Food Video Strategies: Comparing The New York Times and BuzzFeed’s Tasty

Featured image from Caroline Attwood.

Updated on February 7, 2020

Food content has always been important to media and editorial outlets. From quick meals for one, to intricate four course dinners, food is one of the most popular recurring sections in magazines up and down the store aisles. Due to the boom of the internet and social media, food content has begun to shift platforms.

Now, recipe videos flood Facebook newsfeeds and have their own category on Pinterest. The New York Times and Tasty by BuzzFeed have been using these videos as a way to solidify their brands, while still appealing to their audiences.

Branding & Style

The New York Times has been branded as a quality and professional source of information to its readers, and its food channel follows this same style. Many of their recipes are geared towards the seasoned chef, and are more sophisticated than your average mac ‘n’ cheese. Their decadent dishes include meals like Roast Lamb, Caramelized Apple Tarte Tatin, and Summer Vegetable Gratin. While these dishes may appear complicated to the beginner chef, the Times takes great measures to make their videos as clear and understandable as possible.

However, their channel is not just for recipe. Additionally, they share tips and tricks videos and news reporting content about growth and changes in the food industry. Chef Melissa Clark is often featured on their channel. Clark’s videos have a cooking show style to them. Clark explains in further detail how to create the recipe, with some talking-head interviews in between.

The New York Times also provides branded documentaries about different chefs and farmers. These branded documentaries align with the news outlet’s roots in journalism.

BuzzFeed uses their food videos as a branding tool as well, a branding tool that conforms with their defined style. BuzzFeed’s food section, Tasty, has its own channel, with specific types of recipes in different playlists. Their videos have a casual, up-beat tone. Many of the Tasty recipes emphasize on-the-go, easy, and one-pot recipes.

They also feature branded content like cook-offs and “which way is best?” videos. These videos match the typical BuzzFeed video style, similar to their infamous Try-Guys.

How They Differ

From a video production perspective, the videos are framed and filmed in different ways. The New York Times videos have more movement in their video style. They cut to different angles and use slow zoom and pan techniques to add a calm, sophisticated tone. The music in the videos often matches both the professional New York Times style and the type of dish being prepared.

RELATED: BRANDED CONTENT THAT WORKS

The Tasty videos differ in that most of them are fixed on a single spot. The videos playback at a quicker pace than recorded, usually with fun, bright music in the background that matches the BuzzFeed brand. The majority of the Tasty videos on social media are about a minute long. All of the Tasty recipe videos in general range from under a minute to about five minutes, while the NYT videos can range from a minute and a half to 30 minutes.

Why They Work For Their Audiences

BuzzFeed and NYT have distinctly different audiences.

BuzzFeed is geared more towards teens and young adults. Not only are many of their recipes quick and easy, but they target recipe types like fun cocktails. BuzzFeed’s audiences are extremely active on social media, and they know this. Their videos are found all over their Tasty Facebook and Pinterest pages. They are easily shareable and autoplay on social media feeds.

The New York Times audience is different. The Times is a serious news outlet and that’s the type of content their audiences are looking for. Their videos are available on the NYT Facebook page, but not on their Pinterest page. Their Pinterest page only provides links to the recipes on the NYT website.

Though the Times doesn’t share their videos on social media the same way BuzzFeed does, this doesn’t mean their strategy is ineffective. The NYT audience may not be as active on social media as the BuzzFeed audience is.

The recipes themselves are specifically targeted. Recipes in the Times are often larger servings, knowing that their videos are most likely reaching people cooking meals for their families or larger parties. The Tasty videos are smaller servings, geared at single, young professionals, or those cooking meals for two — themselves and their significant other. Even ingredients are carefully chosen. Tasty videos make sure to use more affordable ingredients in their recipes, with only a few having expensive main dishes, like a steak dinner for two.

Overall, these video recipes get the message across to their respective audiences. The importance in creating and marketing these videos is in the type of recipes, who they want to reach, and how and where they can be shared.

Katie Murray, Marketing and Communications at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this article.

The Evolution of Twitter

Updated on February 14, 2020.

Twitter has been a constant staple in social media and marketing for years now. In recent years, it has started to lose its edge. Twitter is far from obsolete — as seen in its involvement in the past election cycle — yet it is having difficulty keeping up with other social networking sites. To combat these losses, Twitter is taking measures to revamp.

Why Does Twitter Have To Evolve?

Twitter found its initial relevance in its ability to share information instantly. With breaking news, live tweeting, and easier access to the personal lives of celebrities, the social networking site has made news more accessible to the masses. Yet, despite Twitter’s benefits, users are experiencing some serious drawbacks as well.

Twitter has become a platform largely known for its hostility. “Twitter Wars” sweep through the network. It’s become a divisive platform, ripe with online harassment and cyberbullying. The social aspect of the network has been lost because of this. Tweets have turned into vicious attacks by people who are unwilling to listen to the other side.

Twitter is also having trouble in its lack of user growth. It is losing more followers than it gains. This is due in part to the growing importance of the influencer-follower relationship on social media. As more influencers — celebrities, verified accounts, and others — leave the network, their followers leave as well. Users are keeping up with their favorite celebrities on Snapchat and Instagram, rather than Twitter.

The biggest problem for this social media platform is its difficulty staying relevant in the competitive market. Apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are constantly adding new features — Facebook’s stories, Instagram stories, Snapchat story explorer… The list goes on. The updates keep those platforms relevant, while Twitter has found itself stuck behind.

Twitter And Videos

One of Twitter’s most devastating setbacks was the fall of Vine. The Vine app exploded among video lovers and younger audiences. Before Vine, video was scarce on other social media platforms. YouTube was the main provider of video content, but Vine made all of that more accessible.

The success of Vine was found in the use of short — six seconds, that is — videos that played on an instant loop. The content was casual. Illustrious users, like celebrities, were more available to the public. The extremely short format was easy for users to consume. If Vine was so successful, how did it so suddenly fall off the map?

Well, once other social media platforms noticed why Vine was so successful, they integrated video into their own apps and “improved” upon it. Snapchat emerged and took over the video app market that Vine had previously dominated. Videos were now 10-seconds long instead of 6, and you could link them together with other videos to create a story. Snapchat created an urgent need for users to watch the videos sooner, with the 24-hour expiration date.

As Snapchat grew, Vine users abandoned the platform. Snapchat’s benefits outshined Vine’s and became more appealing to social media users. Four years after having the once successful app, Twitter shut down Vine completely.

Since the death of Vine, Twitter has had to learn how to stay more relevant among social media video watchers. It’s lengthened videos shared through tweets, from 30-seconds to 140-seconds. And, it is not a coincidence that the new video count matches the character count in tweets. It introduced features like live video, in March 2017.

The live video feature uses Periscope Producer technology, but takes it one step further. Recently, Twitter’s discovery page also highlights popular live streaming events, like political trials and entertainment award shows. By using live video, Twitter is making itself more competitive with apps like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram.

How Is Twitter Evolving?

Twitter is making itself relevant again. In addition to the new video content improvements, it is also taking action against complaints about interaction within the app and the way the app functions in general.

In order to minimize online bullying, Twitter is flagging abusive tweets that may offend other users. Some fear this may infringe on some free speech issues. But, others believe the change will be beneficial to the network.

The platform is also taking seemingly smaller measures to appeal to its users’ general annoyances. Last year, Twitter announced it would be making changes to the 140-character count. Users can now retweet or quote-tweet themselves. Pictures, GIFs, and videos no longer affect the character count. Users can mention other users without the “@[username]” affecting the word count either. In fact, users can mention others and let their followers see the tweet on their feed without using “.@[username]” at all.

Twitter is even launching its own program that caters directly to users with slow networks and less data — Twitter Lite. Twitter Lite uses what’s called “data saver mode,” that uses less mobile data than the app does.

“[Data saver mode] can reduce your data usage by up to 70 percent, making it more affordable for you to use Twitter in areas where mobile data is expensive.” – Patrick Traughber (Twitter Blog)

Twitter Lite allows users to access the social medium on the mobile web rather than through the app. Users can still access everything app users can, including the timeline, direct messages, notifications, and more.

Twitter is taking major strides to retain the momentum it gained during election season. Its quick fixes to Twitter Lite follows Facebook Lite, released in early 2015. This competitive strategy reflects the effort Twitter is putting toward evolving in the current sphere.

It’s important for apps and social networks to grow, and it looks like Twitter is working towards making those changes. By listening to its users and learning from Vine, Twitter is on its way to becoming a more accommodating medium for the public. It looks like this social media platform won’t be going anywhere.

Katie Murray, Marketing and Communication at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this article.

How To Make A Video

Green Buzz Agency Breaks Down the Three Phases of Production:

Updated on February 14, 2020.

Many professionals find the production process to be challenging and confusing. Green Buzz Agency’s Bryce Spivey and Andrew Parkison provide insight into the three stages of production and how effective the overall production process can be if you start off on the right foot.

Pre-Production

Pre-production is the most important phase in creating a successful video.

“Planning is the key to every video.”

This phase is used to establish the objective of the video. It’s for asking questions like: Why are we making this video? What do we want this video to do for us? Pre-production is a time for discovering the purpose of your video and the style you want to take. It sets the tone for production and post-production, as well.

Production

Production is a fast paced day. You need to make sure you gather the footage you need to create the most compelling video possible. It’s important to remember that set up and travel take up more time than you expect it to. Between setting up the equipment and preparing the talent, people often overlook how quickly the day passes. But, the better your pre-production planning, the better the day will flow.

Post-Production

All video elements come together in post-production. Editors take the footage from the production phase and look for the clips that reflect your company and the message you want to share. The editors will then put together a rough cut of the clips and send it to you, the client.

“Editing is all about options.”

After the rough cut is approved, the editors get to work. They add elements like music, sound effects, and — sometimes — graphics that further reflect your company’s message.

Summary

Overall, good planning is the key to making a successful video. With a strong pre-production process, you can ensure that your production day runs smoothly and that you have gathered the best footage for your video.

RELATED: VIDEO PRODUCTION TIPS

Branded Film Marketing

Updated on February 12, 2020.

Featured image from YouTube.

Car chases and explosions aren’t just for the silver screen anymore. Brands are creating their own short films as a marketing tool. And, it’s working. Branded films have been on the rise over the past few years. Brands are able to use short film to reach their audiences in a creative, entertaining, and subtle way.

What Are Branded Films?

Branded films are short videos made by brands that are used as a marketing tool. They can range in run time from five minutes to half an hour. They are entertainment focused, but can be either fiction or documentary. Above all else, they are content driven, and need to be relatable and authentic in order to appeal to the audience.

Many branded films have high-quality production value. Some are even directed by big-name directors, like Wes Anderson.

The goal of branded film is the same as any marketing tactic: increasing brand awareness, engaging audiences, and influencing customer purchasing. But, the branded film is rooted in the depth of a plot. The brand is like a secondary character in these short films — a part of the story, but not the center.

Examples of Effective Branded Films

“Two Bellmen,” Marriott

This branded film by Marriott is successful in engaging and entertaining its viewers. The visuals, sound, and camera movements are compelling, and the fictional story is rich in comedy. The high-quality production value in this film is absolutely crucial to its success. The level of quality affects how the film is received by its audience. A higher quality film tells the audience the piece is about more than a purchasing incentive. It’s no wonder Marriott was able to create three installments in this series.

The short is branded very subtly. Yes, it is about a hotel, but it’s not about the Marriott brand hotels. The film focuses more on brand association rather than sale. “Two Bellmen” is incredibly accessible as well. It is available on YouTube and the brand website, which makes it more shareable.

“Backwater,” MINI

“Backwater” is a truly innovative branded film. Not only does it have all the crucial elements of a successful branded film, but it was created using cutting-edge 360-video technology. The story is already engaging, but the use of 360-video creates an immersive experience for the viewer.

The brand may seem more present in this video compared to others, like Prada’s “Castello Cavalcanti” above, but its presence makes sense. The car featured in the film mirrors the idea of brand-as-character. The brand and product are displayed in a way that benefits the plot and doesn’t annoy the viewer.

Why Branded Film?

Branded film can be a great tool to reach millennial audiences. Generally, millennials do not trust traditional advertising and don’t want to be feel manipulated. Branded films are entertaining and engaging, which makes them appeal more to millennial consumers. Even if millennials aren’t your target audience, branded film can be relatable to a wide range of viewers.

Branded shorts are inherently shareable. Many of the films are posted on YouTube and Vimeo, and can be shared through social media. This can result in branded films going viral, as seen with the “Pay It Forward” short film. These films can encourage increased brand awareness and purchase intent as well. In fact, an Intel study measuring brand film engagement of four of their videos found an 8 to 12 percent increase in both.

What’s Next For Branded Film?

Branded film marketing is likely to grow in the coming years, as both a marketing tool and artistic endeavor. As a marketing tool, branded films tend to “outsmart” traditional online advertisements. Viewers can easily click out of ads, skip ads, or ignore television commercials. Branded films are the content audiences want to watch, all while being indirectly influenced by a company’s message.

Actually, branded films are now becoming eligible for awards. In 2016, the Brand Film Festival began sponsored by Campaign US and PRWeek. The festival recognizes and celebrates outstanding fiction and documentary branded films.

This year’s Brand Film Festival is in New York City on May 4, 2017.

Katie Murray, Marketing and Communications at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this post.

How to Make Your Corporate Video Stand Out

Updated on February 14, 2020.

When you think of corporate video, what comes to mind? The CEO being interviewed at their desk? An employee and a client shaking hands? A long shot down the office space? It’s been done before, and it’s all we ever see. Making videos just like this is not what’s going to make you stand out in the crowd. You’ll need to take a different perspective to create a unique corporate video.

What Is Corporate Video?

Corporate video encompasses videos that tell viewers who you are. Many corporate videos summarize the company history and feature employee or client testimonials. This formula has been used over and over again in the creation of standard corporate videos.

It’s not that this tried and true formula is ineffective, but it may be time for a change. It may be time for you to reflect your brand in a different way. It may be time for you to do something new with your corporate video. It may be time to harness your company’s uniqueness factor.

How Can You Make Your Corporate Video Stand Out?

In order to create a unique video, you need to discover what’s unique about you. Your brand has a rich story behind it. There is unmatched passion there that you need to tap into. Find out what makes your brand different and bring that to the forefront of your campaign.

In finding your uniqueness, you need to find your tone. Your tone can be serious, funny, inspiring, heartwarming, or whatever else you feel personifies your brand. Yet, many of the most unique corporate videos have humorous aspects to them. Comedic videos are actually one of the most popular categories among online viewers.

Tone

The Toronto-based advertising agency, John St., uploaded a corporate video called “Catvertising” on YouTube. The video features humorous elements about the massive number of cat videos on the internet. The firm took a funny and engaging approach that had our office howling with laughter.

Humor is a unique element. It’s usually unexpected by audiences, especially in corporate video. Where most expect that corporate videos alienate audiences, humor can draw them in. You can also use humor to show your personality. Taking a lighthearted, joking approach can make your brand more relatable to consumers.

A humorous tone is a great way to reach your online audience as well. Comedic elements tend to make videos more shareable and engaging for casual viewers. Comedy is one of the top three most popular online video genres to date. Out of the three — comedy, music, and news — comedy is the most preferred, with almost 40 percent favorability.

Not all unique corporate videos have humorous aspects, and not all brands want to reflect a humorous tone. There are ways to make a corporate video with a more serious or inspiring tone unique. Focusing on elements like lighting, sound, and cinematography will make your corporate video memorable and technically accomplished.

How The Corporate Video Looks

Corporate video footage can get repetitive, but there are ways to liven up your visuals. For example, consider including motion graphics. Motion graphics can benefit your video whether they’re paired with recorded footage or not. You are less limited with your visuals than you may be when working with real people and locations. The visual style of your graphics is where you have boundless opportunities to make your brand personality known.

This Upworthy corporate video shows how a campaign can rely on motion graphics to tell its story, without sacrificing quality or believability. The hyper-realistic nature of the video makes the images appear real. They may not actually be tangible, but they absolutely look tangible. The realness added to this video helps form an emotional connection and engages the viewer — the best of both worlds.

If motion graphics aren’t your style, you can opt for a “new-meets-old” format. Don’t just tap into the current, tap into the past and the future, too. Using older footage can give your brand more credibility. It can also showcase your company’s mission by unearthing some of its history.

Another way to create a more dynamic feel to your video is by incorporating subtle movements. You can use techniques like slow pans to provide an active feel while remaining focused on the subject of your frame. It’s amazing how much a small movement can really elevate the look and feel of your project.

How The Corporate Video Sounds

Sound is an incredibly important aspect in videos. It sets up the scene and helps the audience determine what will happen next. For example, without the Jaws theme to tell us something is about to happen, would any of us be scared?

You can use sound in different ways to reflect the tone of your corporate video. If you’re going for an emotional or inspiring tone, using long flowing melodies can be a great way to reflect that. If you’re trying to highlight the youthfulness of your brand, consider using a “plucking” electronic tone.

If you’re looking to emphasize elements of humor or light-heartedness, it can be unique to use music that doesn’t quite match your message. For example, if you’re making fun of a serious type of video, using music that sounds “serious” could add even more humor to your video.

Summary

No matter what kind of corporate video you create, it should be enjoyable. If a viewer finds the video enjoyable, the chance of brand association increases by 139 percent. Give your audience something they’ll appreciate, and they’ll bring that appreciation right back to you.

Katie Murray, Marketing and Communication at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Video and Native Advertising

Updated on February 10, 2020.

Native advertising has found a comfortable niche in the marketing sphere. True to its name, native advertising is defined as an advertising tactic that is somewhat “hidden.”

Many brands invest in native advertising because it is cost effective, its entertainment factor engages audiences, and it is a great way for brands — like yours — to reflect their beliefs.

Advertorial Native Advertising

A classic example of native advertising includes the “advertorial.” Advertorials are advertisements that mimic the way a publisher’s regular content is written. The advertorial is often based on a narrative content construction.

Upworthy is a prime content provider for this kind of native advertising. The online source shares uplifting stories about good things happening throughout the world. Even their sponsored content fits this bill. Brands like REI and Hallmark have promoted their own stories on Upworthy. Additionally, this post was created in collaboration with the Gates Foundation. This specific article is part of a special Upworthy series titled “The Story of Food.”

The Importance of Entertainment

Additionally, native advertising is all about entertainment. That’s why it’s not solely based in pushing a product. Native advertising should be focused on reaching your audience. The key to the creation of native ads lies in the importance of engaging a consumer. Native advertising is a way for you to relate to your audience through common beliefs. A successful native advertisement is unobtrusive, and shared by its viewers.

Video As Native Advertising

Video has quickly become a prime medium for native advertising. Videos are highly shareable. They provide entertaining content that viewers want to see. Upworthy, specifically, is a heavily video driven content provider.

Green Buzz Agency teamed up with Cricket Wireless and Upworthy to create this branded video. Rather than promoting Cricket’s services and products, it promotes one of Cricket’s brand values: Kindness. That means there is optimal flexibility to tell an exciting story that entices viewers.

You’ll notice that this video is sponsored by Cricket Wireless, but not about Cricket Wireless.

The creation of videos like this is based in promoting a brand image. You can use these videos to convey your company’s personality. By focusing on aligning yourself with causes you believe in, you are showing your audience what you stand for. These videos are raw, organic, and relatable to your viewers.

Creating A Native Video Advertisement

Video content can, and should, be published on mobile applications. Many modern native video advertisements are mobile based. Those videos are formatted to be accessed on social media apps like Facebook.

Native videos are usually longer than normal video advertisements, which play between 15 and 30 seconds. Native videos can last up to several minutes while still being engaging to the consumer. Cisco’s 2016 VNI figures showed that, “Mobile video traffic accounted for 55 percent of total mobile data traffic in 2015.” These rising trends are all the more reason to invest in native video advertising.

Native advertising is relatively cost effective, but this doesn’t mean you should lessen the quality of your video. Keeping your content at a high quality will show your viewers that you care and make your brand appear more personal.

Overall, native video advertising is flexible and creatively free. You should take advantage of this creative freedom to create videos that reflect the way you see your brand. The more you care, the more your audience will care. And, investment in your content is sure to help your brand succeed.

Katie Murray, Marketing and Communication at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Purpose, Process, Payoff

Updated on February 12, 2020.

In my career as a marketer, I have spent much of it in electronics manufacturing, and much to the surprise of many, I loved it. I’ve enjoyed the privilege of being on the ‘floor’ and watching the circuit boards being placed as our favorite electronics are being built.

In that environment, we lived by what we referred to as the 3P’s; the purpose, process and payoff. Even today as I meet with brands, I find myself reverting to them as we discuss their strategies and next moves in their marketing efforts. And while I’m certainly not challenging them, I often ask as we begin to discuss a new project: what is their purpose? Many times, the responses will be: our competitor is doing it, it seems like the thing to do, and the list goes on. Again, while I’m not challenging those, is that really the purpose? Let’s dig in and ask – how can we make the 3P’s work for us?

Purpose

What is it that you want to accomplish? How do we know that you need a Facebook page, a blog, a brochure, etc.? Defining the purpose is intrinsically critical to defining the goals. And if we don’t know the goals, how will we know if we are successful? How will we measure things? If we don’t measure it, how can we make improvements? The purpose is really the key to planning the process and ensuring a payoff.

Once we have clearly defined our purpose and the goals, we can move to the process.

Process

If we aren’t clear on the purpose, then it will be quite difficult to define the most strategic way to reach our goal. The process is the ‘how’: how are we going accomplish what we want, and reach our goals in the most strategic way? The process becomes our tactical plan.

Let’s say we are launching a new product and we want generate buzz and a sense of excitement. As we think back to what drives word of mouth, we know it’s important to equip our audience with what it is we want them to share. That means we will need to do some reflection and define the WIFM (what’s in it for me?) or rather WIFT (what’s in it for them?) How are we going to inspire, encourage, engage our advocates to help spread the word? We need a plan. Do we know our audience, and the best way to reach, educate and equip them?

Payoff

This is what it’s all about, right? It’s the reason for the whole shebang.

What will the payoff be? And the payoff may is not just for your audience, but for you as well. Certainly, if the payoff is there for your audience, there will be a payoff for you.

As we have clearly defined our goals and process, it will much easier to measure how we meet the goals and how we can adjust as needed.

So, the next time you begin to consider your next campaign and strategy, think about the 3P’s. Heck, you could even take a look at a current campaign; clearly define your purpose, look at the process, and consider – is there anything that needs to be added, changed or just tweaked? Then, look at your payoff. Is there a payoff for both your audience and you?

Give it a try, and let us know how it works, or if we can help.

Robyn is passionate about helping brands learn how to use social media to create irresistible environments. She is experienced in assisting brands to create unique social experiences that are relevant and engaging resulting in the ultimate, word of mouth. She is has more that 15 years experience delving deeply into the intricacies of branding, community and marketing strategy. She is a proven leader in the visioneering of creative strategies that deliver real results and position brands as a leader in their industries. She has worked in high-level positions for global brands on both the client and agency side from Siemens Energy and Automation to most recently at Ogilvy Public Relations.

Emily Herman contributed to this post.

Activism in Your Branded Video Content

header image source

Updated on January 24, 2020

Join the Conversation with Activist Videos

Every video has a message. But for many companies, the message is more than selling a product or service. Activist videos challenge social norms. Dove and Always are notable examples. Dove’s videos draw attention to body image, and Always’s #LikeAGirl challenges society’s perceptions of girls. They prove that by hopping into larger social conversations, brands can stand out not just as a product, but as a movement.

Not all activist videos go over well with audiences, but that doesn’t make the video ineffective. Want to connect with your audience through branded video? See what makes these branded videos memorable.

Connect with viewers through humor

A seemingly silly premise draws in your audience. A disturbing twist on that premise makes them remember your video. PETA did just that: They had NFL player Tyrann Mathieu sit in a hot car to prove the danger of leaving dogs in the car. He only lasts eight minutes in the heat.

At first, viewers would laugh at a strong athlete being seriously tested by the weather, but they quickly realize that this is no trivial matter. They see how a danger for pets is easily a danger for humans. Videos like these make audiences laugh then cringe, which makes them invested in the emotional power of the cause.

Shock your audience

Use graphic content – tastefully. When used correctly, it grips your viewers in a meaningful way. This video by France5 shows a woman beating herself for no reason, and it ends with a message about domestic violence. The audience is thrown into the scene without context, which makes it more jarring.

The clip works because of its 42-second length; a three-minute video of just a woman beating herself would be excessive. When used in small doses, disturbing content sticks with viewers for a lasting impact.

Challenge stereotypes

Want your message to stand out? Change the conversation! EDF Energy’s “Pretty Curious” campaign questions why too few girls enter STEM careers. It encourages girls to pursue science opportunities in school. Many people criticized the campaign, though; they argued that the word “pretty” only enforces stereotypes that women in STEM still have to be pretty.

However, according to the company, they purposefully chose the word “pretty” because it would draw attention. It’s meant as wordplay, to mean “pretty” as in “pretty curious” or “pretty determined.” Even though people attacked the campaign, it still drew attention to women’s underrepresentation in STEM. Companies shouldn’t be afraid to question stereotypes; even if their messages aren’t received as intended, they still open up important conversations.

Don’t be afraid to get people talking–even if the talk is negative. By aligning with larger causes, branded videos resonate with viewers on a personal level. They draw not only people who support the company, but also people who support its larger mission. With any type of marketing, the key to drawing customers is being present; what better way to be present than joining some of our largest conversations?

Kristen Lee, Content Marketing at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this post.

How to Determine Your Video’s Success on Facebook

Updated on February 7, 2020

When videos go viral, it’s all about the views. That’s because it’s a very easy metric to conceptualize – it’s the number of times your video has been watched, right?

Well, it turns out, it’s not that simple.

Every single social media platform has a different definition of a view, and a particularly tricky one to understand is Facebook.

How is a Facebook Video View Defined?

A Facebook Video View is defined as any video that autoplays for more than 3 seconds. Even if the user doesn’t initiate the audio, this user still counts as a view.

That means you really have to take your view count with a grain of salt, especially when Facebook uses this method of view counting to mess with their other metrics, like average view duration.

You have to ask yourself, “If everyone only watched my video for only 3 seconds, are the views really a great measure of my video’s success?” What you really need to think about is the other metrics show that your view count is legitimate because they prove people are truly interested in your content.

Engagement Case Study: Fill My Basket

Take for example this video Green Buzz Agency produced with Upworthy and Cricket Wireless. In under two months, it already had more than 15 million views. That’s still an impressive number. But something that is even more impressive is the amount of engagement on the video. It had over 252k shares, 8.1k comments, and 255K reactions on Facebook. On top of that, some of those comments have over 2,000 likes and 75 replies.

Along with the metrics, there’s real proof this message caught on. Several groups have contacted Fill My Basket to let them know that they will be starting a similar group in their own community. If that’s not proof of the power of this branded video, I’m not sure what is.

This engagement rate shows that the video content is valuable and meaningful, and that lends legitimacy to its view count as well. When you have an engaged viewership, it means consumers are likely to have watched your video and will recall your brand and message.

Audience Retention and Other Metrics

Meanwhile, there are also other metrics you can track besides engagement. For instance, you can see if your viewers initiated audio on your video. That means they were truly invested in your content and not just dozing off in front of their newsfeed. Another great metric is “Video Views up to 95%” – this will show you how many viewers watched most of your video.

Additionally, you can assess every second of your video’s content through an audience retention report. It’s important to understand that video views are not linear. Viewers can skip past the intro, play until 15 seconds, then skip to the 30 second mark, and then replay the whole video from the start. This audience retention report shows you the percentage of viewers that watched a certain section of your video.

Now, what does audience retention mean to you? If there is a trend that people are skipping a part of your video, or re-watching a certain part of your video, that has to mean something. But it’s different for every video. For instance, if you have a how-to video, and your viewers are constantly re-watching a certain part, it probably means that your video is confusing. That’s just one example – you have to think hard about the context of your video.

Analytics are just not as straight-forward as “How many views does it have?” Sure, views are nice, but they’re just one component in a myriad of considerations to determine the success of your video content. If you’re driving engagement, that’s what will lead to your best ROI.

4 Key Takeaways

Facebook defines a view as a 3 second watch after autoplay.
Likes, comments, and shares are a great way to make sure your views are legitimate.
95% completion and User Initiated Audio metrics show you who isn’t scrolling past your video.
Audience Retention Reports lets you understand what parts of your videos are working.

Leah Eder, Marketing Coordinator and Blog Editor at Green Buzz Agency.

Emily Herman contributed to this article.

How To Attract An Audience With Augmented Reality

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

Updated on February 10, 2020.

Amassing over 500 million downloads and spanning users in 100 countries, Pokemon Go ignited a frenzy among mobile users.

Released as a free mobile app, Pokemon Go uses your phone’s GPS, camera, and augmented reality to digitally place Pokemon in your surroundings. One of the app’s biggest achievements was introducing AR to a mainstream, global audience. What are the factors that made it so successful, and how can brands adopt similar marketing strategies to their advantage?

Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

First, let’s examine the differences between virtual reality and augmented reality. Though they may seem similar, both serve different purposes.

Virtual reality, which typically requires a headset, strives to immerse users in a three-dimensional, interactive environment by using video or CGI. For example, a brand might use VR to create an immersive documentary or make an interactive game that advertises its products.

Augmented reality, however, enhances the real world by combining live surroundings with virtual objects and graphics. This makes it another interesting potential technology for brands: a clothing company, for example, could use AR to allow its users to virtually try on clothes.

AR Campaigns

This campaign from IKEA exemplifies how companies can use AR to give customers a better idea of their products in their own lives. By scanning the pages of a catalog on their phones, users were able to digitally envision how IKEA products would look in their living rooms.

Another example of a good use of AR is Ray-Ban’s Virtual Mirror, which allows customers to virtually try on sunglasses online. The benefit of such a feature is obvious: rather than having to go to stores, customers can test products of interest from the comfort of their home.

Admittedly, virtually trying on sunglasses is not quite the same as feeling the fit of the frame or seeing the color in person. However, AR can often pique the initial interest of customers.

For example, AMC Theatres was able to achieve a 75% CTR, or click-through rate, with an AR campaign that allowed customers to scan movie posters with their phone to see fun animations, as well as sweepstakes that allowed them to win prizes and earn coupons.

As AR continues to evolve, it is an exciting technology to keep an eye on that could transform the ways we shop, watch, and experience the products and services in our lives.

AR Strategies

When examining the success of Pokemon Go, several factors stand out. For one, the AR gameplay doesn’t require a clunky headset or glasses. Rather, it was released as a free app that could be downloaded and played simply with a phone. Because headsets can often be a barrier for interested consumers, this greatly helped to increase accessibility.

Additionally, the mobile, active aspect of the game is another factor that helped draw in users. When weighing the options between mobile branded content and desktop-limited content, it is often better to try to make content mobile-friendly. Think about it: customers can access your content when they are waiting in line for their coffee or taking a stroll around the park.

The most powerful element of any viral campaign, however, is its shareability. In the case of Pokemon Go, in addition to Pokemon’s existing fan base, the social element of the game was a key factor that kept users entertained – users were able to form teams and share their progress over social media.

So, when planning a VR or AR campaign, here are some important questions to take into consideration: Is this content shareable? Can users interact and bond over this content? Try to incorporate these factors the next time you are strategizing your marketing plan to get the most out of your branded content.