posted on YouTube in 2012 has over 20 million views to date, and their TV ads have reached a huge audience online as well.  

 

 

In addition to their effective use of humor, the ads attach a face to the product. People who watch the videos will be able to picture the friendly, funny person behind the brand every time they hear it mentioned.

 

Video lends a tangibility to a company that a simple brochure does not. “If you want to accurately inform your customers of your company’s unique abilities, be ready to up your storytelling strategy. Through video marketing, you can add a realness to your brand,” says Viosik.com. A video could illustrate a brand’s humble history, like this Burt’s Bees video:

 

 

It doesn’t fit the traditional mold of an advertisement, though it does feature the actual product. It spends more time helping the viewer connect with the people who were there from the start. It’s a clever way of connecting to a consumer on several levels. Because the video is well-produced and driven by an engaging narrative, it allows the audience to forget that they are ultimately being sold a product. A customer won’t feel exploited if the experience of connecting to a company feels authentic.

 

A company’s video doesn’t have to be selling anything. Leave it to video hosting company Wistia to create an engaging video asking their users to fill out a survey.

 

Based solely on the comments below the video, it’s obvious that their users engaged exactly the way Wistia hoped. They were excited about the video and were more than happy to fill out the survey after having seen it. On top of that success, the video helped to show the actual employees of the company in a personable light. Like the Dollar Shave Club videos, this now gives a face, or faces, to the brand, which transforms it from a website to a sociable organization.  

 

Humanizing your company should be somewhere towards the top of the to-do list if you want to maintain a regular customer base. All things being equal, a customer will probably buy the razor from a friendly CEO rather than one they’ve never seen, and then they’ll come back when they need another. Sometimes, even if the product is slightly worse, people will still gravitate towards the person they “like.” Advertising Age supports Dollar Shave Club’s claim that it has become the number two provider of razors by volume after existing for only three years, and attributes much of that success to their TV ads. The humor has helped them go viral, but the personal touch has helped make them a real competitor against companies that have been around for decades.

5 Traits of a Successful Promotional Video

Updated on February 10, 2020.

 

Promotional videos come in many shapes, from conventional TV ads to appeals for non-profit fundraising. They might even show up in film festivals disguised as short films, only to reveal in the last few seconds that there’s something you can buy or an app you can download. The purpose of a promotional video is apparent in the name but the methodology is not nearly as obvious.

 

In order to receive the greatest results from your promotion, you first need to decide what your goals are. Everyone is selling something, even if your “product” is an emotional connection to a cause. Who is your audience? Where will people see your video: online or on TV? These are important considerations to take in before you write a single word. If you hire a production company, they will ask you these questions, along with many others, to determine the best places to start.

 

Why have you chosen to make a video instead of, say, a radio spot? “Enjoyment of video ads increase purchase intent by 97% and brand association by 139%,” according to Unruly Media. In less technical terms, if people like your video, people will remember you and will likely buy what you’re selling. No matter who you’re appealing to or where they’ll be, there are 5 universal traits that successful promotional videos share. Below, each of these traits is explored in more detail, and you can see examples of videos that have led to a successful campaign.

 

1. Don’t Discount Production Quality

 

You don’t need to bankrupt your small business buying the most up-to-date equipment, but your audience should be able to see and hear what you’re saying. How many poorly crafted commercials have you seen that make you immediately write off the whole company? People might not admit it, but a poorly made video is going to make you lose trust in a company’s standards, the same way you might react to a poorly designed website.

 

A production company’s job, in addition to helping you come up with an idea, is to make your promotional video look and sound excellent. Animation is another great way of doing this. If you can’t afford to send a crew on location with a bunch of equipment, try illustrating your idea. It might work even better for what you’re trying to say. Either way, you don’t want to settle for less. It’s better to make a simple, polished video than to make a big explosive one that looks awful.

 

2. Be Entertaining

 

Creating an engaging promotional video is much harder than it sounds. Remember, right off the bat, someone is probably watching your video because they have to. It’s either on TV during the commercials, or maybe it’s a pre-roll ad before a YouTube video. If you’re not in that position, and someone is voluntarily watching your promo, you’re even more pressed to keep their attention since they can stop at any time. There are several ways to do this, and you’ve probably seen examples of them all before.

 

One way is to tell a story. Give your promo something resembling a beginning, middle, and end. If you can hook people in the first “act,” then they will be interested in seeing how your story ends. On the same note, creating characters that viewers can connect with will create an attachment the same way a movie or TV show would.

 

Another successful way to entertain in a commercial is to make ‘em laugh. Short-form comedy works on almost every single social media platform, from Vine to YouTube and beyond, so your short, funny promo video might give you viewers in a slot reserved for entertainment.

 

3. Include Compelling Visuals

 

Video is a visual medium. It might seem obvious, but there are plenty of video concepts that work on paper but then don’t work on camera. A talking head video might be perfect for Apple, but if you’re not making and selling new iPhones, then you probably want to approach your project from a different angle. Give your viewers a reason to keep watching instead of looking out their window when your promo video is playing.

 

You chose to make a video, so you must have something you want to show people. Are you selling a product? Show us an impressive demo. Are you explaining something to the audience? Consider integrating animation. Here’s a great example of a video that shows us the product in action instead of just telling us about it:

 

 

4. Keep It Short

 

You can’t presume that people have a few minutes to spare. It’s better to assume that people are going to tune out as soon as they can, so try to appeal to them in the shortest amount of time. Short attention spans aren’t something new, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is making promotional videos that cut to the chase. How many commercials have you seen that seem to drag on for hours because they’re repetitive or long winded?

 

Making sure your promotional video is engaging and informative is a great way to make it feel shorter. Some videos will run for five minutes because they’re compelling. But only some brands have rare opportunities to produce long, engaging videos. If there’s any risk that won’t work for you, then giving yourself a time limit is a safe bet. There are several social media platforms that have strict time limits. Why not try your hand in making a video for your followers?

 

5. You’re a Human Being

 

Don’t let statistics write your promo video for you. Knowing what works is important, but remember that your audience doesn’t care about all the market research you did before making your video. What people care about is other people. That means your audience wants to see a promo video that has a human touch. If you paint by the numbers, people will notice.

 

So far, we’ve highlighted videos that strive to make a human connection. Even the Disney Vine, which is quick and simple, shows some thought and a sense of humor. If you’re not going to be funny, be dramatic. If you’re not going to be dramatic, be mysterious. Give people a sense that your brand has a personality and people behind it. That authenticity will read on screen and people will connect with your message.

 

Here’s another excellent example of a human story. It’s about people, but more importantly, it shows that the creative talent involved probably knows a thing or two about what growing up is all about. We as viewers (and as humans) can surely connect on that level.  

 

 

Tell Me a Story: Branded Content That Works

Updated on February 10, 2020.

 

As commercials grow in size and scope, customers are becoming more wary of excessive advertisement. They skip YouTube ads or switch the channel to avoid commercials. Even product placement has audiences skeptical, since it can seem out-of-place in television shows and film.

To avoid that problem, companies are integrating branded content marketing into videos and movies from the start, so that the brand is subtle, but essential to the overall narrative. David Beebe, Marriott’s Vice President of global creative and content marketing, observes that brands should “stop interrupting what people are interested in, and become what they’re interested in.”

From inspiring real-life stories to quirky short films, these branded video series and films are compelling enough to take the spotlight, but still effective for advertising. Let’s take a look at the different strategies they use to promote their product.

 

Incorporate Products in a Subtle Way

 

The key for good branded content is that customers don’t realizing they’re watching advertisements. For example, let’s look at Nike’s branded film “The Switch,” in which soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo swaps bodies with a teenage fan.

 

The film rarely mentions Nike itself; the logo only appears in the title screen and on the characters’ clothes. By showing both characters wearing Nike gear throughout the film, the audience associates the brand with every step of an athlete’s journey.

 

With this in mind, brands should think about why people purchase their product. What do they aspire for, and how can the product help with these goals? By understanding these motivations, companies can use subtle product placement to market themselves as a key part of customers’ personal journeys, as Nike does in this film.

 

Another way to include products subtly is to work with known directors, who will make branded content in their own personal style. For example, Wes Anderson teamed up with designer fashion brand Prada for the film CASTELLO CAVALCANTI. The film fits right in with his visual style as a filmmaker, so it connects his fans as a new audience for Prada. By collaborating with known directors, companies have more creative license to incorporate the product throughout the film, instead of inserting it at the end. This way, the branded video content is a product the collaboration between both parties, not just a one-sided mode of product marketing. Although not all companies can afford famous directors, this strategy can be quite valuable for creating authentic, entertaining branded content.

 

Brands can also communicate with customers by giving them advice, as Realtor.com does in “Dream Home Tips with Elizabeth Banks.” In the series, Banks and a fictional companion give practical tips for buying and selling houses; each minute-long episode focuses on a different piece of advice. Similar to Nike, Realtor.com keeps in mind what potential customers want. In this case, customers use Realtor.com for help with the home-buying process, and the “Dream Home Tips” videos offer just that. By giving useful advice, brands establish their credibility without forcing their product on audiences.

 

Show the Product in Action

 

 

Alternatively, brands can make the product the focus by showing what it can do. The key with this strategy, though, is to choose captivating examples.

Intel’s video series “Meet the Makers” shows how inventors are using Intel products in their creations. For example, thirteen-year-old Shubham Banerjee made an affordable braille printer that allows blind people to read. By showing how real people use Intel products, especially for social good, customers get a more tangible sense of how they can use Intel in their own lives.

 

Zipcar’s “Go Already!” video series shows the adventures people can take thanks to Zipcar. Each episode features the protagonist getting into his Zipcar with a friend, ready for a new excursion. Although we don’t see the characters actually driving, we see that Zipcar allows you to go anywhere, from a camping trip to a furniture store. This way, people associate the brand with adventure and friendship. When you have your car and a friend, the possibilities are endless.

 

Entertain the Audience

 

Your video might show off all the amazing features of your product, but if it bores the audience, no one will want to watch it. Like any good video, branded video content should compel viewers in some way, whether it’s through humor or suspense.

 

Let’s look again at Nike’s “The Switch.” Director Ringan Ledwidge succeeds at showing and not telling: He fits the teenager’s extensive journey to professional soccer in a few clips of late-night practices, frequent drills, and fast-paced matches.

 

Instead of telling us that the teen improves his soccer skills, we see it happen before our eyes, so we never get bored during those six minutes of video. Brands should keep this classic narrative strategy in mind for any form of advertising, whether it’s a 30-second commercial or a branded film.

 

“Dream Home Tips with Elizabeth Banks” embraces a quirky premise to charm audiences. Each special guest sitting with Elizabeth Banks is a person or object that Banks dreamed about (hence the title, “Dream Home Tips”). These characters are quite odd–imagine chatting with a dust bunny or a unicorn – but they give credible advice on buying a home. Nevertheless, Banks has a dysfunctional relationship with these dream characters, which results in comical and sometimes awkward banter. Through this offbeat humor and Banks’s experienced comedic timing, “Dream Home Tips” gives home-buying advice in a memorable, endearing way.

 

In the end, don’t be intimidated by branded video content. Successful branded content follows the same strategies as any successful video or film: It’s compelling and honest, and it tells a story. To stand out in the marketing world, though, it must integrate the product seamlessly. That’s why brands should use the product as inspiration for the content. Product inspired content means subtle placement can drive the narrative. When a good product translates into a good narrative, the result is a captivated audience.

 

Kristen Lee, Content Creation at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this post. 

The Best Branded Documentaries

Updated on February 12, 2020.

 

Documentary. Just the sound of this word used to make people yawn. In the past, documentaries were widely considered to be elitist and overly artistic. Hours long, these videos went in depth into the nitty-gritty details of broad, heavy topics. Now, however, marketers have begun to take advantage of documentary’s unique and insightful way to tell authentic stories. Introducing: the branded documentary.

 

 As the internet, smartphones, and social media have proliferated, this new format of documentary has evolved and conquered the market. Branded-docs continue documentaries’ authentic form of expression, using an artistic storytelling approach to resonate with their audience. However, by sticking to stories that are short and honest, brands have successfully adapted the documentary style to tell customer’s stories and inspire customer loyalty.

 

Branded documentary has been adopted by many brands such as Apple, L’Oréal and Vans, as a significant part of their content marketing. Here, we’ll break down some other successful approaches to branded documentary strategy.


 

Patagonia – aligning brand message with the consumer

 

 

Do you have the urge to buy dozens of clothes when you shopping, or do you usually only get one piece after careful consideration? For Patagonia customers, it’s absolutely the latter. Knowing this, Patagonia, the outdoor gear and clothing brand, made a video documentary marketing campaign that highlighted the stories of those resourceful customers. This short, branded documentary allowed their own customers to explain how they cherished their Patagonia gear throughout years of rugged adventures.

 

88% of customers say they trust online reviews as much as individual recommendations. That’s why this branded doc works – Patagonia allows their customers be their brand ambassadors. By focusing on the real accounts of the reuse of their products, the outdoor brand conveys a believable message of durability through powerful customer testimonial. It’s obvious that Patagonia knows their typical customer cares about minimizing their eco-footprint by buying quality products. The branded doc allowed Patagonia to take confident steps to align their brand message with the values of their customers.

 

Another strategic step Patagonia took was to release the video right before Black Friday. This continues to push the brand towards sustainability and quality, as Patagonia actively encourages its customers to celebrate the things they already have, instead of participating in unnecessary over-consumption.

 

Make-A-Wish Foundation – exhibiting the impact on your customers

 

 

Branded documentary can be like virtual reality gear. It takes the audience right into the story, helping the viewer feel the same emotions as the main character. Make-A-Wish foundation and Green Buzz uses this characteristic to its advantage when telling the story of Nitin, and his wish to become a Washington Wizard for the Day.

 

In this branded documentary, the audience is brought along for the wish experience that Make-A-Wish tailored to Nitin’s dream. They get to to see, first-hand, every exciting moment Nitin feels during his dream come true. After hearing the teenager explain the tough journey his illness put him through, the viewer is left with no questions that Make-A-Wish is doing a great service for someone who truly deserves it. In the end, the impact Make-A-Wish has on Nitin is clear– it not only brings him happiness, but it also provides a sense of hope to him and his family.

 

By showing the impact their mission has on its clients, Make-A-Wish foundation makes the audience believes in its mission, and encourages them to use their power to change the world. The branded-documentary is a great success. At the gala, Make-A-Wish raised $700,000, compared to $420,000 the previous year.

 

Starbucks – Instantly Relatable

 

 

There seems to be a Starbucks on every street corner in every city in the world. How does a brand so big maintain its close relationship with its millions of customers? By elevating the customer story with a branded documentary!

 

“Meet me at Starbucks” gives a glimpse into the activities of coffee shop regulars, from the typical first date to a scrapbooking club meeting. It clearly demonstrates how Starbucks is shaped by its own community of consumers. That’s the key: rather than focusing on its products, the story is customer-centric and shows Starbucks patrons personalizing the coffee shop’s atmosphere.

 

Branded documentaries grant the perfect opportunity to remind customers what brand interaction really means. Watching the stories of other customers unlocks memories of the viewer’s own first date, tearful meetup, or other special moment that may have taken place at a Starbucks. The branded doc lets them connect with people just like them. That makes “Meet me at Starbucks” instantly relatable to any Starbucks customer. This video was a hit with their brand fans, racking up more than 170,000 views on Youtube, including media coverage such as AdWeek, AdAge, and Business Insider.

 

Branded documentary is an excellent content marketing strategy to connect your customers to each other, solidifying loyalty and brand excitement. Remember: In the end, your brand is built by the people who use it. Never underestimate the power of a customer story.

 

Emily Herman contributed to this post.

 

Great Editors Can Make Bad TV Look Good

Updated February 12, 2020.

 

Featured image sourced from the New York Times.

 

After rating the 22 promos for the TV networks’ new shows, we came up with two main conclusions. The first is that we have really bad taste in television. The second – and let’s be honest, far more likely – conclusion is that great video editors can sell even the worst of TV shows.

 

Mulaney (FOX)

 

Take “Mulaney,” for example. The promo for the FOX show starring Saturday Night Live actor and stand-up comedian John Mulaney, and co-starring SNL alums Martin Short and Nasim Pedrad wound up at number 4. But the show itself is struggling to remain relevant, premiering to a mere 2.3 million viewers and with a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49, a critical measure used by advertisers to determine the worth of the audience (and therefore show).

 

By comparison, “Scandal,” the ABC drama starring Kerry Washington, aired its season premiere to 11.9 million viewers and received a 3.8 rating with the younger adult demographic. Beyond the ratings, though, “Mulaney” isn’t gaining approval with audiences and critics, receiving a very rotten Rotten Tomatoes score of 25 among audiences, and worse yet, 15 among critics.

 

GBA Editor Andrew Parkison explained why he had high hopes for the show.

 

“I ranked ‘Mulaney’ high on my list of promos because the jokes had me laughing the entire time,” Parkison writes. “You take a bunch of very talented stand up comedians, put them on a show that is structured very similarly to Seinfeld, and you watch as your actor/writer/comedian cast builds chemistry. Martin Short is a comedic titan and Mulaney is climbing the ranks quickly through his successful stand up specials.”

 

But John Mulaney isn’t a household name, Parkison says. That may explain the poor showing for the premiere, but if Mulaney and his cast were putting out a strong show, the audience would start to come. They’re not. At only 2.25 million viewers in the last week of October – and still a 1.0 rating among adults under 50 – “Mulaney” is practically laying itself on the chopping block. Bad reviews suggest the two-minute promo was the best jokes of the first episode, with the other 28 minutes falling flat.

 

So the “Mulaney” editors sold us on what turned out to be a not-so-great show. But what about flipping the equation? What about a show that we thought looked terrible, but is actually really great?

 

Jane the Virgin (The CW)

 

There’s the CW’s wildly popular “Jane the Virgin” for this. Out of 22 promos, we ranked it 20. But the show itself received a shocking 100 score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 91 from audiences and is by far the freshman show with the most acclaim this fall.

 

Here’s what GBA Editor Lee Fanning had to say about the promo.

 

“[The promo] was a genuinely awful first impression, with embarrassing performance moments, a severe lack of information, and overbearing review quotations that clutter the experience and do nothing to add to my willingness to give the show more attention.”

 

What the Critics Say

 

What appears to be working for the show just didn’t come across in the promo. “Jane the Virgin” isn’t positioning itself as a show that takes its premise seriously, “both skewering and paying homage to telenovelas,” writes Sonia Saraiya for Salon.

 

“I’s a show that knows that it’s a show,” Saraiya explains. “The show is hilarious, mining the ridiculousness of its own plot machinations for humor.”

 

Instead what we saw was a promo for a show that was trying to convince high school girls to stay relevant by watching a show everyone else is glued to. And we didn’t get a sense for Gina Rodriguez’s performance, although we’re hearing that she is a big new star.

 

Clara Ritger, Assistant Producer at Green Buzz Agency. Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Why Dove’s Video Marketing Strategy Works

Updated on February 12, 2020.

 

Featured image sourced from WithAll.

 

Successful video marketers understand human emotions and play on these to great effect.

Whether awe, humor or compassion are the instrumental emotion, a good video marketer can tap into the sense of enchantment video can provide, and they can quickly engage viewers.

 

Dove’s “Real Beauty” Campaign

Dove provided a superb example of this by tapping into a modern phenomenon and a contentious societal issue: the objectification of women and the worrying effects it can have on women’s confidence and mental health. They did so with their Evolution video.

Dove’s been in the marketing game for a long time, producing both photographic and cinematic advertisements depicting what they consider to be real women, i.e. the kind of women who tend to purchase their products.

This is a stark contrast to the majority of other cosmetics companies, who have a tendency to employ beautiful models often airbrushed beyond any sense of realism. Presumably the driving force behind this idea is that women will assume that the product will in some way bring their appearance more in line with what the media pushes as “ideal.”

This is what makes Dove’s latest installment of Real Beauty advertisements so wonderfully innovative. 

 

The Premise

 

The video documents a number of women describing their features to an artist situated behind a curtain. The artist asks the women to describe their features and draws a representation of this description.

Next, people who had met the women in the waiting area were brought in and asked to describe what they noticed about the appearance of each woman. The disparity between self-description and what others perceived was startling.

 

Effective Branded Content

It is interesting to note that no direct references to Dove products were made, in fact the only indication that this was a Dove marketing video came at the end with the appearance of a logo.

This is a great example of social commentary in advertising, and demonstrates the need to know your market and target your strategy carefully.

Dove took great care to understand their average customer and was able to produce a meaningful, emotionally satisfying, and subtle video, which represents their philosophy and brand while respecting their customer base.

Top 5 April Fools Jokes in Video Marketing

Posted 2013

Updated on February 12, 2020.

 

Who needs the Super Bowl when you have April Fools? This year, tons of brands unveiled a slew of April Fools jokes via premium video marketing content.

We at Green Buzz Agency viewed video after video to present to you the best five – from a marketer’s perspective. 

SwiftKey Tilt – A Whole Body Typing Experience

You probably hadn’t heard of SwiftKey before April Fools 2013, making the video below a great example of effective April Fools video marketing. The company not only entertains, it inserts the value proposition of SwiftKey’s actual, non-April Fools product into the video in a way that makes sense. No doubt many viewers of the below video laughed, watched the whole thing, then went and checked out SwiftKey’s website to learn more about the company. 

 

The Girlfriend Jean – A Revolution in Denim from Bonobos

Funny, backing up Bonobos’ company culture and product line, while sneaking in that it offers telephone customer service, this video is a well-executed example of April Fools video marketing. There’s nothing about the video that’s going to make you call it the best of all the April Fools videos, but it is likely to make you think Bonobos is a pretty cool company. And that’s all they wanted. This company offer well-crafted, great-fitting clothing and a top-notch shopping experience that’s simple and painless. Check it out for yourself by clicking here. 

 

Google’s Levity Algorithm

Especially if you’re a Walking Dead fan, you’re going to like this video, and not because there are any zombies in it. This video, one of many from Google on April Fools 2013, will resonate with anyone who works in an office. A brand awareness piece, the video’s goal is to remind us that in this world, Google’s algorithmic abilities rule all. 

 

Introducing Google Nose

Sometimes the best April Fools jokes are the ones you can’t be sure aren’t real. You know there isn’t a way to “search for smells,” but it’s Google, so maybe you can? What else makes this video a great piece of video marketing is that it backs up Google’s culture and dominance in both tech hardware and search. Last but certainly not least, the tying of the product’s name with the tagline “Google knows” is simply a thing of beauty. 

 

YouTube’s Ready to Select a Winner

It’s hard to beat Google Nose, but YouTube does with its April Fools 2013 video if only because it has two call-to-actions at the conclusion of their video. Sure, the call-to-actions are a great example of social media marketing, but the pure genius is that YouTube knows a lot of people in marketing and advertising are going to ask, “How can I do that at the end of my brand’s videos?” In other words, by the time you watch all of the video below, you’ve just watched a 3:32 ad for video overlays on YouTube, made possible by Google AdWords. 

9 Ways to Get LinkedIn Company Page Followers

Updated on January 31, 2020

LinkedIn is an important social platform to reach audiences around the world and build interest in your company. Every piece of content you publish reaches a larger audience, so make sure it counts. Building followers doesn’t happen overnight. it takes time, patience, and a good strategy. We’ve compiled these nine tips to help you build a successful LinkedIn presence in the long run:

1. Have a Killer Company Page

Your company’s page on LinkedIn can be used as a window into your business for prospective employees, so making sure it is complete and consistently updated is vital to your success on the platform.

Make sure to add details, descriptions, visuals, and sharing content. Companies that have completed pages get 30% more weekly views. Also, make sure to link your company’s page on other social media platforms to draw in more traffic. Use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to hit that larger audience.

Asking your employees is another good way to advertise your page. If your team posts or shares through their own channels, they’ll be helping to cast a wider net and funnel in more traffic.

2. Sharing is Caring

A great, fast and easy way to get more traffic on your LinkedIn page is to have a LinkedIn share button on your website. By having that share button on your website, it allows the audience you bring in to spread your content through their LinkedIn connections, thus increasing the reach of your business’ information.

LinkedIn offers unique social features that can become an advantage for your business that you won’t want to miss. You can learn how to add the share plugin here.

3. The Follow Button

The “follow” button for LinkedIn can be directly used on your company’s website for the audience of your content to follow you on LinkedIn without having to navigate to the social platform. This is very convenient for the customers because it gives them the “one-click” option to have all your content come right to their LinkedIn feed. This also is beneficial to the company because with convenience comes more customers, which then obviously drives the consumption of your content.

According to HubSpot, LinkedIn has a 277% higher visitor-to-lead conversion rate than Twitter or Facebook, which means increasing your reach on LinkedIn will likely increase your website’s traffic.

4. Make Your Employees Count

It’s always a good idea to keep your valued employees up front and center. While it’s important to want to put the customers first, customers will certainly be interested in a company with dedicated employees. Make sure you ask your employees to list themselves a part of your company.

Create content that features your employees and tag them in these posts. This gets those posts in front of their connections too. You will also want to allow some employees to be admins of the company page to add their own perspectives.

 5. Content, Content, Content

A LinkedIn page that shares weekly content will receive 2 times more engagement. Whether its adding links to your posts, using documents or images, talking about upcoming events or just mentioning people in posts, there are many ways to expand the reach of your content.

Posts that include things other than words – like videos, images, and infographics – are way more likely to draw in viewers. If the content is created internally, it also drives more traffic to your company. Outside of your company page sharing this content, it’s very beneficial to have your employees share the content as well to broaden the audience that it reaches.

6. Showcase Your Assets

From the LinkedIn Marketing Solutions website, a showcase page is an “extension of your company page designed to spotlight a brand, business unit or initiative.” This means that companies can promote specific things about their business or market to a specific target audience.

A good example of this feature is Microsoft. Microsoft uses showcase pages to highlight their product lines such as Office and Windows. Check out the Microsoft LinkedIn page to see how these pages work.

7. Track your Audience

Knowing your audience also allows you to create content tailored to what they want to see. LinkedIn gives your company a review of data over a specific period of time to see what visitors and followers engage with on your page.

You can use this data to analyze what works for your company and what doesn’t. You can find this data under Visitor Metrics. This data can go a long way for your team to understand what tactics you’re using that are working or not working. That knowledge can be used to adapt your strategy to focus on what you do well and strengthen what you don’t do well.  

8. Treat Others Like You Want to be Treated

 As with all social media, if you give likes and share posts from others, they are more likely to return the favor. Building that kind of loyalty is a great way to engage with further audiences. People also tend to like companies that engage with their audiences more than ones that don’t because it feels like you’re interacting on a more personal level. So follow your 1st connections, like their posts, make some comments, share some content, and follow your clients too.

9. Use the Tools LinkedIn Provides

LinkedIn is a platform that is constantly changing to help customers and businesses alike have the best experience possible. There are some great new features that LinkedIn has added, like an action plan for small businesses. They also have a great feature that shows you what kind of content is trending in specific locations, industries, and jobs. This allows your company to filter content directly to your audience even further. You can also sponsor your posts, allowing you to advertise to professionals, and build more future clients.

If you follow these fairly basic steps for your LinkedIn company pages, you will increase your followers and traffic on your company’s original website. LinkedIn is a great tool for building your company’s image and reaching more clients. It also allows prospective employees to learn more about your company. You do not have to do everything on this list but the more you do, the better chance you have of building a larger follower base.

The Golden Rule of Marketing: 4 Actions You Need To Take Now

Updated on February 12, 2020.

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson is often quoted as saying,  “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” Note that Emerson refers to foolish consistency. Smart consistency, on the other hand, should be adored by marketers and businesspeople everywhere. Smart consistency strengthens your brand and improves your marketing efforts. With so many marketing platforms available, it’s easy for marketers to lose track of their message and image in their communications efforts. But consistency really is the key to effective marketing, making it a priority to be able to control the message.

The most famous brands – think Coca-Cola – are always consistent. Their logo always looks the same, the tag line is the same and the general look and feel always follows the brand’s rules. Great brands enforce consistency.

Less established brands, especially struggling businesses, tend to do the exact opposite. They change up the logo, don’t respect or even have set colors or tag lines or fonts. One ad tells you one thing about the company and makes that a “brand attribute” while another touts something completely different.

Some businesses are experimenting with their marketing or simply don’t have the budget to hire a professional to caretake their branding efforts. A busy business-owner is probably too caught up in his or her other responsibilities to pay close attention to the marketing.

Marketing communications aim to shape perception. As a marketer, you want the public to come to accept and believe the image that you project. And what does an inconsistent message or look communicate? If it succeeds in communicating at all, inconsistent marketing shows a lack of direction, and in some cases, carelessness. Inconsistency can also communicate confusion, and that muddles your branding.

How do you create and enforce consistency?

1)     Make consistency a priority!

2)     Name a point person to be the final authority on all communications. That person would ensure style and message are in sync with all other marketing efforts.

3)     Create an organizational marketing style guide, and refer to it every single time you are putting out a message.

4)     Train your people on your message. This is doubly important if several people handle your message, and especially on social media platforms like Twitter.

Yes, consistency will take enforcement and effort, but the result will be a stronger brand.

 

Deborah Brody established Deborah Brody Marketing Communications in 2002 to provide writing, blogging and strategic communications consulting services to small and medium sized businesses and nonprofits.

Emily Herman contributed to this post.