A number of big brands are pulling out of the whole video marketing thing. While there are some success stories, the ROI for video marketing is poor.
I have witnessed video marketing campaigns that have been phenomenally successful, but sadly these are few and far between.
The problems start with the maker of the video - this is nearly always someone who wants to make a video because they want to make a video. i.e. it is their job to sell that company or department the idea that they must make a full production, big budget video, regardless of the appropriateness of doing so. Either that, or (worst of all) they are enthusiasts and see themselves as Cecil B. de Hi-Def. Armed with a DSLR and a copy of Camcorder Monthly, they are going to rock the World with their great production!
Both cases are a recipe for a marketing disaster that will probably end up costing that company sales - the very opposite of what they were hoping to achieve!
Knowing when to make a video and when
not to make a video requires an experienced marketing director who knows his/her way around the making of corporate and marketing videos. Their task is to find a competent video production facility, capable of producing a video that meets a specific marketing need. To do this, you need to know
exactly what sort of video it is that you need to make (if any!)
There are three types of corporate video -
- Buy it Now!
- Use it Now!
- Go there Now!
Well, actually, there is a fourth - why the F am I wasting my time watching this drivel? That's all those rambling and unscripted talking heads that try to explain something and fail. This noble genre of futility probably accounts for most videos one finds on YouTube. This is all those berks that think an iPhone on a stick, or a DSLR on a stand, pointing at their good selves trying to explain something in five minutes that we could have grasped in 30 seconds - and doesn't much interest us anyway! We'll try to forget these.
Buy it Now! This is an advertisement with a call to action - go to this website, call this number, go to your local shop, whatever and buy the damn thing or sign up for whatever service I am trying to sell. Assuming that you are selling something that people actually want and/or need and the price is right, a snappy ad that is to the point and possibly witty, will sell product. About a minute long is probably plenty.
Use it Now! Instruction videos need to instruct. They can be some of the most effective sales aids imaginable. But they need to be tightly scripted and to the point. The words um, er and erm should be verboten! They can be as long as it takes to cover the subject, but not a second longer!
Go there Now! A simple 'show-and-tell' of your circus, your fairground ride, your design studio, your musical, whatever. Professional production values are vital here! Two minutes max!
