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 staff publishes quite a lot of movies. Social movies, demo movies, promo movies—the checklist goes on.
However our annual vacation video is at all times one among our very favourite productions of the 12 months. Whereas we prefer 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 staff has give you some superb ideas.
And fortunately, we’re not the one ones who assume so. Along with getting some unimaginable reactions from our prospects 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 staff study from it? Let’s unwrap this marketing campaign to seek out out—and you should definitely stick round till the tip for a really particular deal with.
Our Award-Profitable Video
What does a Telly award-winning video from a B2B tech firm really appear to be?
In our case, it seems an terrible lot like cheeky popular culture references with a private contact.
Our two-minute video that includes workers dressed up as their favourite vacation film characters—Clark Griswold, Buddy the Elf, Cindy Lou Who, and naturally, John McClane—was no odd vacation greeting for our prospects.
It was playful, it was relatable, and it was completely 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:
If you happen to work for a giant model company or media firm, a Telly award might not look like that massive a deal. Groups at Disney, CBS Interactive, HBO, BBC, and Pink Bull routinely win Telly awards for his or her superb commercials and good storytelling—even within the B2B classes.
However for our small advertising staff who produces content material (not commercials) for a distinct segment viewers on a really modest price range, an award like that is an unimaginable honor and proof that we’re doing one thing proper.
How We Put Collectively Our Award-Profitable Video Marketing campaign
What really goes into planning, producing, and selling and award-winning video marketing campaign? Learn on to find out how we created ours.
Planning: Deal with the 4 E’s of Video
Video has lots going for it. In comparison with static content material codecs, it presents numerous distinctive traits that may enable you to rework the best way you join with prospects and prospects.
To ship your individual award-worthy B2B video content material (and even simply a tremendous product explainer), be express about tapping into video’s distinctive attributes, one thing we name the 4 E’s of video.
- Academic: Because of its visible and audible nature, video is extra academic than different content material codecs. It may be used to elucidate complicated concepts in methods which can be sooner to course of and simpler to retain.
- Partaking: Video can be way more partaking 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 means that you can ship a message that’s extra emotional in nature, serving to you join on a a lot deeper stage.
- Empathetic: The clear and private nature of video helps you exhibit empathy on your viewers by showcasing the humanity of your folks and delivering messages which can be considerate, real, and genuine.
We began the planning course of for our video by clearly figuring out which of the 4 E’s we’d give attention to throughout this manufacturing. Given our major objectives had been to please our viewers and construct model affinity, we got down to make this video partaking, emotional, and empathetic.
To perform that, we scripted a narrative that was fascinating, humorous, and extremely relatable to our viewers. Via 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 workers because the characters (effectively, all apart from one) to assist ship a message that was heartfelt and genuine.
If you happen to’d like to include the 4 E’s of video into your individual content material, seize this useful guidelines for fast recommendations on learn how to put them into lights, digital camera, motion! It’s a easy but efficient framework.
Manufacturing: The Greatest Method and the Proper Solid
As soon as our staff had a way for the path of the undertaking, we thought of whether or not we must always produce the video in-house or work with an company companion. Whereas we had the technical expertise to provide it ourselves, we determined to companion up with Media One Artistic, a top-notch video manufacturing company who is aware of learn how to inform a terrific story.
A choice like that is by no means straightforward, particularly for a B2B advertising marketing campaign that isn’t tied instantly to steer era. Nevertheless, we all know the facility of constructing a robust model and knew this story may go from good to nice with the assistance of some consultants. They usually 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’ve got the experience and gear internally to do the undertaking justice?
- Can your inside staff nail the script to make the story come to life in a approach that’s fast-paced, partaking, and makes efficient use of visuals and narration?
- Are you able to deal with all the things with internally sourced actors, and may your staff successfully direct the forged of characters?
If you happen to reply “no” to any of those questions, contemplate working with a video manufacturing company. Not solely have they got the expertise and gear to drag off massive 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 undertaking, Media One helped us with all of these things and far more (the secret’s understanding learn how to 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 workers to make sure they’re as real as potential, to not point out low value to create. Within the case of our Telly award profitable vacation video, all the on-screen expertise are Vidyard workers apart from one particular person. Are you able to guess who?
No, not John McClane, that’s our IT programs analyst Erik Van Dijk (imagine it or not, he had by no means seen Die Exhausting earlier than being forged on this video). And no, not the canine, that’s our beloved Yukon.
We employed an actor for the lead function of Clark Griswold, understanding that this character’s efficiency would carry the story and couldn’t be left to probability. Through the use of a mix of Vidyard workers and one paid actor, we obtained one of the best of each worlds: Actual folks from our staff and an award-winning efficiency.
Promotion: Making Your Content material Merely Irresistible
As soon as the manufacturing was full, we knew we had a profitable piece of content material on our palms. However we had but to beat the best problem of all: Getting folks to observe the video, with out the posh of an promoting price range!
Maybe the best success of this marketing campaign was in how we promoted the content material. We knew that e-mail advertising to our present base of prospects and prospects was going to be the first mode of video distribution. So we centered our vitality on making this e-mail stand out from the flood of “pleased holidays” messages in our viewers’s inboxes—so it will get the eye it deserved.
To do that, we employed just a few key techniques that ended up working extremely effectively:
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 gang:
“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 value their time.
2. Personalised 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 important components.
The thumbnail for our 2019 Vacation Video.
First, a pleasant massive 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 title on it. I imply, how may you NOT watch it?
3. The Expertise
After the person clicked on the thumbnail, they had been taken to a touchdown web page the place a magical expertise ensued. The video itself was enjoyable, partaking, and hyper-personalized.
As soon as they completed watching, the web page was set as much as enable the viewer to “re-gift” the video expertise. With a easy kind fill, they may personalize the video for good friend, 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 terrific video: academic, partaking, empathetic to your wants, and an emotional curler coaster. And to thanks for making it all over, I’ve obtained a particular deal with for you: Hop on over to this web page to see the complete 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.
If you happen to’d prefer to get on our good checklist to make sure you get front-of-the-line entry to our subsequent vacation video, be certain to enroll in our e-newsletter! And who is aware of, you simply might learn to ship your individual award-worthy video advertising campaigns.
Signal Up for the Vidyard E-newsletter
