The post It’s a #Bird! It’s a #Plane! It’s a #Drone! #CorporateVideo #VideoProduction #Niagra appeared first on Corporate Video Blog.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
How Nerd Culture Affects Corporate Video
In high school, we all knew that one kid who had some element of nerd: huge glasses, head in the books, and comic books (or maybe a weird combination of all three). Sometimes they had friends. Sometimes they didn’t. Often, they were bullied for being a little different. In childhood and adolescence, it sucked. But in adulthood? It might be safe to say that nerds are winning.
Despite the different types of nerds (from theatre geeks to sci-fi writers and everything in between), one thing that unites us all is our investment in non-conventional things. We are the ones who hunt for “irrelevant” information. We pay attention to detail. And we’re dedicated to what we do.
We are the “ideal” workers that any employer would love to have. This is probably how we’ve managed to take corporate. With immaculate precision, we’ve infiltrated the workforce. We’ve become the CEOs, technical muscle, and brains behind it all. You know, things that make the real money. And we’re like roaches; we’re everywhere. In your cubbies. At your cafeteria tables. In your elevators. Everywhere.
So, how does this relate to corporate video? Well, when creating content for different corporate businesses, it’s important to find some common ground. A company’s vision has to resonate with their audience in some way. A lot of things we’ve associated in the past with “nerd” are a lot more accepting by pop culture today. It’s becoming easier to broaden your audience while staying true to who you are. Your true nerd essence.
Even if “nerds” are not a target audience, here are a few takeaway lessons that any client will appreciate:
An emotional appeal
Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Kal-El in ‘Man of Steel’
Almost every corporate video tries to lure its audience in with emotion. By appealing to the senses, a target demographic reacts on a visceral level. According to PsychologyToday, brand advertising becomes powerful when an emotional connection is established. However, it’s important to keep a balance of a rational and emotional appeal.
Storytelling
Patrick Stewart (left) and Famke Janssen (right) as Professor X and Dr. Jean Grey in ‘X-Men’
Ever wonder why comic books appeal to us so much? Well, let’s look at story. There is a narrative found in all comic book stories. They often include a coming-of-age tale, the downfall of civilization, or a hero’s journey. It’s not necessary to follow that same formula in corporate video, but having a narrative helps describe who you are and what your company stands for.
Niche
Taylor Kitsch as Remy LeBeau/Gambit in ‘X-Men Origins’
If you’re a niche company, even better. It’s easy to appeal to your audience by marketing specifically to their needs. If you’re a creative coffee shop that caters to a specialized crowd, a minimalist-style video with warm light will suffice. You can even include close-ups of creative latte names. Simple appliances can be decorated with “hipster-esque” themes.The more niche, the better.
Showing off a skill-set
Lucy Lawless as Xena in ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’
All companies benefit from showing off their services – but not all can do it with style. A clean, chic corporate video that showcases how to use an app not only matches a company’s aesthetic, but also appeals to clean, chic users. For companies who want the nitty-gritty, your video should match that visual and show in-depth how you achieve your goals.
Being the bigger person
Chris Zylka (left) and Andrew Garfield (right) as Flash Thompson and Peter Parker in ‘The Amazing Spiderman’
Eliminate an “us vs. them” mentally when marketing your company. Unlike the mean bullies in high school who bullied or excluded you, be the bigger person. Or in this case, company. Create a welcoming environment for all walks of life – not just nerds. You never know just who will come into contact with your brand. Market yourself as easily accessible for even the, well, “dimmest” of people, but challenging enough for the average consumer.
Making an audience think
Heath Ledger as The Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’
Be provocative with your message. Your audience will appreciate a strong, creative, and witty message. Projecting information with statistics and graphs is fine, but questioning your audience (or better yet, planting the idea that your audience think they has a choice) may get you your desired effect.
But be careful. Something that’s too difficult to understand may backfire or go right over your audience’s heads. You don’t want to confuse them.
Moving past the inner skeptic
Who could forget the epic scene in The Social Network when Jessie Eisenberg (who plays Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg) “points some gaping holes” in Harvard’s security system?
Engineer blogger Pete Warden conveniently notes his skepticism when testing out code. Placing our trust in facts and figures is more assured than intuition. Companies benefit from researching the most effective ways to maximize their audiences. Heck, it worked for Netflix.
What are some other ways nerd culture has affected corporate video? Comment and share below!
The post How Nerd Culture Affects Corporate Video appeared first on Corporate Video Blog.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
How to Make the Perfect Parody for Corporate Video
Tired of the same old company videos? You know, the ones with generic information that aren’t specific to your brand? What about the ones with an overload of information? Or videos that are just plain boring? Well, have no fear: parody is here.
Parody is a pretty efficient way to get your message across. One mistake that corporate companies make is underestimating their audiences. Potential clients are not as uptight or dim-lit as we might think. Sometimes it’s necessary to put as much as faith in your audience as well as your content. The perfect blend of information and fake self-mockery sets you apart from the competition and drives the point home. So before you decide to make that parody video, try to keep the following in mind:
Be Funny
This should probably go without saying, but here’s a reminder anyway. Potential clients might think your company is tacky if the video doesn’t serve its purpose. If you’re successful, companies might assume that your services are just as good as your humour. If you’re lucky.
Watch this I.T. company get it right:
Know Your Brand
This also comes with really knowing your brand. After you establish what your company actually does, it’s important to know how you can stand out. The more you know your brand, the better you’ll know your audience. Being specific is key.
Parody can be a train wreck when done incorrectly. The last thing you want to do is to make a self-deprecating video that exploits weak areas. Instead, you might want to play up your company’s strengths in an unconventional way. This can be done with funny animated words, short one-liners, or employees doing something…weird. You get the point.
In essence, don’t do this:
Be Mindful of Parody Laws
Not too long ago Canada made the switch from fair dealing to fair use in its copyright laws. In June of 2012, a copyright reform bill was passed and became law, making three additions: parody, satire, and education. Essentially, Canada then broadened their list of interpretations, making it difficult to determine what infringes on as trademark. Typically, criticism doesn’t infringe on copyright material when:
- the source
- the name of the source
- author (when applicable)
- performer (when applicable)
- maker (i.e. recording)
- broadcaster (when applicable)
A grey area appears when an audience doesn’t know the difference between a parody and the original material. In the past, Canadian companies owning trademarks could argue that a parody is depreciating the goodwill of their original trademark. But since Bill C-11, which was amended to include parody under non-infringement, it’s technically now an exception. In other countries like Britain and the U.S., parody is not clearly defined under fair use, and neither is it prohibited. Instead, it’s taken on case-by-case.
Don’t Go Overboard
Know the subtle difference between parody and satire without offending anyone. In our world of political correctness, it’s easy to step on toes. Satire is meant to poke fun at things we hold dear (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation etc.). Parody exaggerates or imitates a piece of work for comedic purposes. If you’re not sure your parody is offensive, you might be better off not running it across that internet.
What are some other ways to make the perfect parody? Comment below!
The post How to Make the Perfect Parody for Corporate Video appeared first on Corporate Video Blog.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Monday, July 20, 2015
Corporate Videos vs. Youtube Vlogs: What’s the Difference?
Ever sit down and think about the difference between corporate companies marketing their products through videos? Or the Youtubers who market corporate products through videos? Well, we do.
If you really think about it, both try to do the same thing. They encourage you to try a product, show you how to use the product, and the results of said product. One of the main differences is how they profit off of promoting their material.
With Youtube, a vlogger’s (video blogger) payout follows an algorithm. A bulk of Youtube’s earnings comes from ad revenue. When a Youtuber gains enough followers, a vlogger may apply to become a part of the Partner program. He or she will need to enable monetization of each video they post. Youtube pays in CPM (cost per thousand): every thousand views on a particular ad generates a certain amount of money. Youtube takes about 45% of the CPM earnings, but the actual cost advertisers are charged changes. The more views on an ad before the video, the more a Youtuber makes.
Though you can’t purchase views from third parties, companies pay different prices for the types of ads they want to show on channels. This ranges from $0.10-$0.30 per view (see more here).
While some companies use popular vloggers to promote their material, some prefer to create their own channels. If you’re adventurous like Dove, you can try to do what they did for their online campaign.
On the other hand, corporate companies may reach out to an independent video company with an idea for a product, service or campaign. That video company may provide a numeric quote for that idea that covers the cost for their services. Here at Key West Video, we offer animation, pre and post production, greenscreening and much more when working with B2B companies. We specialize in developing our client’s ideas into great promotional video.
Another major difference is timing. Often companies (like financial investors) needing to get time-sensitive information out as soon as possible may turn to Youtube. Youtube has proved to be a great source for quick, easy-to-access information, but it does come with limitations. While it isn’t impossible to create high quality Youtube videos, it’s a lot tougher to do this on a consistent basis. Especially when trying to build an audience. On the flip side, corporate videos creating promotional material (e.g. commercials, interviews or promo videos) usually need more time to plan. They usually are of a higher production value, too.
So which should you invest in? Well, if you’re not the sort of company that a popular Youtube Vlogger could use (aka not a hair, beauty or fitness company), it might be a little difficult to use this platform to sell your product. Youtube viewers are quick to pass judgment on disingenuous vloggers – especially when their content suddenly doesn’t match their style.
What other differences can you think of? Comment below!
The post Corporate Videos vs. Youtube Vlogs: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Corporate Video Blog.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Friday, July 17, 2015
Marketing Brands: All 5 Senses Through Corporate Video
You’d be surprised at just how many companies are simply unaware of the importance our five senses have on their potential clients. They are equally unaware of how sensory marketing can affect their current customers. While it is important to generate a pleasing aesthetic, sometimes this simply isn’t enough.
Here at Key West Video, we like to think that our clients deserve the best quality work that money can buy. Going above and beyond with our services like video production and animation, our mission is to ensure our clients are receiving just a little more than our very best.
Advertising in our day and age strives to make an emotional appeal to its viewers. We want to feel how a product will change our day-to-day activity – not just see it. We want to know how a certain service will impact our quality of life – not just hear about it. We want assurance that by spending money on a certain brand, company or organization, we are making a worthy investment.
Thankfully, technology today allows us to do just that.
According to marketing expert Martin Lindstrom, brands should be connecting with their audiences through all their senses. Here are some ways we can connect our senses with corporate video:
Sight
Sight is probably the most obvious sense of the five. It’s a vital marketing tool that affects the way we visually interpret brands. Think sports commercials: brands like Nike and Adidas often use high-speed action, athletes wearing sports equipment, and fast-paced camera shots to get our attention. Our brains subconsciously match sight with feeling, even if we don’t fully understand what it is we’re looking at. Nike does a great job of creating that “cool” factor. We don’t actually know what “Just Do It” means, but we certainly get the idea that it’s cool to mimic the commercials (or maybe that’s just us).
Sound
A close second is sound. Many of us recognize distinct companies by their jingles, soundbites, or specific clips.“Brands with music that ‘fit’ their brand identity are 96 percent likelier to prompt memory recall,” says Lindstrom. Sound helps “dull” visuals beef up their effect by adding a sense of familiarity to what we see. Sound is also strong enough to tell a story all on its own.
Smell
Smell is a bit tricky; in corporate video advertising, it depends on what the viewer interprets after seeing or hearing something. It also has the power to evoke memories. Lindstrom states that “test results have shown a 40 percent improvement in our mood when we’re exposed to a pleasant fragrance—particularly if the fragrance taps into a joyful memory”. He might be on to something. Our sense of smell is powerful enough to attract or repel us.
Touch
Another interesting sense is touch. Like smell, touch also depends on visual and audio elements for it to work effectively. We can get an idea of how something will feel by the way it is presented to us.
Taste
This sense is usually stimulated most when we view images of food or beverages. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes difficult to appeal to this sense when you’re not a food or beverage company. It depends a lot on sight and sound to get an idea of what something will actually taste like.
What are some other ways your senses can be stimulate through video? Comment or share below!
The post Marketing Brands: All 5 Senses Through Corporate Video appeared first on Corporate Video Blog.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)