30 INDUSTRY AWARDS!! Our outstanding team is so proud to have brought these projects and stories to life, along with our exceptional clients and partners. It is truly an honor to be among the top competitors in the industry and recognized for so much of our work in 2023.

See below for a breakdown of each video and its winnings from this award season!

Insulet | Omnipod 5: Romey

Emily’s Story: Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

AVA Digital Award: Gold

Anovion – Sanborn Factory Teaser

NCPC | Go for Real TV Season 2

National Association of Government Communicators: Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Award

NCPC | Go for Real TV Season 3

Hermes Creative Awards: Platinum

Hubspot Inc. | How Ikea Tricks You Into Buying More Stuff

Hermes Creative Awards: Platinum

Sleepy Hollow Preschool | Sleepy Hollow Preschool Overview

PFIZER ONCOLOGY | PEDIATRIC FORMULATION VIDEO

Hermes Creative Awards: Honorable Mention

NCPC | Unleashing the Ulti-mutt Cyber Watch Dog

Hubspot Inc. | How Monopoly Cornered the Board Game Market

Communicator Awards: Distinction

Deloitte | Deloitte Trust 101 Explainer

Communicator Awards: Distinction

Citadel Securities | How We Learn

AVA Digital Award: Gold
Hermes Creative Award: Gold
Stevie Awards: Gold
Telly Award: Silver
Telly Award: Silver
Telly Award: Silver
Communicator Awards: Excellence

Citadel | Day in the Life: Emma

AVA Digital Award: Gold
AVA Digital Award: Gold
Hermes Creative Award: Gold

Citadel Summer 2023 Internship Program

AVA Digital Award: Gold
Hermes Creative Award: Platinum
Communicator Awards: Excellence

Citadel Securities | Day in the Life: Param

Telly Awards: Gold
Hermes Creative Award: Platinum

Citadel Securities | Australia Recap

AVA Digital Award: Honorable Mention
Stevie Awards: Gold

Citadel | Meet the Interns 2023

Telly Awards: Bronze

Citadel Securities | Meet the Interns 2023

Telly Awards: Bronze

Event Promo Hacks Using Movie Trailer Tactics

What’s your favorite movie trailer? Is there a promo that had you beating down the doors of the box office? One that immediately comes to mind is the trailer for 1980’s The Shining. What makes this trailer so effective is its use of simplicity and tension to build the world of the movie before you see a single minute. That is the power of a masterful trailer, it leaves you on the edge of your seat left with nothing to do but to go see the movie.

Event promos, like trailers, go a long way towards generating excitement for an epic experience. Events like the Oscars and the Super Bowl make trailers to unify the vibe before the show. It’s your moment to give attendees an idea of everything they’ll be in for. A good event promo not only lets you know what you should expect, but more importantly lets you know how you can expect to feel if you attend. At its core, that is what an event promo is, a promise of an experience. 

In a study conducted by Eventbrite, 94% of event creators that used video said it was an effective way to promote their events. Since the pandemic, 92% of marketers consider video an increasingly important part of their marketing strategy; with over 80% reporting they achieved their desired ROI over the past year (Wyzowl). Essentially, there is an increasing necessity for video marketing strategy and tactics that will impact both event success and companies as a whole. Promo videos can be a critical influence on performance rate, acquisition, and attendance for company events that are vital and crucial to brand awareness. Given the breadth of our experience with impactful storytelling and creation of event centric content, Green Buzz Agency has a long standing track record when it comes to our expertise in creating engaging promo videos that activate audiences’ emotion and drive action

Let’s break it down further using our award winning promo video for the Washington Spirit, a case study that brings together the best of many video production skills. In order to have a dynamic end product we began with a plan for the most compelling copy we could to construct the perfect scripted video. To establish the overarching emotion and grab viewer’s attention we set out to be sure we laid out a strong opening line, keyed in on essential information, and utilized a cliffhanger to generate audience intrigue. The Spirit had an incredibly strong script, but they wanted to make sure it told a cohesive story. We worked closely with them to ensure the script hit the 90-second mark – no more, no less.

But then how to marry the script with the imagery and visual impact? One of the lines from the script that jumped out to us from the very beginning was “local rhythm on a global stage” which ultimately embodies the heartbeat of this video. We interspersed dynamic footage from on and off the pitch with carefully curated slow and high-impact moments as a homage to the city itself.

Pacing and imagery are key to editing style but we also wanted to utilize motion graphics to take the piece to the next level. As a motion graphics studio, we developed custom text graphics with a slight static treatment for the brand’s typography to make the text feel as if it was flying off the pitch. We also punctuated the text graphics with custom animations that complemented the messages to create personality and pique interest.

The Washington Spirit promo is one example of some best practices you can utilize to create a bridge to the final destination we set out to achieve – a movie trailer like promo that drives excitement and action. As you contemplate creating your next event promo, keep the question of “what is your favorite movie trailer?” in mind and use it as inspiration along with our well vetted tips and tricks. Need further insight or guidance? Feel free to reach out to us at Green Buzz Agency and get to know our video production services. We are committed to crafting you a one-of-a-kind event promo that drives people to your event like opening weekend of the next biggest movie.

What We’re Watching and Why You Like It

In scripted video, everything starts with story structure. Just like there are multiple ways to build a house or car, there are multiple ways to build a story. Most films and television series use a version of the “hero’s journey” to create their story structure; what makes an artist unique is how they put their own spin on it. 

At GBA, we harness a similar type of storytelling to have a deep impact on our viewers and inspire action through a commitment to clients and creative excellence. As a video production agency, it is a special opportunity to draw upon our collective human experiences and expertise in the film industry, digital media, and marketing, to create rich story arcs that retain viewers’ attention and evoke emotional responses.

What We’re Watching and Why You Like It is our new blog series where we take our favorite shows and bring in our storytelling expertise as a multi-award winning video production agency to break down the writer’s approach to their work. These breakdowns serve as an opportunity to dissect different trends in the industry and learn how they interact within scripted video.

In this edition we’re tackling America’s new favorite work-place comedy: Abbott Elementary.

Abbott Elementary (streaming on ABC and Hulu) follows Janine Teagues, a young dreamer turned 2nd grade teacher, as she fights to make a difference in the lives of her students and co-workers. The series takes an optimistic yet realistic look at our education system and the brave women and men that keep it moving. Every week Janine stares directly into the face of her challenges and earnestly tries to overcome them. While it’s never a swift victory, Janine learns along the way that change rarely looks the way we imagine it, but it’s worth pursuing nonetheless.. 

Let’s look at a breakdown of Season One – Episode Two where we examine the story structure of this scripted video series. 

Episode Example: Season 1 Episode 2 “Light Bulb”

Beat One: Cold Open

Definition: Each episode begins on an average day in the life of our teachers. We’re thrown into their world and get a glimpse of how they manage to keep things light and funny.

Episode Example: The staff gather round to watch the hottest morning news show in Philadelphia on the hottest day of the year. 

Beat Two: There is a problem and Janine must solve it!

Definition: Janine discovers a flaw or shortcoming at the school. When met with either indifference or deterrence, she decides to strike out on her own and solve the issue.

Episode Example: Frustrated with people in her life putting things off, she decides to try and fix a broken light bulb herself.

Beat Three: Introduction of the B-story.

Definition: Our central plot, containing our main protagonist, is known as our A-story. Our B-story usually takes place between two or more supporting characters and tends to embody a theme similar to the lesson being taught in the A-story.

Episode Example: Gregory is uncomfortable with confronting a parent who is routinely bringing their child in late.

Beat Four: Her attempt to fix things only makes it worse.

Definition: The consequences Janine is warned of come true upon her first attempt to improve the situation.

Episode Example: Trying to fix the light herself, Janine manages to cause a partial power outage in the school.

Beat Five: B-story character attempts to make a change or gain a skill.

Definition: Supporting characters in the B-story make their first attempts at solving their own problems. This almost always requires them to make a small change or gain a new skill.

Episode Example: After enlisting Barbara’s help, Gregory is tricked into being in the same nail shop as the parent he’s trying to avoid. This forces him to finally speak up.

Beat Six: Janine is given counsel she neglects to listen to.

Definition: Once again, Janine is warned about the consequences of trying to make things better and she ignores them. Here we see her bright idealism in stark contrast to the realities of her world.

Episode Example: Janine ignores her colleagues and tries to fix the lights  again, managing to completely shut down the building’s power, especially the AC unit.

Beat Seven: B-Story character tests their new skill or change.

Definition: Unlike our main protagonist, the characters in the b-story tend to successfully get the thing they desire while learning a lesson along the way.

Episode Example: Gregory’s talk with the parent works and she begins to bring her son to school on time.

Beat Eight: She has a reckoning with herself and accepts her limitations while changing what she can.

Definition: Unable to get exactly what she wanted, Janine pivots her focus to the little things she can control by understanding that progress is a slow burning process.

Episode Example: Janine is unsuccessful at fixing the lights but learns that being a teacher is a marathon, not a sprint, and sometimes you have to accept things as they are to keep from burning out. Both her and Greg learn the power of allowing themselves to be uncomfortable.

Our Take:

A writer’s approach to the “Hero’s Journey” speaks volumes to the philosophy of the show. Typically, our protagonist grapples with a challenge, learns a lesson, and transforms into a new being. With Brunson’s story structure, we see a quixotic teacher up against the perils of the inner city education system. Through Janine’s trials and tribulations we anticipate the long road ahead for providing any meaningful changes in the school system. Nonetheless, this show pleads with us to never give up because even the smallest changes can make the biggest differences in the lives of Janine’s students and colleagues.

Overarchingly, Quinta Brunson’s debut effort as a Show Creator in this scripted video series is drenched in her quirky semi-serious style. She brings characters to life with narrative arcs that show us the powers and limitations of teachers within our current system. Over the course of 22 minutes we are shown the pain and problems of this system, but more than anything we’re given a reason to hope. We hope, despite the challenges, because teachers like Janine Teagues do exist.

As the credits come to a close, what do you think? Is Abbott Elementary a fresh spin on the hero’s journey, or is it just another primetime sit-com that’s here today and gone tomorrow? Let us know your thoughts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tell us which writer, creator, or show you’d like us to cover next! We’ll see you here next edition, and in the meantime just keep creating.

Just Like The Movies: Explainers Explained

An explainer video is a tried and true way to communicate what it is that you and your company have to offer. However, ‘tried and true’ can sometimes run the risk of becoming formulaic or lacking appeal. When we feel like we’ve seen something before, we’re more likely to tune it out and gloss it over. Thus, proving the necessity for a content strategy and approach that ensures your explainer video stands out amongst the masses. One method to success is employing the ‘Hollywoodesque’ tactic known as Hiding Exposition. 

Within film, the term ‘exposition’ encompasses the pieces of information that are essential for the audience to know. To prevent bits of context from feeling like they’re being taught by your 8th grade history teacher, screenwriters find ways to hide the exposition in compelling and engaging ways. Here at Green Buzz Agency, we truly believe in employing this tactic and have the data to substantiate its effectiveness. A specific project we have worked on that demonstrates the comprehensive method for Hiding Exposition is our explainer video for The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Let’s start with the visuals. Storytelling through powerful imagery can provide just as much context, if not more, than text on the screen. In a world of fractured attention, it is a difficult feat to capture your audience and keep them interested in the content at hand. Compelling and engaging visuals exponentially elevate the messaging and interactions within your piece. Specifically, motion graphics enable you to build a world of your own in which the audience can truly enter a new space to engage and be immersed in the message you are sharing .

Further, rich visuals combined with a voiceover can make even the most complex topic easier to digest. Like the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Our explainer video for ACOG utilizes motion graphics to drive the video. Essentially – even if the audio is muted, the key subject matter is easily identified. The voiceover and text fill in the gaps, but the visuals are essential to the emotional tones and audience engagement within the video.

Using innovative statistics is another surefire strategy to convey dense information in an easily digestible way. You can see this technique on display in our ACOG piece. The statistics are delivered with a visual flare that links the numbers to the story being told. For example, when we hear that problems are on the rise, we simultaneously see the graph progress across the country, driving home the point that this problem hits us everywhere. This subtle element sticks in the minds of viewers because it is attaching statistics to a human emotion, which is always a recipe for quality engagement.

In addition, the best way to effectively relay information to your audience is to tell them a relatable story. This can be achieved through anecdotes, metaphors, or practical examples. The opening line of the ACOG video acknowledges the crucial role healthy mothers and babies play within our communities. Opening the video with mothers as a bedrock of society allows for the viewer to take in this information with a clear emotional tie and impact. This tactic pulls at our heartstrings as we all reflect on this sentiment and the incredible mothers surrounding us. All in all, amplifying the audience connection and shedding light on why the viewer should care about the information to come.

Audience connection is further enhanced through the pacing and length of your video. The movement from one idea to the next is a critical piece of the strategic approach as it determines how much the viewer is actually retaining within a given timespan. Whether it be quick and hard hitting facts or a continuous flow of explanations and descriptions, the chosen delivery method is imperative to its success. The right pacing ensures the viewer isn’t left with a static screen or visual for too long; while overall length guarantees a sweet spot for viewer’s attention and engagement.

“Hiding the exposition” is a tactical strategy to elevate your next explainer video by imbedding the root of the mission and message into a more intriguing content approach that engages and delivers digestible information. It is about catering towards the needs of your viewer and ensuring the delivery is set for success. This is one of many ways to elevate your next explainer video, increase consumer engagement, and relay critical information. If you’re looking to collaborate on your next upcoming video project, contact us at Green Buzz Agency to take your content from simply informative to extremely compelling. We would love to hear from you and help make your vision come to life!

AARP En Vivo Contigo

During the pandemic, AARP seized the unprecedented opportunity for Hispanic and Latinx communities across the country to connect with each other, provide support, and learn together while discovering new ways to thrive through this time and beyond. What better way to connect than through food and music? 

Green Buzz Agency facilitated 16 live cooking demonstrations and dance parties for four different Hispanic/Latinx markets across the country, working with influential chefs, DJs, and musicians to bring shows to New York, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami. The campaign culminated with a huge crossover event, introducing chefs from each market to compete in a cooking challenge. Branding the entire campaign with a unique style, we designed custom graphics that were displayed live throughout the shows. Our production team fully produced each event, providing technical support and direction for the talent during each livestream. The shows were streamed over Facebook Live, garnering engagement from each market’s audience and connecting Latinx communities to celebrate what feeds the soul, whether we are in the same place or not. 

Watch Season One Here: https://vimeo.com/470238133

Watch Season Two Here: https://vimeo.com/user/3125917/folder/7598037

Quick Hit Stats:

– 4 cities represented

– Viewers from 7+ countries tuned in from North, Central, and South America

– Season Two: The most views of any individual episode and series on AARP’s Spanish Facebook channels

– Season Two: 200,000+ views and 700+ total engagements

Make-A-Wish Virtual Gala

Evening of Wishes: Hope From Home

In 2021, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic held their first ever all-virtual gala entitled Evening of Wishes: Hope From Home. Through this event, they were able to showcase their resilience and creativity in connecting with supporters like never before. 

Green Buzz Agency fully produced an in-home experience for the entire family, celebrating the stories and triumphs of Wish families with new and recut Wish content and gala segments with innovative ways to engage with Make-A-Wish donors. As attendees relaxed at home with their Make-A-Wish meal kits and drink sets, they tuned in for a one-hour event of speeches, a wish reveal story, and video compilations – all guided by live emcees reminding each watcher at home that they can help make these things possible for the next child. 

The event was comprised of a combination of pre-recorded and live content, all branded with a custom Home from Home visual identity. Make-A-Wish is no stranger to making the impossible possible. This unforgettable event opened the door to new opportunities for the organization, giving supporters an up close look into the stories, hope, and healing that Make-A-Wish provides in a time when needed the most.

Watch Full Virtual Event Here: https://vimeo.com/518360597/7645956cb4

Quick Hit Stats:

– Over 12 pre-recorded and live segments produced

– Over $500,000 raised

– Shorty Award Winner for Online Event/Activation

Sotheby’s Virtual Events

Sotheby’s Virtual Events

As one of the giants in precious art and collector’s items, Sotheby’s has always used in-person talks, gallery walks, and events to drive attention to their monthly auctions. When the pandemic hit, all of this ground to a halt and Sotheby’s engaged Green Buzz Agency to help take their world-class events into the virtual space. 

Sotheby’s was particularly concerned with the smoothness of the livestream technology experience for their panelists, as each of their events consisted of between 3 to 6 high-level guests and Sotheby’s department heads. With our knowledge of various livestream solutions, Green Buzz Agency was able to pinpoint the combination of technologies that allowed for easiest and quickest onboarding for panelists, while still providing the graphics capabilities their teams desired in order to showcase the different pieces of art. 

Green Buzz Agency has run Sotheby’s virtual events and talks featuring anything from extremely rare first edition books to Van Gogh’s and Magritte’s, and at all times providing a smooth and easy experience for rotating groups of panelists and viewers, allowing Sotheby’s to properly showcase the brilliant works they have in store. 

Sotheby’s Talks:

Inspiration Living: LoveEMC Charity Auction, Benefitting Every Mother Counts

Art Voices: Virtual Preview of Highlights from Impressionist, Modern & Contemporary Art

Contemporary Conversations: Fortune Favors the Bold | Women Who Rocked the Photographs Market

Quick Hit Stats:

– 13 events launched in 2.5 months, across 4 continents

– 3 multi-million dollar auction promotions

That’s a wrap on the 2022 Video Production Awards! We are beyond proud of our incredible team and their hard work in bringing these stories to life. Green Buzz Agency won 16 awards for 6 videos, with a notable Shorty Award Winner for our collaboration with Make-A-Wish: “Magic Delivered Amidst A Pandemic.”

See below for a breakdown of each video and its winnings!

Magic Delivered Amidst A Pandemic – Make-A-Wish Foundation

African Wildlife Safari Intro Video – African Wildlife Foundation

Hermes Creative – Gold: Electronic Media / Social Media / Interactive Media | Video Creativity
AVA Digital Awards – Commercials/Tourism – Platinum
AVA Digital Awards – Creativity (Video Production)/Editing – Platinum

Washington Spirit Anthem Video – Washington Spirit

Hermes Creative Awards – Platinum: Electronic Media / Social Media / Interactive Media | Video | Sports
AVA Digital Awards – Platinum: Short Form Web Video less than 3 minutes/sports

Tony Minter: My Cancer Journey – Pfizer

AVA Digital Awards – Gold: Short Form Web Video under 3 minutes/nonprofit

The Telly Awards – Gold: General Not-for-profit
Communicator Awards – Excellence Award

Inspiring Public Trust During a Crisis: Key Marketing Insights & Learnings from NYC Awareness Campaigns

Watch for this webinar featuring Carmen Boon, the Senior Director for Strategic Communications at NYC Health + Hospitals, Alex Fino, VP, Managing Director at fluent360 and Louis Maldonado, Partner, Managing Director at d expósito & Partners. You’ll learn how to gain public trust during a crisis through specific case studies from two recent public awareness campaigns in NYC.   

You’ll Come Away With:

> How to implement public awareness campaigns that ensure cultural responsiveness 

> How to execute complex campaigns that not only incentivize positive action, but also ease public distrust in the government

> How to maximize investment with tight budgets

Featured Panelists

CARMEN BOON is a Senior Director for Strategic Communications at NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health system in the nation, where she’s leading strategic communications planning for initiatives connected to COVID-19 response including testing, tracing and vaccination and health care access for disenfranchised populations across New York City.

ALEX FINO is the Vice President & Managing Director at fluent360. He has 25 years of experience in Multicultural (MC) marketing and communications. Alex has led teams that have helped a wide range of organizations build effective and successful strategies for connecting with Multicultural consumers. 

LOUIS MALDONADO is a Partner & Managing Director at d expósito & Partners. He is an award-winning marketing strategist and communications professional that specializes in multicultural advertising and marketing. At d expósito & Partners, Luis leads cross-functional teams for several key client accounts, leveraging his deep expertise in branding, insights and strategy, public relations and grassroots outreach to develop breakthrough campaigns that effectively connect with communities of color.

Maximizing Engagement by Leveraging User Feedback & Preferences

Watch this webinar featuring Samantha Nystrom, the Senior Content Marketing Manager at DeVry University, and Becky Fowler, the Internal Communications Lead at EA. You’ll learn how to use research-based communications models to optimize your internal processes, and how to implement the fundamentals of A/B testing in your external content strategy.

You’ll Learn:
> Practical tactics and strategies for A/B testing
> Best practices in developing UX
> Insights on how to improve employee feedback and engagement

Featured Panelists

Samantha Nystrom is the Senior Content Marketing Manager at DeVry University, where she supervises the development and execution of DeVry’s overall content marketing strategy. She is also an established speaker and copywriter who’s articles have appeared in numerous B2B and B2C publications and was interviewed on Susan Rich Talks Radio and spoken at AICPA Engage, BlogHer and other conferences on content marketing.

Becky Fowler works for Electronic Arts as the Internal Communications Lead for EA’s customer service department. She started her career at IBM as an internal communications designer. By the time she left, she owned the Employee Advocacy program with 800+ users, hosted social trainings for executives and teams across Marketing and Sales, and managed the design and distribution of executive communications and sales resources for IBM conferences.