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Five things that make a marketing video effective.

December 15, 2011 By Jimm Fox 1 Comment

This video is very effective.  It’s fun, it’s memorable, it’s evocative and it’s something that you want to share.  It informs you, it engages you, it moves you and it’s very well done. Wow.

Sponsored by RIOTUR, the City of Rio de Janeiro’s tourism authority, this video was created to support RIO’s bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. RIO won the bid making it the first South American city to host the Olympic games. I have to believe that this video contributed in at least some small way to RIO’s successful bid.

Like Paris, San Francisco, Vancouver and Venice, RIO is blessed with iconic scenery and natural beauty so an argument could be made that creating a video to promote the city shouldn’t be that difficult. There’s more to it than beautiful shots, however. This video works for a number of reasons:

1. There’s a strong story-line that carries the video. By story-line, I don’t mean ‘boy meets girl, boy leaves girl, etc.” The story-line is much more subtle in this video, but just as important. Music is at the heart of the video. Music not only sets the mood and pace of this video, it becomes clear that music is a core element that makes up the character of the city and the people of RIO. That’s the story being told. Music is an integral part of the culture. That’s a very compelling story.

2. The video is engaging. You want to watch the video, you are interested to see what comes next. This is a difficult thing to do in a video – make the viewer want to keep watching.

3. It solves a specific business problem. The business problem for the Olympic committee was ‘what city do we chose for the 2016 Olympics?’ RIOTUR provides ample reasons for IOC judges to consider RIO as the 2016 destination city: RIO is a ‘lifestyle city’ as evidenced by the myriad of activities shown in the video; RIO has a strong and obvious tradition of sports; RIO already has existing sporting facilities that could accommodate some of the different events; RIO will be a huge draw as a destination for travelers which will ensure that the games are well attended; and like the Vancouver Winter Olympics, the natural beauty of the hosting city will certainly have a halo effect on the games themselves.

4. Simple message. Show me don’t tell me. No talking heads, no spoken words, no happy talk or marketing bluster, just a compelling video highlighting the people, the lifestyle and the beauty of RIO all centered around a theme of music and culture.

5. The video is very well produced. From the inclusion of familiar iconic scenary like the cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking the city to an array of lifestyle and beauty shots of the city and it’s inhabitants, this video covers all bases.  A clever concept interweaving a combination of sound and music is complemented by beautiful cinematography and great editing.

I don’t know the name of the company that produced this video but they deserve a lot of credit for helping RIO win the 2016 Olympic bid.

Filed Under: General, Marketing with Video, The Effect of Video on Your Brand, Video and Government, Video Marketing Tagged With: , , ,

Marketing lessons from presidential candidacy videos.

May 16, 2011 By Jimm Fox 1 Comment

Barring a political catastrophe, President Obama will likely be re-elected in 2012. So while discussions around the outcome of these videos are probably moot, it’s still instructive to see how the committed (or nearly committed) presidential candidates are using video (not just news interviews or TV spots) to position themselves. Companies large and small would benefit from both lessons learned and mistakes made in these videos.

Newt Gingrich {Grade: F}

As John Stewart pointed out last week – it looks like Newt’s video was shot in a Sears portrait studio. This video is all Newt. Nothing to see but Newt’s ample cranium for over two minutes. Talking heads are one the most common and least valuable uses of video.  Most are dull and forgettable – like this one. The message, if you listened to it, is pretty much a litany of cliches and generic promises. Video is a visual medium. Show people what you are talking about. Better yet, get other people to talk about what is important to them. No one wants to hear your company president blather on for two minutes about your product or service either. Show people the benefits of the product. Appeal to the buyers emotions. Get satisfied customers to gush about how your product changed their lives. Sure, if your candidate (or CEO) looks like JFK or Ronald Reagan then a bit of camera time is probably a good thing. This video is old school, it’s dull and there is absolutely no reason to share it with anyone.

Mitt Romney {Grade: D+}

This video has a number of things going for it that Newt’s doesn’t: 1. Mitt took the time to shoot the video somewhere (no doubt this video will solidify the New Hampshire High School football vote), 2. Let’s face it – Mitt looks like he was pulled out of central casting (“hey, we need a presidential looking guy… and not Martin Sheen”), 3. Mitt makes reference to conversations with people and speaks about their concerns. 4. It didn’t looked too staged. (Of course it’s staged – all of these things are staged. There is no ‘real’ in reality TV) but at least he made the effort to be seen in a fairly natural setting. The video felt comfortable – that’s a good thing. But in the end it is was still dull and there were very few messages or ideas that really stick with you in this video. People understand and remember if you tell them and show them what you are talking about. If you sell fertilizer (a purely coincidental choice of analogy…) it would make some sense to get your spokesperson out on a farm delivering your message – so kudos to team Mitt for that. But wouldn’t it be better hearing a farmer describe how and why your fertilizer is the best stuff around.

Tim Pawlenty  {Grade B}

I give this video a lot of credit, it has it all: Epic soundtrack – check. Lots of special effects (especially ‘lens flare’) – check. Lot’s of quick cuts and shaky camera – check. This would have made a good movie trailer or John Mellancamp video. No question it’s slick, maybe too slick, but there is no denying it gets and keeps your attention, it delivers well on a few key messages and it is something you would share, or at least want to watch all the way through. Problem is Tim is going to find it difficult to live up to the hype of this video. I’m not sure he’s really that cool in real life.

President Obama {Grade B}

I really like this video because it focuses on real people saying real things (sure it’s staged… this is marketing we’re talking about) but it does what the Obama campaign team do so well and what few republican teams seem to grasp – it seems to relate to people on a human level. It makes a real connection. (Those connections drive involvement which wins elections.) Obama isn’t even in this video (he’s got a day job that precludes him from appearing too ‘campaigny’) but that doesn’t really matter. People talking about Obama on a personal level resonates with many people – it’ll stick and it’ll get people thinking. Most of the other videos don’t make you think – they don’t try very hard to engage you – they just talk about what they think you want to hear.  Whether you are promoting a new cleaning solvent or your presidential candidacy the message has to resonate – it has to appeal emotionally or you’re wasting your time.

 

Bonus Video:

Congressman Paul Ryan’s Pathway to Prosperity {Grade A-}

Ryan won’t be running in 2012 but this is still a great video that shows how to effectively promote an idea. (Isn’t that what the elections should be about…) I’m not going to comment on the oversimplification of some very complicated issues being shown in this video but I do believe the style and approach are very effective. Probably the best of the lot. It’s well produced, interesting to watch and more importantly, it communicates something of lasting value. It gives you a clear (at least in Ryan’s mind) view of where he sees the specific problems and discusses how these problems should be addresses. The biggest issue with most political videos is that they are usually forgettable, have little lasting value and most importantly, they never make a convincing point. Ryan has taken a stand and also taken the time to clearly and effectively communicate his position on a very specific issue.  Any company would benefit from taking this type of approach: Clearly identifying a specific pain, addressing the specific solution(s) to stop that pain, and most important - clearly demonstrating the benefits of fixing that pain. Marketing 101. Kudos to Ryan for this. See you in 2016.

{Follow-up note: Time magazine just named Ryan as a runner-up for their ‘Time, Man of the Year“.  And while Ryan claims in this article he doesn’t have the fire in his belly to be President, I’d be willing to bet that  will change in the near future.}

Even more bonus videos

Go to Ron Paul’s site and watch some of his older videos – they’re the most fun to watch.  He’s the only guy who you believe isn’t just saying whatever is needed to get elected. You actually feel that he believes what he says and probably won’t change his mind once elected. (He doesn’t stand a chance.)

 

Filed Under: General, Marketing with Video, The Effect of Video on Your Brand, Video and Government Tagged With: , , ,

The power of video. A story told well can reach a broad audience.

December 23, 2010 By Jimm Fox 1 Comment

“Rosling believes that making information more accessible has the potential to change the quality of the information itself.” – Business Week Online

Doctor and health researcher Hans Rosling has spent the last few decades of his career making statistical analysis more engaging. In this recent video (an excerpt from a BBC series – The Joy of Stats) Rosling employs animation to demonstrate how the overall health and wealth of everyone on earth has advanced over the past 200 years and more importantly, how developing nations appear to be catching up to the more prosperous western nations. While I can’t comment on whether the oversimplification of such a complex issue as global health is a good or bad thing, I am impressed with the effectiveness of Rosling’s presentation. Almost any message – corporate, educational, or otherwise can benefit from a healthy dose of ‘show me don’t tell me.’ Risling employs a compelling mix of enthusiasm and animation to highlight the important points of his message. At two million YouTube views (remember this isn’t Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber), this video clearly demonstrates that a story told well can reach a broad audience.

I’d also like to believe that the story being told is both positive and hopeful.


Filed Under: General, Video and Education, Video and Government, YouTube Video Tagged With: , , ,

Tufts University Accepts YouTube Video as part of Application Process.

February 23, 2010 By Jimm Fox Leave a Comment

Is this a publicity stunt or a simply a sign of the times?

The New York Times published an article today explaining how Tufts University is encouraged University applicants to include a 60 second supplemental video as part of the application process. According to Lee Coffin, dean of undergraduate admissions, 1,000 of the 15,000 applicants have already submitted a video. There are no video guidelines on style, format or content just the suggestion that video might be an engaging way to show the school who you are.

Is this a publicity stunt?  Coffin suggests, “maybe I was naïve, but it didn’t occur to me that these videos would be so public, and so followed.” Coffin goes on to explain that the idea came to him last year Spring  as he watched a YouTube video someone had sent him. “I thought, ‘If this kid applied to Tufts, I’d admit him in a minute, without anything else,’ ” Whether this is a well conceived marketing gimmick by the University or simply an admissions officer recognizing the power of a new medium I believe it represents something larger, something that the phenomenal growth of YouTube is just an early indication of – that video is changing how we communicate.

And why not? We all have different learning styles – visual, auditory or tactile, why shouldn’t we encourage different communication styles. Not everyone is a great writer but you know that there are a lot of people with really great projects, hobbies, accomplishments, and passions that might be better showcased with a well conceived video.

Is this the end of the written word? Of course not. Communication isn’t a zero sum game. Our brains aren’t quite full yet. Coffin defends his heretical idea (I imagine in order to protect his good standing with the English Department) by stating, “we will never abandon writing.” “No matter what, it’s important to be able to express yourself elegantly in writing.” He is, of course right, but it is also becoming more important to be able to communicate visually and aurally as well.

Filed Under: General, Video and Education, Video and Government, Video Marketing Tagged With: , , ,

Nicely played Prime Minister Harper!

October 5, 2009 By Jimm Fox Leave a Comment

He doesn’t have Pierre Trudeau’s charisma or even Ringo’s vocal range, but to give credit where credit is due – nicely played Mr. Prime Minister.

Even dyed in the wool conservatives will acknowledge that Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper tends to appear a little wooden at times. So it was surprising, even shocking to many to see our country’s leader take center stage and sing and play piano in the middle of a gala performance at the National Arts Center in Ottawa. He was pretty good.

Was this a just another political contrivance dreamed up in a back room by the conservative puppet-masters? Perhaps, but even if it was you still have to give the PM full marks for taking the risk… and pulling it off. Very, very few people would have the courage to do this.

I imagine this video will make a difference. Aside from the broad media coverage it has already received this video will be shared and viewed by demographics that would never have otherwise watched a Stephen Harper video. It will cast him in a slightly different light – as something other than leaden and it will give some, maybe even a majority of people enough of a glimpse of humanity that they may change their feelings about him come election time.

Prime Minister Harper and all politicians would do well to engage the electorate not just through press conferences and shouting matches during question period but also through the use of social media where people are sharing stories, engaging their networks and slowly building new and important communities of influence.

Rock on Stephen!

So what do you got Iggy?

Filed Under: General, Video and Government Tagged With: ,