So you want to create an impact with a brand awareness video that tells your company’s story in a creative way, a video that goes right to the heart of your brand and doesn’t simply list features, benefits and everything else that makes your company or product so special.
It can be inspiring to think of bold ideas for your brand. Internally, however, it can be a nightmare to push those ideas through. Leaders are often willing to make calculated risks for a chance to grow their business but afraid to make waves with their marketing. One executive wants to mention how long you’ve been in business, the sales team wants every lead to know about your new offering, and your boss wants to mention your new location across town.
NO WONDER SO MANY BRAND VIDEOS FOLLOW THE SAME CHECKLIST:
- At (company name), we care about (customer benefit).
- That’s why since (year), we’ve been leading the way in (industry).
- From (offering) to (offering), we do it all.
- Check out our new location at (address).
Sound familiar? This is a common scenario for many businesses who claim they want to “make a splash” or “disrupt the market” but lack focus or insight into what interests their audiences. Time and time again, the bold thinkers in the organization find themselves dragged by the riptide of sameness. Meanwhile, the brand is being pulled out to sea, surrounded by un-differentiation in all directions.
CREATING A BRAND AWARENESS VIDEO IS ALL ABOUT STANDING OUT
And standing out, by definition, feels uncomfortable. You’re standing up for something, and in the process, you’re exposing yourself to criticism. It requires bravery and new ways of thinking. Think of your favourite commercial. Is it the Old Spice Commercial? Or Terry The Linebacker? Or does it have Betty White getting knocked on her ass? Maybe it’s emotional or cute, like the Darth Vader Volkswagen spot, or my favourite, Eric and Peety.
Take a look at this ad for an online B2B marketplace:
This video is close to 2 minutes long — an absolute marathon when compared to most 30 second spots. But it doesn’t feel long because the filmmakers know how to tell an engaging story. And how much time did they spend explaining their product or services? Alibaba engages you with the why of the brand. It doesn’t need to delve into the how or even the what.
WE OFTEN ASSUME WE NEED TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION WITH A BRAND VIDEO, AND THIS IS HOW THEY BECOME OVERLOADED WITH INFORMATION
Instead, you should put yourself in your audience’s shoes and consider how you could use story, creativity and novelty to get them engaged. Should your video make them laugh or cry? Should it make them see the world in a new way? Or should it be so weird, they have to stop in their tracks and ask, “What did I just watch?”
Brand awareness videos with strong stories or bold creative concepts give the viewer a reason to take notice. And you must give them a reason to take notice if you want brand awareness. This is the problem of playing it safe — it often isn’t safe at all. You invest your money in a video that doesn’t get noticed.
DO YOU NEED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND A MULTI-NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO MAKE A CREATIVE BRAND AWARENESS VIDEO?
Of course not. There is amazing work being done at all levels of budgets. Check out this awesome series that Wistia did about working with different budgets (Personally, I think it’s an awesome refresher on the power of video).
IN SUMMARY…
I’m not advocating against facts and features. There will always be a place for product and instructional videos in the your client journey. However, I am saying that even fact and features videos require a level of calculated creative risk to be effective.
Remember you aren’t making a brand awareness video for yourself. It’s for your audience, so you need to understand what will grab their attention.
I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone. The only way to get a reward is with a little risk.
Doug Darling is the CEO and President of Tripwire Media Group, a film and animation company that specializes in strategic and creative storytelling. Check out our portfolio on Vimeo.