J: Welcome to Straight Shot everybody. My name is Jennifer Bennett and with me is B. Zachary Bennett. We’ve got a good one for you today. We’re gonna be talking about something that I think applies to just about everybody listening right now. We’re talking about videos today and the importance of video. We make a lot of video now-a-days: on-location shoots, in-studio shoots, testimonials and interviews, creative concept commercials, videos for social media. There’s a lot of video that goes in and out of our Agency. We have a special guest with us in the studio today, Braeden Orr – who is one of our creative team members here at the Agency that specialized in video for our clients. Welcome, Braeden. In the way of introduction, tell us a little about your background in video and creative.

 

B: I got my start early on. I remember my first video I ever made when I was 8 years old with my dad’s VHS camera and action figures. So that started my interest in video, and I spent most of middle school and high school experimenting with cameras and everything else. Eventually, I went to Mercer University and got my degrees in media studies and theater, and then, I got my Masters degree in film and television from Savannah College of Art and Design. Since then, I’ve been doing video work for social media, marketing campaigns, award-winning short films, and music videos. Just about anything you can think of when it comes to video.

 

Z: And now he works here at the Agency.

 

J: Yes, we were lucky enough to snag Braeden, and he has been working with us, heading up the creative and videography section of the Agency. So we’re happy to have you here to really talk about video and the importance of it; it would be good to have your opinion. So now the question of the day, Zachary, is video really important?

 

Z: It’s not that video is “important” ..content is important, your story is important, the details are important…. However, video is effective. Very effective…at communicating those aspects. Video is one of the easiest ways to engage an audience and convey emotion. An image/picture/graphic is more impactful than text. Mainly because people don’t like to read, they just don’t. They’d rather sit back and be shown, in a way that is easy to understand. You’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, video is made up of 24 pictures per second sometimes more. It’s often referred to as “moving pictures," so you can get a lot more in than with a single frame. You can change locations, change subjects, etc. It’s an excellent storytelling medium, whether that is repositioning a brand or generating awareness. It’s also often the hero piece of content that drives customers to a website to discover more. Another added benefit is emotion. Video engages 3 of the 5 senses: sight, sound, and emotion through the use of music, inflection, and speaking tones.

 

VIDEO IS IN MORE PLACES THAN EVER BEFORE 6:48

Video these days is more than just what we see on our televisions. And while TVs are still great for mass awareness, the reality is there are hundreds of different channels we use every day to get news and information. Smart phones, Social Media, Theater advertising, in store video, outdoor video, event booths, public and private presentations, YouTube, and tons more on the internet.

Also product placement inside Hollywood films

• Hooters – “Big Daddy”, “Blended”

• Fiji – “Big Bang Theory”

• McD – “Big Daddy”

• Reese’s Pieces – “ET”

• Google – “The Internship”

• Car Manufacturers – “Transformers”

• DC – “Lego Movie”

• Airforce – “Captain Marvel”

• Cobranding – “GOT”, “Vikings”

 

J: To be seen, brands must meet consumers where they are, and that means utilizing these different media platforms and formats as they related to their target audience.

 

COST/AVAILABILITY HAVE CHANGED 19:23

Z: It used to be that video was too costly. Production costs have come WAY down. To the point that anyone can make a video now. Now it’s a question of how well a video can be made. Now it is skill based, instead of availability based. Before no one had the tools, now it’s that not everyone has the skills to do it well, there was a shift. The same thing happened with print materials. Once technology moved to where you could have home and office printing, anyone could print a flyer or a piece of collateral. Then we discovered that some people just shouldn’t…. lack of creative skill and being amateur started to come into focus. Video is now the same way.

 

J: So be careful of trying to DIY for your business. Several DSLRs and phones shoot 4K video footage now, but not everyone knows how to handle such high resolution footage. Editing and color grading take great skill. Knowing WHAT to shoot and developing an engaging concept is also a skill. The lower cost means that you can afford to have professionals do it…where you might not have before…not that you should take on doing it yourself.

 

B: Some aspects you can do yourself, under the guidance of a marketing professional – things like Facebook live and Instagram stories are definitely things that you can shoot yourself,

 

Z: Just make sure you know what you are doing and how it is going to impact your business. Don’t get it wrong and hurt your brand.

 

J: And now-a-days, more and more people are consuming video on the go, so it’s imperative your content is accessible across the right platforms and formatted for the best user experience possible.

 

Z: Most video is shot 16:9 or landscape for TVs, YouTube, etc. However, Instagram will only take vertical video… that’s a different formatting that’s 9:16. They also have length limitations that differ for each different media. Also, 85% of videos shown on social media are consumed with the sound off. So grabbing someone’s attention visually, using captions, actively prompting viewers to switch the sound on, or ensuring your video makes sense without audio, will also help your campaigns succeed on social platforms.

 

B: You have to have a comprehension of language that older generations may not have. Being able to present videos either with words or with information in a quick way, especially on social media where you have to pretty much be in and out quickly. It’s gotta be done in a way that everyone will be able to grasp it, and I think people will grasp those very short messages because they’ve become accustomed to it.

 

J: Speaking in emojis and text shorthand, pages – we’ll do an entire episode in the future about Next Generation Marketing. Also, TV commercials, like we saw on the Super Bowl, are pushing people towards social media now, so they can find unlimited video content…

 

Z: Advertising is limited to 15, 30, or 60 seconds in most cases… but the internet can host almost limited amounts of content. Social Media and internet content is also not limited to being wedged in between competitors. It can immediately take the viewer to an environment that is consistent with the company’s brand.

 

54:09 Straight Shot Reveal

J: So instead of a Straight Shot reveal since we are just stating facts right now, let’s suffice to say that yes, video is important. Down right imperative for business. so instead of kinda of restating that, tell me, what are some trends we could be looking for in future?

 

Z: 2019 is going to be about balancing old and new ways of thinking about marketing, and there are two main things I believe we should be focusing on. First, Novelty is wearing off. So now it’s going to move to being “good” communication. So we’ll see a resurgence of classic marketing thinking. Sound, human-based research to better understand consumers. Strategic work to better position brands and uncover insights. A relentless drive for stronger creative work (Taco Bell has really stepped up their game in this capacity). Great ideas cut through. They create discussion and dialogue, and they get shared. They sometimes polarize, like Nike’s Colin Kaepernick campaign. However, if you’re values and purpose are aligned, this will only build your brand. Second, innovation and continuously pushing technology to make ideas better.

 

Mobile Video 59:35

Z: Right now, a majority of commercial video is watched via smartphone. A recent AdWeek survey found an 88% growth year on year in time spent watching videos on mobile. 70% of YouTube video views are on mobile. So we will see major players introducing vertical video formats (YouTube, Facebook, IGTV). Netflix is also trying vertical video for mobile previews — a perfect example of a platform tapping into behavioral insights to maximize user experience. While it’s not the optimal way to experience video content, it is the easiest way to get someone’s attention while on a smart phone, if they don’t have to change the position of their phone.

 

Augmented Reality + Virtual Reality + Mixed Reality 1:01:24

Z: AR, VR and MR are dramatically changing how we display and convey information. For example, Google’s new AR Street View feature in Google Maps will help you follow directions in real time. And in terms of advertising Facebook is testing AR ads in Beta. Like Michael Kors current campaign that allows you to virtually try on sunglasses before you buy via snapchat like filters with their products.

 

Voice + Visual Search 1:04:40

Z: We’ve seen a shift towards “hey Siri” and Alexa and Echo type devises… so we’ll start to see this in search options, making it easier and more accessible than ever for people to get information. Voice search has reached an early majority (nearly 20% of all searches), it’s predicted to increase to 50% by 2020. Browser based search is coming as well as other companies like Snapchat and Amazon making more voice based search/ecommerce options. Google, Amazon, Facebook are already using voice to learn what you like and serve you advertising because of it… but eventually it will be less eavesdropping and more direct. Visual search is also interesting… what to know more about something? Take a photo of it. What to find the best price or to buy something, take a photo of it. The internet will continue to grow in importance. Companies are breaking down the divide between digital and physical to deliver. We will see less and less physical stores and quicker ecommerce delivery. Everyone and everything is being connected online and stores like Amazon are taking over the retail experience.