For some time, marketers have been moving away from the traditional selling tactics of TV commercials. It is no longer enough to tell audiences that your product is great and that they should buy it. One of the buzzwords that characterises the shift away from pure selling is ‘storytelling’.

How long it has taken for this evolution to take place is unclear, however, it is evident in TV advertising and in online video that more and more marketers are using storytelling techniques to engage audiences. With online video, storytelling style videos are becoming increasingly common for one simple reason; they work. Videos that tell an engaging story are more likely to be shared, liked and commented upon. They are therefore more likely to go viral and they will be remembered.

In an age when anyone can produce an online video, professional video marketers are using storytelling techniques to set themselves apart from amateur online video makers. Online video marketing specialists work with clients to uncover stories about their businesses, which will allow their customers to connect with them on a deeper level. They then translate these stories into professional videos that can often seem like mini-blockbuster movies.

The strengths of video storytelling

Everyone can relate to a story

It is an obvious point, but storytelling is how information has been passed from generation to generation since the beginning of time. This includes visual storytelling in the form of pictures on cave walls and verbal storytelling as seen with many of the stories from the New Testament, which survived for decades solely through word of mouth and memory.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams by Werner Herzog is a documentary about the recently discovered Chauvet caves in the South of France, and their cave paintings which date back 32,000 years. I have linked to the trailer for your viewing pleasure because this documentary is a great example of how a filmmaker tells a story about a topic from which there are no living subjects to draw from but is still entirely emotionally engaging. Something that video marketers can definitely learn from.

The modern storytelling forms that people are generally exposed to include books and movies. The classic narrative structures that exist in these forms are something that people are highly attuned to – this means that we really notice when someone breaks from the norm and plays with different narrative structuring devices. Examples of breaking from the norm include movies like Memento with its non-linear narrative structure. For an artier example, see Jean Luc Goddards’ ‘Breathless’, a story told through apparently random events and characters with no defined motivations.

It is movies such as ‘Breathless’ that make us realise what it is about the classic narrative structures that we enjoy so much and are comfortable with. These features include:

• A good introduction
• A protagonist with an aim
• Obstacles to the aim which provide some tension/conflict
•  A climax or a crisis point
• A resolution

A weakness of these features is that they can make some stories seem predictable. However, this is a minor weakness in the grand scheme of things. Ultimately, stories are one of the most powerful ways to get a message across.

Storytelling is more concise than a sales pitch

When working with clients who have less experience with video, their tendency is generally to want to use the video to say as much as they possibly can about their business. They don’t realise how quickly a viewer will switch off from being bombarded with information that isn’t necessary for them to hear. Storytelling is a fantastic solution to this problem. It is not only an interesting way to get a lot of information across; it is also a lot more concise. It can also bring out an emotional response more easily than a more practical explanation; Google could have explained the benefits of their search engine from a technical algorithm perspective but that would not have helped people to understand the real benefit that they get from Google.

With a story, there is no need to state the obvious as so much will be read in between the lines.

Video storytelling can be cost-effective

There are a number of different ways to tell a story and not all of them have to break the bank:

a) Video Interviews

One really easy and inexpensive way to tell a story using video is to interview ‘storytellers’. However, this option shouldn’t be taken just because it costs less. It is only worth putting a storyteller in front of a camera if they are an absolutely fantastic storyteller and they are worthy of being the star of the show. They need to have a look and personality that will engage audiences without the need for other visuals to support the telling of the story.

TED Talks have a Master Storytellers section that archives some of the finest TED Talks by individuals (some professional and some not so much) who use storytelling to educate and inspire their audiences. The following example from iO Tillett Wright shows how a personal tale can connect people to the meaning you want to portray.

b) Stock video or archive footage

Using stock video or archive footage is another way to save on costs when making an online video. If you want to tell a story about your business and you have a load of old footage, from when your business first opened for example, think about how you can use it NOW to tell your story. This footage can be accompanied by interviews or voiceover. Be careful though as stock footage can easily de-personalise your video and make it plain. Video production does not have to be expensive but it must have personality.

Seeing is believing

Putting a master storyteller in a video is a great way to share their gift with lots of people. Aside from master storytellers, online video really should be seen as an opportunity to visually tell a story; show your audience something they won’t be able to see anywhere else. Depending on budget and time (and what is appropriate to your audience) there are a number of ways to do this:

Animation is a popular way to tell stories in online video:

What is Google+ (Google Plus) and do I need it?

Using actors can also very effective:

Coco Mademoiselle: The Film – CHANEL

Reportage or behind the scenes access can tell an audience a lot about a brand:

London Fashion Season – Backstage Beauty at Todd Lynn Nail Art

As soon as you become aware of this new buzzword, ‘storytelling’, you will start to see it all around you.

With the current shift to inbound marketing all of us will become more reliant on storytelling to help explain our unique benefits and differences.

You will begin to judge what you consider to be good and bad storytelling. Good storytelling examples will always be the ones that ‘get you’; the ones that make you laugh or cry or get angry or make you think – or at least make you want to watch till the end! Storytelling really is timelessly powerful so maybe it is time you start tellin

The popularity of animated video within a digital marketing strategy is growing, and whilst it was once limited to those with massive production budgets, improvements in technology mean it is now widely accessible. Studies have proven that online video is a vital part of your marketing strategy (web visitors are 64%- 85% more likely to purchase after watching a product video, and you are 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of Google if you are using video on your site Forrester, 1/2010) – but with the wealth of video options out there, which is best for your business?

We find that many of our clients come to us confused by the array of video types and need some guidance on understanding what type of video is most suitable for their specific aims. In this article, I will be looking at the pros and cons of animated video, how it can be used most effectively, and when there are better alternatives.

Nowadays, internet visitors want information fast, and this is what has lead to the “video boom”. We have all heard the phrase “a picture speaks a thousand words”, and video allows you to capture, retain and convert visitors to your site.

Animated video communicates through a powerful mix of pictures, motion, text, voice, sound effects and music in a short amount of time, and its’ popularity
is on the rise. It can be a great way of increasing your likeability factor – most of us are sceptical the first time we visit a website, and a relaxed, whimsical whiteboard drawing, sketch or animated character can help us lower our guard, and provides an easy-to-watch viewing experience that viewers like and can identify with.

Many animated videos take the form of explainer videos that outline what a business does and how they can solve a problem that a customer may have or they outline how a business is different as Chipotle do so well in this video:

It will also help people to remember your business. The left side of the brain turns thoughts into images, while the right side ignites emotion and feelings.

Animation, therefore, is far more likely to appeal to right-side thinkers – and if it is entertaining, they will remember it.

However, the use of Motion Graphics within Live Action video can serve the same purpose to some extent, and the truth is, both animation and live action videos have their strengths in conveying diverse messages and can achieve different objectives.

The Pros of animated video production

Flexibility

Animated video allows far greater flexibility – your imagination is your only limitation. If you wanted your CEO flying across the sky with your company banner, for example, it would take a massive budget to achieve the required special effects, yet a simple drawing can convey the same message at a fraction of the cost (and your CEO gets to keep his feet firmly on the ground!).

Simplify your message

If you have a complicated product, an animated video is a great way of simplifying your message, and if the subject matter is dry, it can create an emotional connection by adding an element of fun. People prefer to learn through audio/visual methods, rather than reading through pages of text – and if they understand what you are offering them, how it will benefit them and are enjoying the experience at the same time, you are onto a winner.

Tell a Story

If you are offering a service, rather than a product, animated video can be a wise choice, as it allows you to tell a story and solve a problem that would be more difficult to portray using live action video. Here is an example of a video we made that takes the viewer on an animated journey, and lightens a dry subject:

http://mwpdigitalmedia.com/video/Animated_Video_Production

Build your Brand

Animation also allows you to maintain a strong brand identity – logos, corporate colours, fonts and the general “look” of the brand, can all be incorporated into the artwork.

There are, however situations where live action video will be more appropriate to achieving your goals. One of the greatest strengths of live action video is its ability to create a connection between the viewer and the person on screen. A charismatic, captivating on-screen personality will draw people in and create a rapport and sense of trust in your brand.

When is an animated video production less appropriate?

There are some occasions where a different type of video production may be more appropriate than an animated video; here are some of those situations or factors for opting for another kind of web video.

The Human Touch

People relate to people. If, for example, you were a homeless charity whose goal were to increase donations, a video showing someone sleeping outside in the snow, wrapped in a meagre blanket, would be a far greater tug on the heartstrings than a cartoon drawing of the same.

Testimonial videos

Testimonial videos are another example of where animated video would not be appropriate. These are tremendously powerful within a marketing strategy, as it puts a face to the testimonial which makes it far more believable.

Products, people, places

If your message focuses on existing products, people or places – generally, live action video is a better choice. The Spanish Tourist board, for example, would want to show real people enjoying the beautiful scenery, sunny climes and lively atmosphere of the destination.

If you are in an industry where the viewer is buying a physical end product, showing the finished product in action will boost viewer engagement and their comfort level with the product. With live video you can show a real-life demonstration – when someone is researching a product, they want to see the finished product in action. but with that said animated videos can be incredibly effective in showing how something works or outlining a process or steps to using a complex product.

Live action video also works brilliantly if you have a strong human face to the brand. Richard Branson, for example, has been appearing in the Virgin TV and Online ads. His name is synonymous with the Virgin brand, and by adding a touch of self-deprecating humour to the adverts, Virgin have increased the likeability of the brand. They have taken it from being a cold, faceless, corporate image to one that is associated with the dynamic, charming founder. At the end of the day, passion speaks volumes – and whether it is a charismatic CEO in front of the camera, or a dedicated, caring customer service representative – putting a face and personality to your brand can help build a relationship with potential customers.

Both animated and live action videos have their pros and cons, and when it comes down to creating a video marketing strategy, your customers and their needs hold the answer. With all types of video, the key is in creating content that is useful and engaging, which in turn turns visitors into customers. Using video animation to promote your business allows you to break through the boundaries of reality, and is a fun, quirky way of engaging your visitors. Just be careful to think your objectives through carefully!

Reportage is traditionally a journalistic term. In this article, I am going to tell you more about what reportage is and about how the reportage genre can be translated into corporate video production, making for great video content that your audiences will thoroughly enjoy. MWP have recently launched a reportage video production service and I will tell you about the process we employ to create fantastic reportage videos for our clients.

What is reportage?

Reportage is defined as the act of reporting news. A wider way to describe reportage is as the journalistic style of factual representation e.g. in a book or other media, including video. Reportage is can be seen as subjective representation of an event by a reporter or journalist – it therefore has very authentic qualities which inspires trust in audiences.

For a bit of history, this is what Eric Hobsbawn (historian) has to say about reportage:

“’Reportage’ – the term first appears in French dictionaries in the 1929 and in English ones in 1931 – became an accepted genre of socially-critical literature and visual presentation in the 1920’s, largely under the influence of the Russian revolutionary avant-garde who extolled fact against the pop entertainement which the European Left had always condemned as the people’s opium.”

In other words, reportage is honest.

Reportage video production

The style of reportage can be adopted for corporate video production in order to capture the buzz and excitement of a live event. Live events offer businesses the perfect opportunity to generate meaningful and interesting video content. The material for a great video is there, ready and waiting to be shot.

As a stylistic choice, reportage video enables

• A sense of unique access
• A genuine look at what your business does and how
• Access to the personalities behind your business

There are no rules regarding what types of businesses could use reportage video. Anyone who wants to communicate the real value behind their business by welcoming their customers ‘backstage’ can take advantage of reportage. Here are some great examples of reportage that I have come across which demonstrate the reportage style in a range of different business contexts.

Using reportage videos to address a query or a criticism

In the following video, McDonalds have used a reportage style video to answer a customer query – a query that could potentially make them appear extremely guilty if not addressed directly. The video gives McDonalds the opportunity to be transparent about their food and how they market it. This is an extremely intelligent use of reportage style video.

Using reportage videos to advertise a new product

The example below is a reportage style video that we at MWP shot for Maybelline New York, backstage at the Todd Lynn catwalk show as part of London Fashion Season. This type of backstage access is a great way to introduce audiences to a product and sell its benefits through seeing it in action.

Liverpool FC used a reportage style video to promote their new kit design to fans. Hearing the players advocate the new strip is an extremely powerful sales tool. It is also nice for fans to see their favourite players off the field in a different context.

Using reportage to be positioned as an authority

Reportage is traditionally a journalistic media form. For any major news channel, there are certain events that they will be at without question. Below is a video of the live reporting of the election of Pope Francis in 2013. A pretty big example but something we can all learn from. If you want to be a leader or be perceived as a leader in your field, it is essential that you attend events of any relevant significance to your industry. Go a step further and produce a reportage style video to share your access with your audience (permission may need to be granted in advance of course).

Reportage videos can generate interest

Obviously, reportage like any genre, can be drawn from for artistic purposes to create content with that particular feel or style. This video for Begin Again by The Veils is a good example of this.

Reportage video production service from MWP

At MWP we are proud of our reportage video production service. When we work with clients to produce reportage videos, we spend as much time planning as we do shooting and editing. In order to get the best results, our experience tells us that it is important to take the time to uncover the specific strengths and qualities that underpin a business.

Reportage style video looks ‘off the cuff’ but in fact, a lot of thought and preparation is invested in planning for the shoot. This ensures that we capture relevant and useful footage and that we don’t waste time – which saves our clients money. We use our unique creative process to build a story, which will engage our clients’ customers.

The video is brought to life through a highly professional post-production process. However, the work doesn’t stop there. At MWP we support our clients to reach the right audience with our video marketing services.

Visit our website for more information about our reportage video production service.

Zach Braff recently secured the funding for his new movie, Wish I Was Here. But the thing is, he didn’t go down the traditional route of signing a financing deal with a big Hollywood investor. Instead, he turned to his fans. He put up a video on Kickstarter, and within days had raised over $2 million.

How to create the right Kickstarter video production

Braff isn’t the first celebrity to try Kickstarter as a way to fund his work, but he is certainly one of the most successful. Bjork once tried to use Kickstarter to fund an App – but she failed, and closed down her project after raising only 4% of the total needed in 10 days.

So what exactly did Braff do right?

He killed objections
Braff explained exactly why he was using Kickstarter to fund his project. The fact that a rich celebrity wanted to secure funding from his fans was probably the biggest objection he’d face – so he knocked it down. He explained that if he went the traditional route, the movie wouldn’t turn out the way he envisioned. The casting, locations and final cut would be all wrong, and it wouldn’t live up to the same standard as Garden State.

So Kickstarter made sense as the solution: by getting the funding from fans, rather than a Hollywood studio whose only concern is making money, Braff could ensure the film would be made into something fans of his work could enjoy. Which brings us to our next point…

He made it about his fans
“Please help me make another movie for you like Garden State.”

Talking about what’s in it for his fans, rather than himself, was the best possible way Braff could’ve positioned his project. In fact, it’s the best possible way anyone trying to make money can position themselves – because people want to know what’s in it for them, particularly when money is involved. People won’t spend money on something if they can’t see how it will directly benefit them.

He used humour in his video
Humour is something Braff’s known for, and by incorporating it into his video, he reminded his fans what he was all about. But it’s not just that: humour in general is a fantastic promotional tool, because it helps to form a personal connection, which is a powerful weapon for anyone trying to raise money. If people like you, they are far more likely to want to help you – and humour can help with that.

You may be thinking, “Sure, but he’s Zach Braff. There’s no way I could do that.”

Oh, but you could. Okay, so maybe you wouldn’t raise $2 million – but you probably wouldn’t need to raise that much to turn your dreams into reality. Countless people have used Kickstarter to fund their projects, to turn their worthwhile concept into a worthwhile business.

To prove it to you, here are a couple of incredibly successful Kickstarter videos that exceeded their funding:

GoldieBlox

GoldieBlox is an engineering game for girls. It features a book about Goldie and her friends, who go on adventures and solve problems by building simple machines – which are then replicated in a physical board game that allows girls to solve problems for themselves.

What did Debbie do right?

She explained why this product needs to exist
Using phrases like, “89% of engineers are men,” and, “If we want to live in a better world, we need girls solving these problems too,” Debbie made it clear that there needs to be a game for young girls to start developing the spacial skills needed to become an engineer, in order to overcome to the disproportionate ratio of men to women in the field.

She made it personal and told a story
Explaining why this product needed to exist was only the beginning. By including her own story in the video, she made it easy for people – women – to understand why this toy needed to exist. She gave people something to relate to.

Debbie’s parents wanted her to become an actress, but Debbie grew up to become an engineer instead, and she’s bothered by how few other women there are in her industry. So she wants to help little girls grow up to love engineering as much as she does. This is the toy she wishes she’d had growing up.

But the story goes deeper, and shows how much this project means to her. Debbie spent her entire life savings and pulled in every favour she could to get her project to this level. But in order to take it any further, she needed to secure enough funding to build 5000 toys – which is where Kickstarter came in.

She summarised her story beautifully with this line: “Every girl you know is so much more than a princess. Help me build GoldieBlox, so our girls can help build the future.”

She demonstrated expertise
Aside from being an engineer herself, Debbie demonstrated her expertise in other ways – which is important, because if you can demonstrate your expertise, people are more likely to believe in you. Debbie told how she took her prototype and tested it with over 100 kids, gradually improving it as she went on. She learned that boys like building and girls like reading, and she wanted to combine those two elements to make a construction toy that would appeal to girls.

I’m Fine, Thanks

I’m Fine, Thanks is a documentary about complacency and people’s reluctance to do anything extraordinary with their lives. The team putting the documentary together spent two months touring the US, interviewing people, only to realise they couldn’t afford to do the rest of the work involved in getting the documentary out into the world. Enter: Kickstarter. The team needed to raise money for the editing, production and distribution of the documentary.

What did Adam and the team do right?

They asked for help and told people exactly what to do
Sometimes, outright asking for what you need is the best way to get it. At the very least, it can dramatically increase your chances. Adam opened with, “My team and I need your help,” going on to say, “we’ve really poured ourselves into this project, blood, sweat, tears and our own money – but we realised we needed double that to be able to edit, produce and get it out into the world.”

Amidst his call for help, Adam still managed to make it about the viewers, saying, “First, enjoy the trailer,” and, “second, if it resonates with you, please consider backing this project.” He then went on to explain exactly what people needed to do to both back the project and spread the word. Adam literally points to below the video, explaining where the Facebook Like button is, and talks about how word of mouth is the best tool they have to get the word out – as a result, over 16,000 people liked the video.

A solid call-to-action is one of the best techniques you can use to actually get people to do what you want, which, in the case of Kickstarter, is to fund the project – with the added bonus of spreading the word.

They showed people what they’d be getting
After the introduction, which featured Adam explaining why they needed help with funding, and what the project was all about, the Kickstarter video moved onto a trailer for the documentary, featuring heartwrenching clips of interviewees – a surefire way to convince people that this is something they should put money into.

Is Kickstarter right for you?

Kickstarter can be an excellent way to get your project or business off the ground, but there are a few fundamentals you need to get right in order to succeed. You need to focus on the benefits for the buyers, as well integrate a story (and possibly some humour) in order to give people something to relate to. Proving your expertise and showing people exactly what they’ll be getting can boost your chances too – so you’d better make sure you actually have something worthwhile to offer, and show why you are the one to deliver it. But the most important thing you need to do is this: make it about the viewer.

If you need help creating a video for funding your dreams then please get in touch as we would love to help you make something that communicates your vision well and motivates others to get behind you.

We recently experimented with two different web presenter videos to see which performed best at encouraging our visitors to complete a call to action.

In this article, I am going to tell you how we increased our conversion rate by nearly 300% through a change in script and a change in presenter. I will talk you through the two different approaches we took, how we monitored and compared their impact and why we think they generated the results they did.

Video 1 – Hugo

The first video was of Hugo, the Managing Director at MWP. We thought it would be interesting to see if an untrained but approachable presenter would have a positive effect on our conversion rate. As our MD, we felt that he would inspire trust in our audience.

Click this link to see the original video of Hugo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The results of this first video weren’t hugely impressive and so we chose to experiment with this second video of Natasha. Natasha is our resident presenter and previous videos that she has featured in (for ourselves and for some clients) have performed well. Hence why she is one of our resident presenters!

Click this link to see the new video of Natasha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The results

We monitored the impact of each video using Google Analytics. We set up an ‘experiment’ to compare each video and the impact they had on our conversion rate.

This graph shows pictorially the difference in impact each video had on our conversion rate. It is visible that a decline in the performance of the Hugo (orange line) video corresponds with a significant increase in the conversion rate associated with the Natasha (blue line) video. Natasha’s video outperforms Hugo’s video by nearly 300%.

 

Analysis

So, what were the factors that made the Natasha video perform so much better than the Hugo video?

Length of script

The length of each of the scripts are similar, 1:32 for the Hugo video and 1:33 for Natasha. It is unlikely that this factor had a direct impact on the results. We generally play by the rule that shorter and to the point makes better, more effective scripts. As the lengths of these scripts are the same, we established immediately that other qualities about the scripts had influenced the results.

Script content

Hugo’s script was fairly technical. It used a lot of specialist language such as ‘leads’ and ‘conversions’ and talked more about the thought behind web presenters. Natasha’s script is a more tangible explanation of how a presenter can be used – tangible because of the special effects, demonstrating to the viewer visually what a presenter can do.

In Hugo’s script, one of the major points (money back guarantee) is towards the end. It is possible that people in the audience will have switched off by this point. Natasha’s script comes across as more concise and despite the length being similar, it feels to the viewers as though she gets to the point more quickly (the process of getting there is also more entertaining!).

Presenter choice

We chose to have Hugo present because he is our MD, he is a genuine expert in the area of online video and we hoped that his authenticity would inspire trust. It seems that the power of a professional presenter and special effects won our audience over more than this approach with Hugo.

Presenter preference is extremely subjective and sometimes it can be difficult to predict who your audience will respond most positively to. Depending on your audience and your subject matter, there will be more (or less) appropriate options in terms of age, gender and style – to name but a few factors.

Hugo and Natasha have completely different delivery styles. To dissect a particular point, Natasha delivers the call to action is a cheeky manner which has more entertainment value. This must have impacted on how many viewers chose to complete the form at the end of the video.

Magic

The wow factor in the Natasha video with the special effects is something that the majority of people are impressed by – it enables them to SEE what a presenter can do, rather than just being talked at. The lesson for us is that we should use opportunities like this to really dazzle our audience.

Conclusion

Experiments like this one are perfect learning experiences. The points we made in our analysis seem obvious with hindsight but in truth, the only way to really know these things is to prove them by experimenting, monitoring the results and analysing them to improve future practice.

Many businesses opt not to use video in their marketing or advertising, because they feel their products or services aren’t interesting enough to merit it. It can be difficult to imagine how mundane products such as mobile homes, razors, shower gel and blenders could be used to create interesting – entertaining, even – videos. But with a little creativity, any business can utilise video to create something worth watching.

Here are a few methods you can use to create an online video production that people will actually want to watch:

Use Humour in your videos

Humour is one of the best ways to connect with your audience. Incorporating humour into your corporate videos is an easy way to get people to like you. Okay, nailing the humour part isn’t easy, but once you’ve managed that part, people will naturally feel attracted to you and your brand. And if people like you, they’re more likely to relate to you and more likely to trust you.

And the good news is, pretty much any business or brand can inject humour into its videos. Professional is no longer synonymous with “serious” – so don’t be afraid to have fun and experiment with different types of humour. The Dollar Shave Club, which sells the very bland product of razors, has pulled humour off seamlessly in its one and only marketing video:

Be Honest

Honesty is refreshing in today’s world of adverts and marketing. People always expect companies to be trying to trick them into something, to be conning them somehow or pulling the wool over their eyes. And the sad truth is, that’s often the case. So one particularly good way to stand out is to be plainly open and honest. I mean honest like a 5 year old kid. And there’s nothing boring about that.

Again, honesty is a great way to connect with your audience and cement their trust in you. In this mobile homes commercial, honesty is the main ingredient:

There’s nothing particularly glamorous about mobile homes, but somehow these guys have managed to pull together an engaging advert on a low budget. The brutal honesty is the winning element here: “They’re used. Some of them have stains. We cover that up.” The owner just says it like it is. No sugar coating. The result is a video that instils trust and makes a boring product interesting.

Do Something Unexpected

Doing something unexpected is another great way to make your product stand out and make it interesting. If what you sell can be used for anything other than its intended purpose, that’s (potentially!) a great way to market it. People like to be surprised, especially if the surprise comes packaged as entertainment, as with BlendTec’s Will it Blend? video series:

BlendTec is a brand of blender. Nothing exciting about that. But when you start blending random objects with it, it becomes a whole lot more interesting. Imagine if this video series just featured different types of food. Will it blend beans? Will it blend pasta? Will it blend a watermelon? All of a sudden you’re faced with a very dull set of videos indeed. By doing something unexpected with the product, not only does BlendTec entertain its audience, it also portrays just how good its blenders are. Double whammy.

Tell a Story

Stories are engaging and memorable, and they’re easy for people to relate to. Corporate videos should tell a story; and not one full of charts and details of your bragging rights. Stories are incredibly useful when it comes to branding. By giving people something to relate to, a story can transform any brand into something interesting. That’s the whole point of stories – they’re interesting and engaging. So if there’s a good story behind your business, you can use it to your advantage. If not, there’s no reason you can’t use fictional storytelling to promote your products, as PG Tips does wonderfully in its TV and online video campaign featuring Johnny Vegas and his monkey pal:

Talk About the Benefits

While your product or service may be dull on the face of it, it’s obviously providing value to some people – otherwise you wouldn’t still be in business. The problem is that hearing about what your product does or how it works can be boring. So you need to find something else to focus on instead. And that something is the benefits. Rather than telling people what your product does, paint a picture for them of the life they could have if they used it.

Old Spice did this with its renowned The Man Your Man Could Smell Like adverts:

Let’s face it, shower gel isn’t a very interesting product. You use it in the shower, and it cleans you and makes you smell nice. That’s it. In this advert, Old Spice paints a very literal picture of the benefits a woman could reap if she bought Old Spice for her man; the ad posits that a man who uses Old Spice is more likely to take his girlfriend or wife on a cruise, buy her tickets to her favourite show, buy her diamonds, and so on. While not necessarily true, it does play on women’s desires for all these things and, therefore, makes her more likely to buy the product – despite the fact that it is just shower gel.

You may have noticed that all of these elements tie together. Honesty is often unexpected. Using a product in an unexpected way can be funny. Telling a story can be funny or honest.

And the other thing that ties these videos together? They’re entertaining, but they’re all about boring products. Razors, mobile homes, blenders, teabags and shower gel. Dull, dull and dull. But here’s the thing: the vast majority of products are boring. Take a look around your home right now. What objects are lying around? Are any of them particularly interesting in their own right? Now how about with a dash of humour or honesty applied? Or a compelling backstory?

Barely any products are interesting when they standalone. It’s the video that makes them compelling, so if you’re avoiding incorporating video into your marketing strategy because you fear your product isn’t interesting enough, you’ve got it all backwards.

If you think your business could benefit from a video marketing campaign, but aren’t sure where to start, you’re not alone. Many businesses delay incorporating video into their marketing strategy, because they don’t know what they should do first or how to go about it.

Put simply, the hardest part of video production is starting.

Where Does the Difficulty of Starting Video Production Come From?

A large part of people’s hesitancy to dive into video production stems from the fear of getting it wrong. Businesses are afraid of making mistakes in their first attempts, because they fear it could have a negative impact on their business.

And I’ll give it to you straight: your first attempt probably won’t be very good – but neither is anybody else’s.

This isn’t exclusive to video. People across the board are afraid of not knowing enough, of making mistakes, of failing or looking foolish. In writing, in public speaking, podcasting, web design… and pretty much any other creative endeavour you can think of. But in the end it all comes down to one thing: getting started. Only once you’ve begun can you get good at it.

How Can You Nix the Fear?

Well, you can’t. Not until after you’ve taken action, anyway. The fear will remain until you’ve taken your first steps into the mysterious realm of video production.

It’s tempting to read more books and blog posts and articles, and watch more tutorials and how-to videos, trying to gather as much information as you can before you start making your own videos. But there’s only so much you can learn by reading; you can read all the books you like on a topic, but until you start experimenting and trying things out for yourself, you won’t really learn anything.

Think about how much easier it is to figure out how that DIY bedframe is to assemble when you actually start picking up the pieces and seeing what fits where. Reading the manual will help to a point, sure: you’ll know roughly what you should be doing. But until you have the bedposts and nails in your hands, you won’t really know exactly how it works.

Same thing with video.

How to start producing videos in SPITE of the Fear?

The key to remember is that successful videos don’t actually need highly skilled production teams or editors. If you’ve got a solid idea, it doesn’t matter if your first video isn’t produced particularly well: you’ll still be offering value to the people who watch it, and that’s the important part.

Presumably you already have a solid business (or a solid business plan), and that’s a great start. Now use what you know about your business and what you want it to achieve, and start planning out how your videos can help you accomplish this. It’s much easier to get started if you have an endpoint in mind.

Perhaps your trouble is that you don’t have a solid idea of how video could help your business’s marketing, but you may find your creative juices start flowing once you actually start playing around with it. trust me, there are plenty of ways video can help your business, and just get comfortable with the equipment you’ll be using.

Once you’ve started, you’ll find you naturally pick things up as you go. All that theory you read suddenly becomes applicable. It’s easy to get ahead of yourself when reading theory, but reading about how to edit properly isn’t going to be any use to you until you’ve managed to pull something together that actually needs editing. So stop wasting time reading about stuff you can’t implement yet, and get on with experimenting with and practising video production.

What Will Happen After You’ve Made Your First Video?

For starters, the world won’t come crashing down around you. Your business won’t fail because of one lousy video, especially not if your business and its videos have a brilliant idea behind them.

Guaranteed, any successful business you see online that has incredible videos… if you go back far enough, you’ll see their first videos were, well, pretty rubbish. But they had a good idea and they kept moving with it; they kept practising to get as good as they are today.

Take a look at Philip DeFranco. He produces an almost-daily YouTube news show, heads up a number of other projects and YouTube channels behind the scenes, and runs a popular apparel line.

Warning: these videos contain strong language.

The Philip DeFranco Show has 2.5 million subscribers, a rabidly loyal audience, and over a billion views on the videos on his main channel alone. But his first videos…

…left a little something to be desired, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Once you’ve produced your first video, you’ll be able to assess your level of skill. It’ll be easier to see the areas you need to improve on and the ones you’re actually surprisingly good at. You’ll also be left with a much better idea of why you’re making the videos in the first place, what you hope to achieve with them, and how you can get started down that track.

As soon as you’ve got your first video up, you’ll be able to use analytics data to find out how well it’s performing, and you may also receive helpful comments from people that can help point you in the right direction. In fact, you can outright ask people for constructive criticism if you’re feeling brave. (Just make sure you don’t ask your mother; she’ll only tell you how wonderful it is, which, although nice to hear, isn’t particularly helpful.)

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the fact that you can’t change, refine or edit anything until you have something solid to work with in the first place. So how are you supposed to get better without even trying? Not by reading more books, I can assure you.

If you need help with your business’s video production and marketing, get in touch today to find out how we can help. We offer a range of services that are focused on boosting your business and delivering results.

If you are like me, when you think of a ‘one-hit wonder’ you will remember the Chesney Hawkes’ classic “I am the one and only”.

Like a self-fulfilling prophesy, that song was his only hit. I don’t know the whole story but I imagine the record company stumbled upon this young man and his catchy tune and saw pound signs.

Apparently no thought was given to keeping up the momentum and building on his epic moment of success.

In this article, we are going to help you question your approach to video production for your business. If I wanted to give you a mantra it would be ‘don’t do a Chesney’, but I don’t want to do that. Quite simply, the goal is to switch your outlook on video from short-term to long-term. We want you to appreciate the value of video as an effective business solution and to get away from thinking of it as a fashionable must-have.

If you can relate because you made a video a while ago but have no idea what it achieved for your business, then please read on. I am going to offer some tips on how to avoid making a one-hit wonder.

1. Have a long-term video production strategy

Video is for life, not just for Christmas. To avoid being a one-hit wonder, approach online video with a long-term strategy. This involves thinking about your goals, your budget, how you will have your videos produced, marketing and distribution and last but not least, monitoring and evaluation. Ultimately, you want to be able to improve upon and learn from each and every video you make.

The issue is that this takes commitment and with a new opportunity most businesses simply want to dip their toe in the water and see. Unfortunately this approach tends to fail. It is rare that any business will hit the nail on the head first time around.

In most situations video is a more compelling way to communicate than static text or images – that is just fact, so with that in mind, how can you use video to form better relationships with your customers in the long term and how can you do it without risking too much?

Look around your business and see what types of communications are taking a lot of time or are not getting through? What do your customer service team struggle to explain, where are there misunderstandings or problems. These are prime opportunities for video to help you improve your business.

2. Reward loyalty

If you have one successful video, you will have garnered interest and support. Ideally, you want to stay connected to these viewers. That is why the following are so valuable:

a) Page likes on Facebook
b) Twitter followers
c) YouTube channel subscribers
d) Email sign ups

When viewers have chosen to stay connected to you in one of these ways, you should be thinking of ways to keep them interested and to reward their loyalty.

Old Spice had a video campaign known as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”. The video did extremely well and on the back of it they launched a ‘Response’ campaign, which went viral. They invited followers via Twitter to ask ‘The Old Spice Guy’ (AKA Isaiah Mustafa) any question they wanted. Out of these questions, Old Spice made 180 video responses. Here is one of them:

Engaging with an audience in this way is not only method to reward loyalty, it is also a fantastic way to generate original, new content that people will want to share.

3. Build on success (but don’t repeat yourself!)

One of the biggest errors any one-hit wonder can make is to try to repeat their previous success by doing exactly the same thing. It is impossible to do the same thing twice and it is obvious when that is what you are trying to do. Build on your previous success by adding something fresh.

Blendtec have achieved over 200 million views across the videos in their ‘Will it blend?’ campaign. There were rumours that their sales increased by 500% as a result of this campaign. The success of their videos is down to a number of factors. They focus on their own USP – i.e. the power of their blenders. They also make each video topical by attempting to blend an object of cultural relevance at that time.

‘Will it blend? – iPad’ has had just under 16 million views at the time of writing.

4. Sustain momentum

With online video, one of the worst things you can do is give up because you have had success with one video. If you rest on your laurels, you are wasting the opportunity to build on the momentum of your initial achievements. If you sustain momentum, you are more likely to achieve bigger success next time. Do this by keeping people interested.

This is connected to the point about rewarding loyalty. If a viewer has expressed an interest in what you do by becoming a ‘follower’ in one way or another, then you need to give them what they want. Regular output is vital. It doesn’t have to be every week, just regular and worthwhile. Relevant output is also essential. There is no point sharing video with these new followers that is unrelated to their original reason for being interested in you.

Red Bull is a giant in the world of online video. They produce new video content regularly and they give their followers something new every week. They know their audience and have built their video brand around who their audience is (i.e. adrenaline junkies!).

5. Constantly improve on your videos

If you truly do not want to be a one-hit wonder, you need to be committed to getting better at what you do. If you don’t progress with your video productions, everyone around you will be progressing and leaving you behind. You will be remembered for your one hit.

Marie Forleo is a great example of a video content producer who has a popular format (which she does repeat) but produces regular, fresh content – always adding something new to her portfolio. In the video below, Forleo features a high profile guest in her video, Sally Hogshead. Forleo is therefore benefiting from someone else’s expertise to create a new video that will be interesting to her audience.

6. Give people what they want

It sounds obvious, and I have said it before, but give people what they want. Do your research to find out what your audiences enjoy and give it to them. There are clues everywhere. Which content of yours do they like most? What are your competitors doing and what is getting the best response? Have you done any market research? If so, what does this tell you about what types of video content your target market might like?

All digital marketing is moving to an inbound strategy that leverages content… so why not give people what they want?

About a year ago we were analysing the projects that we had been working on and came to the realisation that around 50% of them were online videos that did not contain a web presenter.

Since then this trend has continued and although all of the projects are a natural fit for us as we have the skillset to make a good good of them our brand, with the name My Web Presenters is suggestive of us only producing that kind of video. Therefore we decided to launch a new brand.

MWP Digital Media is an extension of My Web Presenters, or rather an umbrella brand that My Web Presenters now sits beneath. We wanted to build a brand that’s more representative of our work – one that encompasses every type of video we create.

What can you expect from MWP Digital Media? Here’s a rundown of the different types of video we offer:

Web Presenter Video

We are, of course, able to offer you web presenter videos. Web presenter videos are those that pop up at crucial points on your website and evoke a call-to-action. They engage visitors immediately, and guide them on where to go or what to do next. You can see an example of a web presenter video on our home page, and the compelling way in which it makes you take action.

How-To Video Production

How-to videos are one of the most popular forms of video on the web. They’re excellent for demonstrations of your product and are a great way to instil confidence in what you do. Many people watch a how-to video of a product before they decide whether to buy it, but the key to remember is that they already want to buy it – the video is just their way of justifying the purchase, so better make it a good one!

Online Commercials

Online commercials are most successful when they’re entertaining (known as branded entertainment) – because people are far more likely to share a video if they find it particularly amusing or interesting. TV commercials rely on vast numbers of people tuning in and just a few people taking interest. But online commercials can be targeted much more directly towards users, which is compounded by the fact that people can easily share the videos they like with others who have similar interests.

Event Video Production

Professionally-produced event videos are an excellent way to spread the word of your business with very little extra effort on your part. Just carry out your event as normal, and we’ll film the whole thing and put together a powerful video that shows your company at its best, and then we’ll distribute it on the web.

Thought Leader Video

Thought leader videos are a great way to portray your company’s mission and values in an authentic way that builds trust and tells the story you want your customers to hear. You can pick out the most important values that make your company what it is, and talk about them in a way that creates a connection between you and your viewers.

Motion Graphics Production

Motion graphics add punch to videos that would otherwise be dull and lifeless. They can be used to segue between different concepts, and are an effective way of making the most important elements stand out. They’re also a fantastic way of branding your videos so they’re recognisable right from the start.

Training Video Production

Training videos make learning more accessible. Rather than being confined to a classroom, we can record whatever you need to teach and create a video that people can watch in their own time and in the learning environment that’s best for them. It’s also a time- and cost-effective way of teaching, because once the video is recorded, you can use it over and over again – whereas a classroom lesson has to be taught anew each time.

Animated Video Production

Sometimes it can be difficult to get your message across using live action shots. Animated videos are an incredibly useful tool for conveying statistics, narratives, and any other information that could benefit from a visual representation that simply isn’t possible in “real life.”

Corporate Video Production

Corporate videos are used to give an inside view of your company. By showing viewers what goes on behind the scenes and introducing them to the actual people who make things work inside your business, you can portray a human element that’s often difficult to get across in branding. It’s a good way to build trust and authenticity – which is vital to brand loyalty.

Reportage Video Production

Reportage videos that record exciting events as they happen are a wonderful way to capture attention and show that you’ve got your finger on the pulse. By showing your viewers that you’re up-to-date with the happenings in your industry, you’ll prove that you’re a valuable source of information and an expert in your arena.

Testimonial Video Production

Testimonial videos are one of the most powerful ways to instil trust in your company. Testimonials offer legitimate proof that you’re as good as you say you are – because people are hearing straight from your customers’ mouths about the great experiences they’ve had with you.

Online Presenter Video

Using a presenter in your videos can help give direction to your content – as well as introduce a human element that people can relate to.

Newsreel Video Production

Portraying information in a news report style can help add legitimacy and a sense of urgency. If you want to show that you’re an authority on a specific topic, newsreel videos are an excellent way to show this and can boost viewers’ trust in your abilities.

Video Spokesperson

Virtual spokespeople pop up on arrival at your website and introduce it. They’re a great way to grab attention and engage your visitors immediately.

Video Presentation

If you’ve ever had to sit through a tedious Powerpoint presentation, you know how stiff and boring presentations can be. Incorporating a professional presenter into videos used to convey potentially dull information can add life and engage the viewers more directly, meaning more of the information will be absorbed.

Service Video Production

Service videos are without doubt one of the best ways to add credibility to your company. A service video is a great way to connect with viewers by introducing them to the people inside your business and showing them what you do. You can use a service video to tell your own unique story and bring attention to what makes you stand out from your competition.

Whatever your video needs, we have a solution. If your business needs a hand in the video department, head on over to MWP Digital Media today to find out how we can help.

Parody is a legal cheat. By using online parody videos, businesses can use the fame and reputation of an established brand to bring themselves publicity and notoriety.

If you are a small business with a tight budget then parody videos can be a fantastic way to make a noise.

In this article we are going to share some examples of businesses that have used parody effectively. We will then offer some guidance on legal considerations when using parody in online video marketing.

5 of our favourite parody videos

1. Somersby Cider

Somersby have apples in common with Apple. They have used the power of the Apple brand to leverage some great coverage for their new cider product. This video achieved over one million views within a week of publishing.

2. The iPhone 5 (Parody) Ad: A Taller Change, by Satire

This video has had over nine million views. Satire has a YouTube channel and they produce comedy videos about trending topics. With video views in the millions, they will be generating revenue from the YouTube adverts that accompany their videos.

3. Nintendo Wii by Sarcastic Gamer

Sarcastic Gamer took a big dig at the announcement from Nintendo about the release of the Wii. The Wii was meant to be revolutionary in terms of how we exercise but as far as Sarcastic Gamer is concerned, it is more about standing around on a white thing that looks good with Ikea furniture. At time of writing the video had reached nearly nine million views.

4. ‘The Specs Effect’ – Lynx Effect parody by Specsavers

Specsavers took the famous Lynx Effect formula and have created an advert promoting their own brand. This video has had nearly two million views via YouTube.

Specsavers also created a Thunderbirds parody video. It has had fewer views than the Lynx video and is less amusing, but it is obvious that Specsavers are aware of the power of parody.

5. The Muppets

The makers of the Muppets have produced a mass of parody trailer videos – using existing iconic movie trailers or music videos and putting their own Muppet spin on them for comic effect.

The legalities of using parody in online videos

The following information is intended as general guidance. If you are creating content and you are unsure about the legalities we would recommend that you seek professional advice.

A parody is an imitation of a particular person, genre or piece of work which is deliberately exaggerated in order to make a comment or poke fun at it. Parodies generally have a lot of comic value.

In the US, parody is protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and free press. When you create a parody you are saying something about the thing in question i.e. criticizing it and highlighting its flaws. Parody involves using sarcasm and humour to raise questions.

Parody also falls under ‘fair use’ in copyright protection. This means that it is okay to take a video, image or song and essentially poke fun at it through parody. It is important that it is very clear that what you are doing is parody and that what you are doing is expressing an opinion. The risk is that your parody video could be construed differently to how you intended.

As recently as 2012, the UK decided to relax parody laws. The exception of copyright now also applies to parody. Previously, it was necessary that one would have to seek permission from the original copyright holder. See this Guardian article for an explanation of Government motivation for these changes.

It is a good idea to contact the original creator of the piece you are parodying. See it as a gesture of goodwill. They may actually enjoy your video and share it, which can only benefit you. You should also think about including a disclaimer with your video, explaining what it is. And while you are at it, make sure you are insured in case someone was to take action against you. Even if you are in the right, you won’t want to pay fees for legal support.