Market7

Some enticing tools for beautiful content, and some striking oversights

Apple’s launch of iBooks Author ups the ante for what’s achievable in content creation. It appears to be a fluid and elegant tool for bringing together text, animation, video, images, audio and interactivity. Certainly seems more fluid and elegant than my use of WordPress right now to craft this blog post. Providing environments for content creation, we at Market7 are pleased by enhancement of how people can extend rich, media-based experiences to other people. Yet, the iBooks Author launch also exposes several areas that could be improved:

• There is the well covered limitation of distribution techniques via iTunes and to iPad devices for consumption. It is indeed ironic to leverage technological advances in order to elegantly bring multiple types of media together, and then unnecessarily restrict how the results can be consumed.
• Collaboration is vital in bringing together substantial works, and especially in mixed media situations because of the varieties of skills and perceptions related to the different kinds of content, but currently collaborating on iBooks Author requires saving and sending files for teammates to work on in isolation.
• While iBooks Author may be great for bringing media together, it’s more for high-level assembly of content built in other applications, and is not a comprehensive or consistent suite for the different types of content in isolation. Granted this is an unfair criticism of a new environment sure to take on more context and deeper functionality over time, but this tool coming from Apple does cast highlight on the fact that the same company has gutted its Final Cut franchise that had emerged as the leading environment for accessible work on video content, and that never seemed to benefit from the same stewardship prioritizing great usage experience that seems clear in the results of Apple’s newest applications.

The Things You Can Learn From “The Thing”

Comedian Louis CK has been in the news quite a bit over the past couple of weeks. Not because he’s funny. Because he’s taken something that’s been around for decades – the stand-up comedy special – and turned creation and distribution of it on its head. Essentially, he did everything himself (with help, of course), cutting out the middleman and delivering a product directly to consumers. This successful experiment, which Louis affectionately calls “the thing,” is an example of how internal resources can be tapped and how you can evolve how you deliver a final product to your audience.

First, some background. Unless you go out of your way to avoid laughter, you’ve likely seen at least a stand-up comedy special or two before.  Chances are it was on DVD, Comedy Central or maybe a premium cable channel. Typically, these come about one of two ways. A comedian might take on the cost of production themselves and sell the special to a network, which will then find an audience for it and own all distribution. Or in other cases, a comic might just let the network handle everything and simply show up and tell jokes.

Louis CK did a few specials exactly that way. But never content to take the easy way out (after all, this is a guy who turns in a new one hour act ever year and edits his hit FX show Louis himself on a Macbook), he explored how constant advances in technology could help him do things differently. And so, “the thing” began to take shape. He took some AV classes in school so knew how to edit video. He had the money to invest in a camera crew and recording. He already had a fan base that he could tap. And bandwidth was cheap enough to economically deliver the special directly to each consumer.

The result? In just days after making the special available online, Louis recouped his investment (about $250k). And within a couple weeks, has already grossed more than $1m in sales. This whole thing is unprecedented in comedy. And there are much bigger names in the businesses (e.g. Rock, Seinfeld) that haven’t tried to pull off something like this.

So if you’re a business, what can be learned from this? Plenty.

• If the old way isn’t working or feels stale, blaze a new trail.
• Always be thinking what can you do yourself and what do you need to outsource?
• You might have no idea what hidden talent is lurking on your team. Find out who can help you do something economically and effectively. Especially if it makes the difference between doing something or nothing at all.
• Rethink your distribution model. How are you delivering content to your audience? Is it the best way to get it to them? Is it easy for them to consume?
• Is there currently a middleman that sits between you and your audience? Does there absolutely need to be?
• Keep your content fresh, set a high standard and people will come back for more. Or they’ll even proactively seek it out.

What Kind Of Image Are You Projecting In Your Corporate Video?

You have a message. You’ve decided that you want to use video to communicate it. After considering your audience and what will appeal most to them, you now have a very important decision to make. What will be the most effective style of video to communicate this message? These days, just about the only limitation impacting what a video can look and feel like is budget. It can be funny, sad, emotional and nostalgic. It can be driven by music, dialogue, animation and narration. Whatever style and tone you choose for your video, think about how it helps to carry your message.

We’ve found some great corporate video that pulls from many various style techniques. It’s hard to fit any of these into one specific genre, so we’ve simply included the video and some commentary on why we think each is special.

PwC

This video from PricewaterhouseCoopers leaves all the dialogue to Harry Nilsson’s great “Everybody’s Talkin’.” We see flashes of video from around the world, following PwC workers and those impacted by them. People are working, laughing, learning and enjoying life. Throughout the video, flashes of the PwC logo are seen swirling about, suggesting that all of these experiences are made possible by the company that can provide “a relationship you’ll value.” It’s a bit long, at 3:40 minutes, but that’s what good songs and compelling imagery are for.

DiGi

Communications service provider DiGi’s corporate video forgoes traditional video, opting instead for story-telling through animation. This will be a familiar style for anyone that’s seen their fair share of TV advertising over the past few years. Still, it is engaging and compelling. You’ll see that there are many, many messages communicated throughout the three minute run time. It doesn’t hurt that here also is a terrific song  that plays as you read about all the reasons why DiGi is “always the smarter choice.” Note that it’s a song you probably haven’t heard before, but it’s got a nice melody, a nice message and isn’t annoying at all to listen to. But since it’s unfamiliar, it’s probably not distracting either. If you haven’t picked up on the trend yet, note that good songs played in their entirety can help keep andaudience’s attention longer. In this case, more than three minutes.

AMG

AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group make their message about sustainable metal technology interesting through story-telling and compelling video that was shot at six locations across three countries. Throughout the video, AMG emphasizes its long history in the space, talking about accomplishments and showing black and white photos of early work being done by the company. Employees also get a voice, and they’re shown working toward a greater cause and market innovation. Finally, we see, what it’s all for: airplanes, buildings, bridges, everyday products. This video is more than four minutes long – our attention is held through captivating images, interesting information and a good story.

Barclay’s Capital

Barclays Capital kills two birds with one stone (recruiting and industry leadership) and grabs our attention with this video that is a bit out of character for the traditionally conservative financial services industry. By using humor, the viewer is surprised and compelled to watch from one shot to the next as strange things happen to the actors. Goes to show that you don’t always need to communicate in the traditional tone that your audience is used to hearing you or your competitors use. This video is timed perfectly: one minute. After all, there’s only so long you can watch people falling through floors and ceilings before you’re ready to move on.

Pay close attention when you’re watching these and other videos. And you’ll start to see some of the same tried and proven techniques used over and over again. The best part is that you don’t always need a huge budget to pull them off. How can you put these techniques to work for your next project?

Using Video To Bring Existing Content To Life For Marketing

Marketing teams in companies of all sizes are faced with the constant challenge of keeping website content fresh, finding new ways to connect with and engage visitors, and creating recurring site visits.

There are some tried and true techniques, many of which focus on keeping content fresh. This often means creating newsletters from scratch, running a blogging program, writing white papers – you name it. But sometimes, getting this new content created can be a tall order. Usually, a team has to decide what the content will be, who will create it, what the messaging will be, deadlines, and on and on. This is a necessary evil in most cases, but it doesn’t have to be the only way content gets cooked up by your company.

Your company could well be sitting on content you don’t know exists. And video can help bring it to life.

Speaking Engagements

Companies of all sizes often participate as speakers at various industry events. A lot of time and energy is poured into creation of presentation content, rehearsing and travel. Only to have content reach the end of its life as soon as the event ends. To let the content live on and reach many more people, hire a local videographer to come record your presentation. Be sure to get the event organizer’s permission. Most will be fine with this or have their own videographer from which you can buy a copy of your session. Finding a local videographer is as easy as doing a Google Maps search. You’ll have many choices in most major cities. And you’ll probably only end up sending hundreds.

Customer Presentations

If you have a standard customer presentation that could translate well to your larger customer base, take the time to get it on video. Sure WebExes and in-person presentations are sometimes preferred, but consider whether the content you’re sharing could just as easily translate to a video session that can be shared with your customer. Keeping in mind how many times one company might give the same presentation over and over, what’s one more time to get it on video when you can completely control the message? Also great for certain startup fundraising activities.

Give More Context to Website Content

A white paper or brochure will serve its purpose, but consider the additional context you can provide by having a company exec introduce it with video. The video could also help to market the written content via YouTube, Twitter, in a company newsletter, etc.

Reach Remote Workers with Company News

This doesn’t really fit in the “reach your customer” category, but still makes good use of video for communication. Many companies, of all sizes, hold “all-hands” meetings to talk about major company initiatives, progress, challenges, etc. These companies also usually have scattered workforces who either don’t attend the meetings or are forced to listen in via teleconference, which is a less than ideal experience. Capture these meetings on video and stream it online in real-time or post the raw footage immediately following the meeting so remote workers can stay in the loop.

Customer Events/Parties

Many companies hold customer events or parties for customers. Want to help grow attendance? Capture some fun moments on video and create a montage that can be shared. Even if you’re not throwing Sean Parker-style parties, yours are probably still appealing to your base and showing them what they’re missing might help ensure they make it next time they get an invite.

Tradeshow Demos

It’s always helpful to be able to read about a product on a website. But seeing it in action adds a whole new level of understanding and engagement. When your videographer is done recording your company exec speaking at an event, have them head over to your booth to capture some live product demos that can be put up on the Web.

As always, not all of these ideas are for every company. But when you’re thinking about new ways to engage with customers or create fresh content, keep in mind that you may already have what you need waiting to be caught on video!

We Run Down Some Of Our Favorite Unique Video Uses For Business

If you’re responsible for getting video produced for your company, chances are you’ve been involved in some very common uses: marketing, training, internal communications and TV advertising are a few. Video is tried and true for these distinct purposes. But what are some other ways that your business can use video that might not be immediately obvious? We pulled together an overview of some of our favorite unique uses gleaned mostly from conversations with customers and our own experiences with the companies that have become part of our daily lives.

Say Hello

In tough economic times, welcome receptionists may be a tough cost to justify. Or maybe your business is spread out across a campus with customers and employees coming and going in many different locations with no personnel to staff them. No matter what your situation, a video receptionist just might be a great fit. Your virtual receptionist can be programmed to place a call to a contact your guests are there to see, offer directions or simply fill in when your actual receptionist is out to lunch.

Say Thank You

Anyone who’s donated to their alma mater has received some form of thank you. Maybe it’s a bumper sticker. A simple thank you note. A pin. You get the idea. Harvard Business School recently decided to thank its donors with a 4-minute (really well-produced) video that detailed all of the advancement and progress it has  made, in part, because of its donors. (The video can’t be embedded, but you can check it out here: http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/giving/thankyou/thankyoudonors.html)

Offer Help

Ever spend way too much time staring at a diagram in a user manual that came with a product you own, trying to figure out what they’re trying to tell you? Even though a picture is worth a thousand words, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re always helpful. By using video to show your customers how to accomplish specific tasks with your product, you’re providing a positive experience that could make them a customer for life. And you might even be cutting down on calls to your tech support line too. It’s a win, win. Check out the Hobie Cat Company’s treasure trove of video owners manuals for its extensive line of kayaks: http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/spotlight/video-owners-manual/.

Show Them Who They’ll Be Working With

Recruiting probably falls among the least unique use of video for business. But this is really something that every company should be doing. Sure, you can attract resumes and make a hire with the typical online job ad. But you just might have an easier time finding someone that fits nicely into your company’s culture with a great recruiting video, like what Facebook created last year (see below). Want to make things even more interesting? Encourage your applicants to submit video resumes in response. InterviewClips.com is one site that offers this type of functionality.

Sell, Sell, Sell

A retail business we’ve been talking with wanted a better way to inform customers about product options in the store. By installing video-powered virtual salespeople terminals, customers with specific questions about products can get quick, easy answers. These terminals can be especially useful for businesses that don’t necessarily have room for a lot of product on the floor or deal in complicated subject matter that makes it difficult to train (or afford) a full sales staff.

How is your business currently or planning to use video in unique ways? Let us know in the comments!

Know Your Audience (And The Screens They Use Too)

I spent time this month at the annual Cable Show in Chicago. This is where cable operators, programming networks, technology vendors and more gather to talk about the latest trends, issues, show new tech capabilities and more. One of most discussed topics at the event was the opportunity that exists to deliver content that meets multi-screen demand. Essentially, as more consumers walk around with video-capable smartphones and tablets, how will the industry deliver programming to these devices?

Along these lines, we’ve had more than a few discussions with customers lately about how they’re adapting the creation process to accommodate viewing that’s extending beyond traditional TV and PC screens, to mobile devices.  Here are some interesting takeaways:

More Devices = More Viewing Opportunity. Many companies used to justify a lack of video content by pointing to a small potential audience. As I write this, I’m surrounded by three screens (TV, PC, smartphone), all capable of competently displaying video content. So now, even on the go, my smartphone makes me a constant potential audience member. (And there are many more like me.) Ready or not, the audience is there, waiting to be engaged.

Different Screens Demand Different Content. Maybe you already recognize the opportunity to deliver content that can be viewed across a variety of devices. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should just repurpose all of your existing video for viewing on all platforms. When creating content, consider the size of your viewer’s screen when thinking about video length, shot composition and your video’s purpose. And think about the circumstances under which they’ll be viewing. For instance, a long training video might work better for TV or a PC during the workday. But a training recap or refresher might work better delivered to a phone for the commute home. Sure, anyone might be willing to compromise and watch Avatar on a 4” screen if they really want to see it at that moment. But will the same be true for your video? Make the viewing experience comfortable and purposeful.

Be Smart About Tech Requirements. We don’t want to get into a big discussion about codecs here, but remember that not all video can be displayed on all devices or with available bandwidth. For instance, if your video is set up in Flash, you’re going to lose iPad and iPhone users. If your file sizes are large and/or you’re not using adaptive bitrate streaming you’ll lose those that don’t have a good 4G or 3G connection. Pay attention to the browsers being used to access your site and prepare accordingly.

You have more opportunities than ever to reach viewers with video content. Use these opportunities wisely and watch your view count grow!

Market7 Release From June 5 ’11

Our new “Pause At Comments” mode for video in the Annotative Player allows users to direct full attention to the entirety of feedback on a video while seeing it in full context of the video’s play. One other aspect of it I’m just realizing I forgot to include in the demo — this new mode of play works with tag filtering too. So if a certain tag (or set of tags) is selected for filtering, with Pause At Comments selected then the video play will pause only on those comments that pass the tag filter selection. OK, here’s how the feature works:

When Things Go Wrong, Video Is Usually The First Place Organizations Turn

It seems that no company is safe these days from the inevitable public image fallout that occurs when things go wrong. That includes everything from the alleged quality (or lack thereof) of famous fast food and catastrophic oil spills to important workers literally falling asleep at the switch, impacting consumer safety. We’ve seen each of these scenarios play out heavily in the media recently. One of the key tools used each time to address consumers in response was …video, of course!

Back in March, we took a look at how top tech companies were using video to promote new products. Today, we take a look at how top companies (and a union too) have used video recently to address the public following major public image setbacks.

Stirring Up Beef With Taco Bell

A very popular approach to addressing the public about negative issues is leveraging an organization’s own employees. More and more, this seems to be better received than the “statement from the CEO” strategy, which as BP found following its spill, doesn’t always resonate well with the public. For some consumers, it’s not always easy to relate to the fat cat CEO of an apologetic company. But just about everyone can relate to the hard working employee that is proud of his/her company and has a vested interest in getting things back on track.

These videos often rely on very tight scripts with solid messaging, a meticulously chosen cast and varied shot angles that keep the consumer engaged. As is the case with this great video from Taco Bell following accusations that its beef is anything but.

“Union, We’ve Got A Problem”

OK, that’s a NASA reference, but it’s exactly what the National Air Traffic Controllers Association was thinking following some high-profile blunders, wherein a worker fell asleep at his station and another accidentally misdirected a plane that had no other than the first lady herself on board. To help build morale, the NATCA produced the below video, originally just for its 20,000 members, but ultimately, ended up also releasing to the public it serves. Once again, we hear from the workers themselves reiterating how important the job is and how seriously they take it. This video shows that you don’t necessarily need a big budget to get an important message across. Sincerity is key and you’ll find that here.

Fishing for Forgiveness

As mentioned earlier, BP didn’t quite get it right with a video featuring an apologetic CEO trying his hand at empathy. But it’s hard to get mad at a local fisherman impacted by the tragedy. BP went right to those affected for assistance in communicating the efforts that the company was taking to help make things right. For some, there is nothing that BP could ever say or do to restore their faith in the company. But BP couldn’t stay silent on the matter. And depicting a local that feels he and his town were made whole by the company and showing him back on his feet, pulling in fresh shrimp was a smart move.

If you work for an organization – no matter the size – there are bound to be times when things go wrong. When it comes time to communicate, don’t forget about the power of video.

We’ve Been Scobleized, Baby!

There are few general tech writers with as much video knowledge as blogger/trend-spotter/startup-lover Robert Scoble. So we were thrilled when he decided to come pay us a visit to conduct what turned out to be a terrific video interview about Market7.

Robert sat down with CEO, Seth Kenvin and Creative Advisor Shannon Newton at the Pixel Corps studios to talk video and how we help make it better. A ton of ground was covered: common video production pain points, how/why video producers and their clients approach projects differently and how to overcome associated challenges, resource management, Market7 functionality and much more.

Robert’s producer Rocky Barbanica whipped up two great interview videos that we think you’ll really like. A quick two-minute teaser can be viewed here, or you can watch the full-length piece here (or embedded below). We recommend watching several times. Like a great movie, they get even better with repeat viewings! Finally, you can check out Robert’s post about Market7 over at the Building43 site.

We’re extremely proud to have developed an online media production management tool that helps customers of all sizes and from all market sectors produce great video. And that Robert thought enough of it to spend time learning more and sharing with his readers.

More to come!

Extending tradition of corporate & organizational outreach

One of my frequent refrains about our business is that organizations now need to consider how to represent themselves with video similarly to how they had to consider their web presences 10-15 years ago. Last week I visited a client that’s a major consumer product provider, that’s been around for nearly a century. The reception area doubles as a company historical museum — while checking it out I was struck that online video, and before that the web, are just next iterations in a constant progression of companies taking advantage of technology to enhance and spread interaction and presence with their customers.

Through the years, and into the future, important initiatives include:

• Choosing memorable & associative name for company, product, service
  (this one goes back before the 20th century)
• Establishing notable brand design
  (this was primarily typography until mass printing with designs became economical)
• Newspaper advertising
• Brochures & printed collateral
• Media relations and general PR
• Radio advertising
• In-store displays
• Television advertising
• Promotional email
• Banner and other web advertising
• Social media marketing

Interesting that as more techniques for promoting and communicating come on, the prior ones tend to maintain relevance and often thrive.