2014 Kia Soul Hamster Commercial “Totally Transformed”

There has been a total transformation, and we are not just talking about the new 2014 Kia Soul.

Kia deserves the applause with their new commercial featuring three hamsters and Lady Gaga’s new Song “Applause”.  They found a creative and humorous way to showcase their redesigned 2014 Kia Soul.

The ad, by David&Goliath, is so well produced — and so well done — that you can’t help tapping your foot to the music, even as you try to stifle the smile that so annoyingly seems to be spreading on your face.

The commercial features a training montage of the three hamsters working their furry butts off at the gym — trying to transform themselves – all the while, you see the Kia designers significantly redesigning the 2014 Soul.

Check out the video below.

What made this commercial great?

Was it because it was set to Lady Gaga’s new song? That definitely did help, but the commercial was also very artistic and creative. They weren’t afraid to appear a little silly and ridiculous. You can see they were quite serious about their training, but every once in a while you see them shaking their hips to Gaga’s song (like while preparing to dive). “Totally Transformed” wasn’t like the usual car commercial where you see a family driving in it and it bragging about all the new features of the car. It focused more on the training and transformation of the hamsters, which captured the attention of the audience (we wanted to watch the end result of the hamsters) and got to see that their transformation was like the transformation of the new 2014 Kia Soul—which has been significantly redesigned.

At the end of the commercial we see the three hamsters get out of a totally new and sleek 2014 Kia Soul, looking completely transformed and redesigned themselves just like their new ride.

I didn’t even really like Lady Gaga’s new song “Applause” until after watching this commercial.

Keywest Video Inc. -Corporate Video Blog -2014 Kia Soul Commerical Totally Transformed

2014 Kia Soul Hamster Commercial “Totally Transformed”

Teleprompter for Corporate Videos

Is using a Teleprompter necessary when shooting a Corporate Video?

Maybe you are hesitant in using a teleprompter because you want your corporate video to seem unscripted and natural…and think using a teleprompter will make it look like your presenter is reading directly from the screen.

It will be an added expense on your budget, but let’s find out if using one will be beneficial for your corporate video.

Time Efficient

It saves time for everyone. Let’s say your presenter is a senior executive, and he will be delivering a long presentation. Senior executives are usually on a tight deadline, and just don’t have hours of time away from the office to be spent in a shoot. Using a teleprompter  would save hours of his time. Even if you hired a professional actor, and they memorized their script beforehand -that doesn’t guarantee you a fluid read like a teleprompter would.

Professionalism

We are all human, and with that comes a natural stumble when we talk (ughs/umm’s). Reading from a teleprompter just brings a fluid read. You’re already investing thousands of dollars in this corporate video, so it wouldn’t make sense not using a teleprompter and having your presenter look unprofessional and unknowledgeable.  Using a teleprompter will make your talent look and sound more professional.

Sounding Natural

If you think that using a teleprompter will make your presenter look like he is directly reading from the prompter -think again! Its all in your script. If you want a more natural speech, make sure its written out like that for your presenter. To avoid the “directly reading from the teleprompter look” make sure that your presenter goes through the script and practices his lines before the shoot. Even though there is a teleprompter there the presenter should always know the material.

The only CON with using a teleprompter is the added expense of it on your budget. Although when you use a teleprompter, in the end you will save money on the production cost because you wont need as many shooting days.

For corporate video, not using a teleprompter just makes the overall look unprofessionally done and sloppy.

The difference between sounding and looking natural or looking like a deer caught in headlights is completely in your control.

Here at Keywest, you can use our teleprompter services for your corporate video for the low price of $250.

 

Keywest Video Inc -Corporate Video Blog -Teleprompter for Corporate Videos

Teleprompter for Corporate Videos

Samsung Promotional Ad: Worst Acting Job

Worst Acting Ever Seen in a Promotional Ad Video

The new Samsung promotional video has been called “the worst acting job ever seen in an Ad” by Reddit, so of course I was intrigued and had to watch it. Reddit calling it the WORST acting job seemed a little harsh at first, but it was definitely true.

The ad features three actors, a baffled housewife, a studious Asian gamer, and a corporate ladder-climber—all robotically reciting a script about how amazing the product is. It was a good idea to feature three completely different stereotypes of people  for this video because the audience could then connect and relate to at least one of them.

The result is something that can’t really be described in writing, so you must see it for yourself below. The original was pulled from YouTube after it became a laughing stock on Reddit, but mirrored versions continue to circulate so that the world can appreciate this impressive feat of faux sincerity.

After this promotional ad was released, the corporate actor in the video made a statement explaining why the acting was so bad. He states that the ad will be dubbed in Korean and mostly be watched by Koreans.  He also says that it’s a promotional video, not a TV commercial, meaning it will be shown at conventions and expos and in-house. Even so, this should never be an excuse for bad acting and a poor script, TV commercial or not.

But after 3 minutes of squirming at the terrible acting job, I actually did want to go out and buy the new Samsung’s 840 EVO solid-state hard drive. The ad did a good job of explaining the perks of the new hard drive: how much faster it makes your computer. They also did a good job of showing us that it wouldn’t even be difficuly to install the product into your computer (which for the housewife type of people out there, it actually looks simple and easy). And since most of us has had some experience using a slow computer at least one time in our lives, this was a great way of connecting with the audience.

Even though the script was awful and the acting was horrible, the video became viral for being so bad and ultimately became that more popular. Did it make you want to go out and purchase the new Samsung solid state drive?

Keywest Video Inc- Corporate Video Blog -Samsung Promotional Ad: Worst Acting Job

Samsung Promotional Ad: Worst Acting Job

Real Employees vs. Actors for your Corporate Video

Difference between using Employees vs Actors:

You will know if you used a real employee and or actor in your video, but will the audience know the difference between the two? What are the main factors you should consider when deciding on using real employee vs a paid actor?

Here are 5 key points when making that decision:

1. 
   Money. Hiring an actor will cost a lot more than using some of your employees to go on camera.  First, you have to consider your budget. Actors can cost up to a few hundred dollars a day. If you have a small budget, it might not be worth it. Better to spend that money on the actually production part of your video.


2. 
   Emotion. Do you want an emotional reaction from your audience? When using real employees, they will bring a natural emotion to the screen that a paid actor won’t. Even if you use an amazing actor, the audience can tell if someone is just acting, compared to an employee talking about a real experience.


3. 
   Time. It’s all about the on camera comfort. Maybe you decide to go with using your employees and they think they will be comfortable and great in front of the camera. But when it comes time to filming, you realize they are not so great on camera. This could eventually result in more days of shooting, which ultimately costs more money. Not everyone is naturally comfortable in front of the camera. They can get nervous, forget their lines, not be able to read the teleprompter, or might just not have the right delivery – even if they are the most outgoing person in your office! Actors on the other hand thrive when in front of the camera, are professionals when it comes down to memorizing their lines, and are able to read the teleprompter thoroughly. Using actors would just take up less studio time, regardless if the employee is even a natural on camera.


4. 
   Knowledge. Do you want the person on camera to be VERY knowledgeable about your company/product or kind of knowledgeable? If you use your employees they will have both real hands on knowledge AND experience of your company that you can’t get from using an actor. You can give the actor his lines, and he can memorize it, but that won’t replace the many years of hands on knowledge that your employees have.


5. 
   Overall Look. With actors you can choose the type of look you want to represent your company. You can choose between using different types of ethnicities, genres, and ages. But with using your real employees, your choices are very limited. In the end, it depends on how important you want your look of the people on camera to be.

In all, it really depends on what style you want your corporate video to be. If you want a recruitment video, you should showcase your employees and let them share their real experiences and emotions on screen. Whereas, if you are doing a product video, you might want actors to bring some personality to your video.

Here at Keywest, we have been producing corporate videos for over 20 years now, and can help you decide on what is the right choice for yours.

Keywest Video Inc- Corporate Video Blog -Real Employees vs Actors for your corporate video

Real Employees vs actors for your corporate video

Football on your Phone Tops Charts

Video Ad goes viral with over 7 million views

“It’s football on your phone/ So now’s your chance/ To have football on your phone/ And football in your pants” and rapping those lyrics and more, Manning brothers Eli and Peyton’s new video ad has topped all viral charts.

The Manning brothers bring a silly edge to the new ad by DirecTV’s video mobile. Wearing wigs and silly outfits while dancing and singing will definitely bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Although the lyrics are simple (yet direct), it will leave you humming the song even after the 3 minutes is up.

This video ad was very well put together, and their message that you can get “Football on Your Phone” with Direct TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket package is very clear and direct.

Even if you don’t watch football, after watching this video—you will want to have football on your phone.

Keywest Video Inc- Corporate Video Blog- Football on your Phone Tops Charts

Football on your Phone Tops Charts

Jell-O Comb Over Commerical

Little Boy with Comb Over: funny or creepy?

Watch this and see for yourself.

Jell-O, CP+B released their newest 45 second commercial last week, which was innovative but left me with some mixed feelings.

At first glance, it’s about a father and son enjoying Jell-O pudding, which leads into the son’s daydream having to live through his father’s kind of depressing life –with his dad’s terrible comb over and all. Yes, the comb over was funny on the kid at first, but it also looked quite creepy. It continues with the father explaining how the chocolaty taste of Jell-O pudding “makes up for it all”—which actually is sadder than it is funny. It ends with the kid giving his Jell- O pudding to his dad, saying that he needs it more than he does.

Would you turn to a chocolaty Jell-O pudding when life gets tough?

Keywest Video Inc – Corporate Video Blog- Jell-O Comb Over Commercial

Jell-O Comb Over Commerical

Voiceover for Corporate Video

Voiceover for your Corporate Video:

We have all seen that expertly produced video, perfectly executed down to the very last detail… But something was missing. There was no voiceover, making this high quality video seem kind of dull. But why is voiceover so important when it comes to corporate videos?

Here are 5 reasons why all corporate videos should include a V/O.

1. 
   To help carry out your message: Adding voiceover in your corporate video sets the mood for your video, and adds a certain style your video might have been lacking (like an upbeat, smooth, or warm style).  It can work really well if the voiceover actor not only has the vocal skills to carry it through, but also has the right type of voice for the piece. Voiceovers create the effect of a good story telling, which instantly connects the audience with the video.


2. 
   Voiceover can also fill in the gaps in your video: If an interviewee wasn’t overly articulate or failed to use a noun that would have made the subject more comprehensible– there is a simple solution: Grab a half sound bite to put a face on the screen and give the piece credibility, and then explain the rest of the point in a narrative track. Using voiceover can really help to fill in the gaps in your video, and it allows you to hide the awkward moments that an edit can’t fix.


3. 
   Better understanding for your audience: Voiceovers can be a great tool to use to provide your audience with a better understanding of what’s happening in your video. If your video isn’t so straightforward, your audience could get easily confused and thus lose interest fast.


4. 
   Not interesting script: Sometimes with corporate video, the subject might not be that earthshaking, so your script might seem a little dull. Using a voiceover would definitely help with that because  the sound and tone of the voice is greater than the actual content of the words used – 38% sound compared to 7% words. The audience’s attention would be more engaged with a good voiceover than just having to listen to the actual words.


5. 
   Quality: Adding more elements to your corporate video will immediately up the quality of your production, and voiceover is a simple enough production technique that should not be over looked.

Now that you have read through all the reasons why using a voiceover for your corporate video is beneficial, here is another tip: when using voiceover, leave it to the professionals. You think, “Why pay all that money for a professional actor when you can get any person that can speak decently read over a script?” While most of us can speak pretty well, doing a VO (voiceover) is a very specific skill, best left to the professionals. (A microphone can be as scary as a camera).

Here at Keywest, we know that a voiceover can be an essential part in your corporate video, and will make the whole production process – including the voiceover process – as easy and efficient for you as possible. We will send you samples of voiceover actors, help you choose which one will bring the right style and set the right mood for your video, and then help piece your video together to produce a video that gets your message heard.

Keywest Video Inc-Corporate Video Blog- Voiceover for Corporate Video

 

 

Voiceover for Corporate Video

The Power of Stock Music in Corporate Video

Top 5 Reasons why you should use Stock Music.

Adding music to your video can instantaneously enhance it. It can suddenly bring your video to a more superior level of production. Its purpose is usually to set the mood of the piece but it can also do a number of other things such as highlight a certain section of the narrative, help to identify a location or portray a specific message. If done right, music can invoke a certain emotion from your audience which could drive them in the direction you want.

So now that you know that music is a must when it comes to Corporate Videos, what exactly are the differences between using stock music vs licensed music?

Everyone wants that new hit song on the radio by (insert favorite song here) or a popular classic song in their video. But after reading the 5 reasons below, I’m sure you will agree that stock music is the only way to go.

1. 
   Price. It could end up costing you over thousands and thousands of dollars, which could eventually cost you more than the total amount of the video production cost itself. When it comes to stock music, you pay a one-time fee—and usually that fee is around $150 dollars, which isn’t bad when you compare that to a couple thousand dollars.


2. 
   Time. For non-royalty free music it takes time, and a small army of lawyers. The length of time it takes to get that song through all the copyright laws, lawyers and paperwork you could have already been finished shooting your video way long before, and missed out on the opportunity of airing it at that specified time planned.


3. 
   You can use stock music forever. You originally bought it for that specific video, but now you want to use it for perhaps another project? And another project after that one? You can! The possibilities here are endless.  This differs from licensed music, because once you purchased it you can only use it for THAT specific project outlined in your contract.


4. 
   Copyright Issues. When you have your heart set on a certain song, it becomes even more stressful when you find out that the song isn’t even up for licensing. You won’t get that specific song when you stick to stock music, but you will have a wide range of music to pick from –and avoid all the copyright issues.


5. 
   Headaches. When it comes to licensed music,  there are tons of grey areas on whether you have to pay royalties in certain situations. For instance, if you use their music in a YouTube video, but run advertisements through that platform? That could be deemed commercial use of the song even if it is a video of your daughter walking for the first time.  When it comes to stock music, everything is basically all pre-set (the price, the recording etc). So, by sticking to stock music, you will be able to avoid all the headaches associated with using licensed music.

Here at Keywest we have vast selection of stock music to choose from. When it comes to any type of video which it be training, promo, product, company profiles, testimonials etc we have the right stock music that will fit your video.

Keywest Video Inc- Corporate Video Blog- The Power of Stock Music in Corporate Video

 

The Power of Stock Music in Corporate Video

Corporate Video: It doesn’t have to be boring

Considering Corporate Video for your business:

Thinking of getting a corporate video for your business?  But terrified it might lack creativity and bore your audience?

When most people think of corporate videos, that’s exactly what they might think.  You imagine a talking head wearing a suit and having to sit through ten minutes of information tossed at you (which may seem like countless hours).

Maybe you think your product, service or business itself may even be too boring to use in video marketing?

Here at Keywest, we can use ANY type of product and make it interesting. Check out our latest product videos: http://www.keywestvideo.com/product-videos.html

Let’s face it: lots of corporate videos out on the market today ARE really boring. Why? It’s because corporate videos are hard to make. It takes a lot of hard work and lots of time to plan. Most of the time the scripts aren’t interesting, there is no camera work, and the people in the video are just flooding the audience with information.

But corporate videos don’t always have to be like that. Here at Keywest we have been producing videos for over 20 years, and unlike other video companies, we specialize in corporate video production.

What makes us different from the other corporate video production companies out there?

We care about our clients and their problems. We deal with both large corporations and small businesses. And we know the challenges they may face, and solve it with our fresh and creative ideas.

We’ve produced hundreds of corporate videos that are both interesting and appealing. They have engaged audiences, leaving them with a lasting impression.

Here at Keywest, creativity counts.  We don’t produce the traditional corporate videos that lack an emotional connection with the audience. We don’t wing projects; we carefully plan them out. We’d like to make this an enjoyable experience for you.

We know all the mistakes that other video production companies do make. And because of that, we will do everything  in our power to avoid it. The end result?  Producing a corporate video that will bring out your business’ distinct personality, and we guarantee that it will be anything but boring.

Key West Video Inc. -Corporate Video Blog – Corporate Video: It doesn’t have to be boring

 

Corporate Video: It doesn"t have to be boring

Camp Gyno Video- A Breakthrough

Camp Gyno Video –A Breakthrough in Tampon Advertising

Tampon Commercial goes Viral

 “Its like Santa for your vagina…” and with those words and more, the video ad The Camp Gyno became one of the most popular tampon ads in history, with over 5 million YouTube views in just over a week. Why? Check out the video below.

 

This Tampon video is a first of its kind: its real, inventive and downright funny.

It differs from the conventional tampon commercials that usually feature a model type looking girl twirling around in a white dress on a beach.

This video is not like any tampon commercial out there. Period. In a comedic way, it tells a coming of age story to young girls. Which most girls can actually relate too.

Its been called the “funniest period commercial ever” by ABC News.

Tampon Ad Industry is forever changed

The Camp Gyno video has definitely changed the tampon ad industry as we know it.

This video brings to light that yes, girls do get their period, and that they shouldn’t be embarrassed by it. It shows tweens suffering with the excruciating monthly cramps –which has never been showed before in a tampon commercial.

And it’s about time to finally see a commercial that does not censor that.

And Because of this 1.47 mins video, it has put the unheard of company Hello Flo on the radar.

If you are a small business or large corporation looking to create a one of a kind video to market your business, look no further. Here at Keywest, we have been producing videos for over 20 years.

So, after watching this video, would you order a starter kit from www.helloflo.com for yourself, or someone you know? Or would you just rather make that drive down the street to your local store?

Key West Video Inc. – Corporate Video Blog – Camp Gyno

Camp Gyno Video- A Breakthrough

Citizen Videographer

Citizen videography is an up and coming trend. With the advent of high definition smartphones and easily accessible social media outlets, the everyday citizen is now a journalist.

Years ago, people were required to get an education in a particular field in order to partake in content creation for the media, such as generating material for newspapers and television.

With the advent of the internet, blogging slowly arose, which in turn created the phenomenon of the citizen journalist – the idea that anyone could write a newsworthy opinion piece.

Citizen journalists are general members of the public without any professional training that are able to gather news and report outside of the mainstream media institutions.

An example of this is the celebrity gossip site PerezHilton.com, which has now become one of the top-visited celebrity gossip sites on the net.

But times are changing. This is now the era for the ‘citizen videographers’. What is a citizen videographer? They are the ones at the scene before the real journalists arrive. Sometimes, they are actually part of the story they happen to be shooting (i.e. a witness), and lastly they can be anyone who owns a camera.

There have already been videos hitting the internet on top newsworthy issues. Recently, a citizen videographer captured the last few moments of the police shooting that took the life of 18 year old Sammy Yatim: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/news-video/enhanced-footage-of-streetcar-shooting-that-left-sammy-yatim-dead/article13527671/

Citizen’s videos may be dark and blurry, but the public doesn’t care about that. It’s about being able to not just read the story, or see pictures. It’s about being able to see it and hear it at the same time.

Realistically, anyone can take a video and with the escalation of technology, citizens’ videos will continue to increase. But people shouldn’t confuse citizen videographers with the professional ones.

If a small business or large corporation wants a corporate video, or if someone wants an important event filmed like a wedding, they should go to professionals.

Professional videographers are experts in their field. They know the insides and outs of the camera, will use the right equipment (a real video camera, lights, microphones etc.), and actually have years of experience shooting, and have a creative vision.

Keywest Video is a corporate video production company based in Toronto with over 20 years of experience. Their videographers are professionals and are experts when it comes to producing quality videos.

Citizen Videographer

Keywest Video Contest

The Winner of July’s Contest is:

August 1st, 2013

The Winner of July’s Contest is Chantal Garcia! Her contest idea is now our contest for August!

We want you to create your very own D.I.Y video. The video can be any sort of do it yourself video, it should be handy and useful for people, inventive, and rated for the general public.

Submit the videos to our various social media sites with a link to view it, or email us at info@keywestvideo.com and submit the link to view it there.  The winner will be chosen at the end of the month, and the winner will win a professionally produced 30 second in-studio Video Bio.  The shoot will include proper lighting, white backdrop, teleprompter, and we’ll edit it together with your logo, and lower thirds.  This is the perfect chance for you to have a Video Bio for your website!

We look forward to seeing the entries. The winner will be picked September 1st, and keep looking out for the Keywest Video Contest!

 

Keywest Video Contest