Written by Lou Mains, March 2010
Video is an accessible, inclusive and persuasive way to communicate. It’s especially effective if your work involves complex issues or opinions that are easier to understand when illustrated. People are more likely to believe what they see than something they merely read.
So why does the thought of commissioning a video bring a sweat to the brow of many in the world of business and corporate communications? Usually, it’s one of three big concerns:
- Fear of the unknown - some feel that technology is changing so quickly that our own learning can’t keep up. This makes the whole process, from commissioning through to distribution, an alien one
- Fear of failure - video gives your organisation a face and some worry that it can become too personal and ‘not quite corporate’. A careless press release or leaked email feels somehow less embarrassing than an ever present YouTube video
- Prohibitive cost - in the halcyon days of corporate video production in the mid 90s, fees of £2000 per minute of footage produced were commonplace. Even today, corporate producers can request a fee of £5000 for 60 seconds of video. Those with the funds to go ahead are handed a polished product. But, without guidance on its best use, many end up with an expensive white elephant.
If any of the above strikes a chord with you, please forget what you think you know.
Things are changing. There has been revolution in the air for the past five years, and video for PR purposes has come of age. For us, TribeTV was a natural progression – news video produced by media experts within a PR agency. Our clients no longer have a fear of the unknown as the entire process, from concept through to placement, is done in partnership with experts who have the specific knowledge needed.
Social media has created a world of micro-journalists, all reporting on a first name basis to members of your target audience. They discuss, relate and link your output to others who may be interested in your business. To take part in this, you’ll need a successful digital strategy, and one that accepts a more personal method of conversation. The days of making statements and expecting the world to listen are over. People want to see you and get a measure of your character. This needn’t be an ominous prospect with the right support and with a video created by people who understand reputation management.
So what kind of video should you create? That depends on the people you want to reach and the reaction you’d like to encourage. We specialise in editorially balanced, well-formulated news videos. A news method of production offers a quick turnaround with the opportunity to distribute thoughts or updates in a matter of hours. It also lessens the cost of video production significantly, putting it within the reach of many who were once excluded.
‘But isn’t news a bit restrictive?’ Well no, news doesn’t have to be universally appealing. It just needs to appeal to your audience. We frequently use a broadcast journalist to ask pertinent questions, and this type of video starts a conversation with those you need to reach - from a section of your own workforce to a local procurement team.
But it doesn’t end there. Produced within a PR strategy, that same video can be used to engage and inform journalists and to build relationships. Many trade/specialist sites do not yet have the capacity to produce or edit video, though demand for it exists. By producing your own video, with editorially sound news values, your company’s news and key messages can be shown in their entirety. It also demonstrates a real understanding of a journalist’s needs, much appreciated in a time-poor newsroom. The goodwill of a familiar journalist can be invaluable in times of crisis.
High production values are considered essential by TribeTV. Some news is universal news. If you want your own online video to be considered by national/international media websites, you’ll need to work with a team that has a track record of delivering content for those outlets.
Video is more than a novel way to present your standpoint. It’s more than a tool for promotion. It’s often the route to real understanding.
Find out more here
http://www.tribepr.com/What-we-do/Online-video.aspx
Posted: 15/03/2010