Branded Documentary for Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com’s Challenge:
Ancestry.com wanted to show their audience that their AncestryDNA kits are for more than just those curious about their family background. That’s why they partnered with Green Buzz Agency and Upworthy to tell stories of those who have used their product to reclaim a lost sense of community and truly connect to their past.
As Upworthy’s preferred video vendor, Green Buzz Agency was brought in to create a series of videos showed the viewers that learning your heritage is empowering. The first step was story producing and casting. Green Buzz Agency’s team did extensive research to find true narratives that were inspiring and engaging. When they found Detour, they knew his story would match Upworthy’s tone and Ancestry.com’s vision.
After learning about his own history, Denver artist Thomas “Detour” Evans ended up being so inspired, he decided to create an art exhibit based on the power of ancestry. He gathered a group of fellow artists and friends in his community to get their DNA tested, and then created portraits of them to illustrate and celebrate their rich, individual lineages. With multiple threads, Detour’s story was rich, but it needed to be told in just the right way.
Video Production Strategy:
With a video storyline as complex as Detour’s, it was imperative that the pre-production team nail down the multiple perspectives and video production techniques that would tell the complete story.
To make sure this happened, our video producer worked with the subject and our clients in order to choose key players to interview during the tight video production schedule. Meanwhile, to highlight Detour’s artistic background, multiple vibrant settings were chosen for environmental interviews. The video crew captured time-lapse footage as well; a technique used to draw the audience into Detour’s creative process and catch the viewer’s eye at the very beginning of the video.
On top of that, the GBA team used their experience creating cohesive videos from multiple video and photo assets to their advantage. In this case, archival footage and photographs were integrated into new film to give the viewer a strong connection to Detour’s story and his past. Multiple music tracks were used to signify the slight shift in topics in video, and to add variety for the audience’s interest.
Finally, motion graphics were overlaid over the live-action footage in order to illustrate the impact AncestryDNA’s product had on the artist and his community project.
Video Marketing Results:
In the month of its release, this video received over 2.3 million views and over 4,000 shares. It was the most watched video in the series Upworthy created with Ancestry.com.
Additionally, this video inspired conversations about the use of genetic tests in reclaiming a personal heritage, contributing to Ancestry.com’s ultimate goal of changing the perspective on their product.
