What really goes into planning, producing, and selling an award-winning video marketing campaign? Uncover how we created our Telly-winning vacation video.
It could not shock you to listen to that the Vidyard advertising and marketing crew publishes numerous movies. Social movies, demo movies, promo movies—the listing goes on.
However our annual vacation video is at all times considered one of our very favourite productions of the yr. Whereas we wish to be inventive with all of our content material, that is the one the place we actually get to have some enjoyable and take a look at the bounds of personalization. And I have to say, our crew has provide you with some wonderful ideas.
And fortunately, we’re not the one ones who assume so. Along with getting some unbelievable reactions from our clients over time, our 2019 vacation video has gained a prestigious Telly award within the Enterprise-to-Enterprise Video Marketing campaign class.
So, what made it such a giant success? What can your advertising and marketing crew be taught from it? Let’s unwrap this marketing campaign to seek out out—and you should definitely stick round till the top for a really particular deal with.
Our Award-Successful Video
What does a Telly award-winning video from a B2B tech firm really seem like?
In our case, it appears to be like an terrible lot like cheeky popular culture references with a private contact.
Our two-minute video that includes staff dressed up as their favourite vacation film characters—Clark Griswold, Buddy the Elf, Cindy Lou Who, and naturally, John McClane—was no peculiar vacation greeting for our clients.
It was playful, it was relatable, and it was totally completely different from the barrage of disposable vacation greetings acquired from dozens of different distributors. It additionally had a inventive flare that made it very tough to disregard: The video was personalised for every particular person viewer, bringing them into the story in unforgettable methods.
Watch the story unfold for a viewer named Jesse:
Should you work for a giant model company or media firm, a Telly award might not appear to be that large a deal. Groups at Disney, CBS Interactive, HBO, BBC, and Crimson Bull routinely win Telly awards for his or her wonderful commercials and good storytelling—even within the B2B classes.
However for our small advertising and marketing crew who produces content material (not commercials) for a distinct segment viewers on a really modest funds, an award like that is an unbelievable honor and proof that we’re doing one thing proper.
How We Put Collectively Our Award-Successful Video Marketing campaign
What really goes into planning, producing, and selling and award-winning video marketing campaign? Learn on to learn the way we created ours.
Planning: Concentrate on the 4 E’s of Video
Video has so much going for it. In comparison with static content material codecs, it presents a lot of distinctive traits that may provide help to remodel the best way you join with prospects and clients.
To ship your individual award-worthy B2B video content material (and even simply a tremendous product explainer), be specific about tapping into video’s distinctive attributes, one thing we name the 4 E’s of video.
- Instructional: Due to its visible and audible nature, video is extra academic than different content material codecs. It may be used to elucidate advanced concepts in methods which are quicker to course of and simpler to retain.
- Participating: Video can be way more participating than the written phrase. Whether or not you’re telling a daring story or explaining a brand new product, there’s no higher medium for creating curiosity and holding consideration.
- Emotional: Whether or not you’re inspiring your viewers or making them snicker, video lets you ship a message that’s extra emotional in nature, serving to you join on a a lot deeper degree.
- Empathetic: The clear and private nature of video helps you show empathy on your viewers by showcasing the humanity of your individuals and delivering messages which are considerate, real, and genuine.
We began the planning course of for our video by clearly figuring out which of the 4 E’s we might deal with throughout this manufacturing. Given our major objectives have been to thrill our viewers and construct model affinity, we got down to make this video participating, emotional, and empathetic.
To perform that, we scripted a narrative that was fascinating, humorous, and extremely relatable to our viewers. By way of the mixed use of inventive storytelling, relatable characters, and personalization expertise, we in-built hooks that sparked a way of anticipation and pay-off on the finish.
We supplied a way of true delight by bringing every viewer into the story, actually. We additionally forged our personal staff because the characters (properly, all apart from one) to assist ship a message that was heartfelt and genuine.
Should you’d like to include the 4 E’s of video into your individual content material, seize this useful guidelines for fast tips about how one can put them into lights, digital camera, motion! It’s a easy but efficient framework.
Seize consideration and stand out by weaving particular person viewer information (like names) proper into your video. Be taught Extra Manufacturing: The Greatest Method and the Proper Solid
As soon as our crew had a way for the path of the venture, we thought of whether or not we must always produce the video in-house or work with an company accomplice. Whereas we had the technical expertise to supply it ourselves, we determined to accomplice up with Media One Inventive, a top-notch video manufacturing company who is aware of how one can inform a fantastic story.
A choice like that is by no means simple, particularly for a B2B advertising and marketing marketing campaign that isn’t tied instantly to guide era. Nonetheless, we all know the ability of constructing a robust model and knew this story may go from good to nice with the assistance of some specialists. And so they completely pulled it off!
Their steerage, path, and manufacturing chops made all of the distinction in taking this from a enjoyable concept to an award-winning manufacturing. When making a choice like this for your self, begin by contemplating the next questions:
- Do you may have the experience and gear internally to do the venture justice?
- Can your inside crew nail the script to make the story come to life in a approach that’s fast-paced, participating, and makes efficient use of visuals and narration?
- Are you able to deal with every part with internally sourced actors, and might your crew successfully direct the forged of characters?
Should you reply “no” to any of those questions, take into account working with a video manufacturing company. Not solely have they got the expertise and gear to drag off large initiatives, however they are often a useful useful resource for writing or refining your script, getting inventive with visuals, hiring actors, and directing your on-screen expertise. Within the case of this venture, Media One helped us with all of these things and rather more (the secret’s realizing how one can work with a video manufacturing company).
Even be considerate about who you forged in your video manufacturing. Most movies we shoot at Vidyard characteristic our personal staff to make sure they’re as real as attainable, to not point out low price to create. Within the case of our Telly award successful vacation video, all the on-screen expertise are Vidyard staff apart from one particular person. Are you able to guess who?
No, not John McClane, that’s our IT techniques analyst Erik Van Dijk (consider it or not, he had by no means seen Die Laborious earlier than being forged on this video). And no, not the canine, that’s our beloved Yukon.
We employed an actor for the lead position of Clark Griswold, realizing that this character’s efficiency would carry the story and couldn’t be left to probability. Through the use of a mixture of Vidyard staff and one paid actor, we received the perfect of each worlds: Actual individuals from our crew and an award-winning efficiency.
Promotion: Making Your Content material Merely Irresistible
As soon as the manufacturing was full, we knew we had a successful piece of content material on our fingers. However we had but to beat the best problem of all: Getting individuals to look at the video, with out the luxurious of an promoting funds!
Maybe the best success of this marketing campaign was in how we promoted the content material. We knew that e-mail advertising and marketing to our current base of prospects and clients was going to be the first mode of video distribution. So we targeted our vitality on making this e-mail stand out from the flood of “glad holidays” messages in our viewers’s inboxes—so it might get the eye it deserved.
To do that, we employed a number of key ways that ended up working extremely properly:
1. Irresistible Topic Line
We despatched our promo e-mail to tens of 1000’s of recipients that includes a topic line that designed to face out from the group:
“Clark Griswold, John McClane, and [FIRST_NAME] stroll into a celebration”
That was it. No “wishing you a contented vacation” or “thanks for being a buyer.” We went for one thing that was extra prone to seize a second of consideration and create a way of curiosity. Anybody who learn that topic knew this was a distinct type of vacation greeting, one price their time.
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2. Customized Thumbnail Picture
As soon as they opened the e-mail, there was some quick e-mail copy resulting in a big video thumbnail that had two vital components.
The thumbnail for our 2019 Vacation Video.
First, a pleasant large play button to make it clear that this was a video. Second, a picture of a scene from the video that’s personalised for the recipient. And never simply any scene, it was a picture of Clark himself holding up a certificates for the jelly of the month membership with YOUR identify on it. I imply, how may you NOT watch it?
3. The Expertise
After the person clicked on the thumbnail, they have been taken to a touchdown web page the place a magical expertise ensued. The video itself was enjoyable, participating, and hyper-personalized.
As soon as they completed watching, the web page was set as much as permit the viewer to “re-gift” the video expertise. With a easy kind fill, they might personalize the video for pal, colleague, or buyer and ship it together with a customized message. It’s the present that retains on giving, Clark.
The touchdown web page for our 2019 Vacation Video Marketing campaign.
Your Particular Deal with
Hopefully this publish was like a fantastic video: academic, participating, empathetic to your wants, and an emotional curler coaster. And to thanks for making it right through, I’ve received a particular deal with for you: Hop on over to this web page to see the total marketing campaign in motion.
Full the shape beside the video to ship your self a customized model to see what the video expertise would have been like for you. Then go forward and ship it round to your colleagues, and possibly even your boss, simply to get the wheels turning.
Should you’d wish to get on our good listing to make sure you get front-of-the-line entry to our subsequent vacation video, make sure to enroll in our e-newsletter! And who is aware of, you simply might learn to ship your individual award-worthy video advertising and marketing campaigns.
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