Video Boosts Brand Engagement, Study Reports

by Dave Sniadak

We've seen a dramatic shift since 2010 in how advertisers are using video campaigns - online, interactive, and through traditional media buys. Accordingly to an Adap.tv industry survey of 638 agencies, brands, publishers and ad networks, nearly three out of every four advertiser (73%) is setting out to build brand engagement with their video initiatives. This shouldn't come as a surprise to those of us who advise our clients how to utilize video in their marketing and advertising efforts. 

However, what is slightly surprising could be that in the past 24 months, the attitude towards online video has shifted so dramatically from brand awareness to brand engagement. How dramatic? In 2010, only 18% of advertisers saw value in brand engagement with video. In just two years, attitudes have spiked by 55% in favor of engagement. 

The cross-platform integration of video - thanks to the strong saturation of tablets, smart phones, and even smart TVs - allows companies to deliver their message simultaneously on a multitude of mediums. No longer are companies forced to simply buy a flight of cable spots that go out and fall flat. Now, for example, we can buy the cable time on ESPN, while coordinating buys on ESPN.com, and even ESPN's mobile app.

The ability to hammer home a message with video has never been greater than it is right now. However, do advertisers run the risk of over-delivering content to a video soaked consumer base? Fresh content is crucial to ensuring a successful campaign. Keep that in mind as you dial up your next media buy.

LinkedIn Targeted Updates

by Natalie Bell
@nebell90

LinkedIn has been available to professional individuals for nearly a decade.  Initially, the site began very small and grew slowly.  As other social media outlets gained popularity LinkedIn worked to improve.  The site opened up to students in addition to working professionals.  Companies are now able to have pages.  People and companies can post status updates.  One feature that Facebook and Google+ had over LinkedIn was the ability to  post updates to specific audiences.  Google+ has it's circles, Facebook has it's lists, and now LinkedIn has Targeted Updates.

So what are the benefits of Targeted Updates?  As a marketer overseeing our company page, I find this very exciting.  We are working to update our page and add new features -- perfect timing for a new feature to be introduced!  Targeted Updates allows you to send updates to specific subgroups of your followers.  The post will show on the news feeds of those you choose, but be visible to everyone who visits your page.  This means that the people who see the update are the ones most likely to be interested and engage with your company.

Targeted Updates gives you the availability to post to very specific groups based on their page information.  Followers can be broken down through five categories: industry, job function, company size, geography and including/excluding company employees.  Before posting you can sift through your followers to get a narrowed audience and create a higher chance of engagement.

The video below gives a quick explanation and tutorial for using LinkedIn Targeted Updates.

Video For Thought: Three Things to Consider When Considering Video

by @davesniadak

Here at Axiom, we’ve enjoyed a tremendous surge in video production business over the past 18 months. Our clients count on us to deliver effective video work at an affordable price. Whether it’s a customer testimonial, or Facebook promotional spot, video is a major part of our business moving forward. But how do YOU know if video is right for you? Here are a couple of things to think about:

• Viral Is Not Contagious. Everyone wants to strike gold with their online video, but racking up millions of hits shouldn’t be your sole purpose for wanting to produce video content. Ask yourself what a successful video campaign will deliver for you - more social media followers? Hot leads for potential sales? A story that helps generate media attention? A good rule of thumb with video: if your intended audience sees and responds to your video, you’ve gone viral (even if that audience is only 100 people). 
• DIY or Pro? There’s this notion that video can be an expensive investment with minimal ROI. If budgets are tight and you enjoy the creative elements of promoting your business, consider spending a few bucks on a good camcorder and editing software. However, a very important thing to consider is this: how will your audience perceive your video? Having a poorly produced video can drive customers away. When in doubt of your production skills, consider working with a professional video producer that has the kind of expertise in developing the kind of content you want. 
• Keep It Simple. If you’re just starting out in the video world, don’t feel like you need to channel your inner-Spielberg. Sometimes, a simple “head & shoulders” shot of your customers praising your business can be just what you need to help seal the deal with fence-straddling potential customers. Practice makes perfect, so have fun and enjoy this new element of promoting your business.

And, of course, if your company is looking for someone to help navigate the video production waters, our production team has more than 40 years of combined experience. We’re happy to help you set sail for video adventure!

Share Mobile Videos with Klip

Silicon Valley entrepreneur Alain Rossman has another hit on his hands. In the mid '90s, he predicted that people would eventually use their phones for e-mail. As chairman of Vudu, he developed and commercialized a TV set-top box that streamed HD movies over the internet, which sold to Wal-Mart in 2010.

The latest hit from Rossman's Palo Alto-based firm is called Klip, which just released an iPhone app designed for organizing, searching and sharing video. The app is interesting, and offers one of the best user experiences out there. A swipe of your finger enables you to preview the video thumbnails. A shake of your iPhone enables you to fast-forward. It's easy to record footage from Klip, add video from another app, trim, and share via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or email. Klip also enables you to geotag the video and add hashtags.

For those who need a quick and easy way to shorten and upload videos for blogs or news stories, Klip is sure to please. Klip is available free of charge at the app store.

Video Post: Video Editing Keeps Its Head in the Clouds

With more and more video editing services moving to a cloud-based format, Axiom's own video expert Dave Sniadak examines the best and worst aspects of this evolving medium.

Wordless Wednesday: What are the best video chat services and who's using them?

YouTube Not Ready to Give Up Video Crown, Triples Mobile Traffic in 2010

2010 was a pretty big year in the tech industry. But lost in the barrage of tablet news and the Great Android-Apple War was this interesting little tidbit: YouTube mobile viewership tripled in 2010.

The reason this is so surprising is that YouTube, while still hugely popular on the web, faces much more competition in the mobile video market. We've seen other video sites like Vimeo gain a lot of ground, as well as more video apps like Vevo.

Also consider the fact that streaming video subscription services have made huge strides, especially Hulu and Netflix. Okay, they may not be direct competitors, since Hulu and Netflix aren't user-generated content. However, it's still online/mobile video, and the more time users spend on subscribed streaming content like Hulu is less time that they're spending on YouTube.

The point is that a few years ago your only online video option was YouTube. And although that landscape has drastically changed over the past year, YouTube still managed to see huge growth in the mobile market.

This is also great news for content creators, because it demonstrates how multiple different mobile video channels are growing.

Video Production Internship

It’s official! Axiom Productions, the video department of Axiom Marketing Communications, is looking for a new video production intern. With the explosive growth of online video, now more than ever we are in need of new talent to help out with the video production process from start to finish.

Responsibilities

The video production internship will encompass all components that go into a professionally produced video. From initial concept creation to on-set directing, this internship offers a variety of opportunities for the up-and-coming video pro. Not only will the intern help produce and edit client works, the video production intern will spearhead the Daily Axiom Vlogs you see here on a weekly basis.

Qualifications

• Must be a college graduate with a degree in mass communication, video production, broadcast journalism, or related field

• Must have experience with video production editing software, specifically Final Cut Pro

• Must be able to multitask and coordinate several video projects simultaneously

• Must be detail oriented and have the ability to work both independently and in a team environment

How to Apply
If you think you’ve got what it takes and are interested in joining the Axiom Productions team, send an email to Creative Director Dave Sniadak with a cover letter, resume and three samples that highlight your video production/editing experience.

To see some of our award winning video work, feel free to check out our YouTube and Vimeo pages. Questions? Let us know below, or find us on Twitter.

For the Love of Baseball

Out on a client shoot this afternoon, Axiom Productions Videographer Dave Sniadak was able to take a break and shoot some behind the scenes footage at the beloved Target Field. Enjoy!

Axiom Productions at Target Field from Axiom Socialmedia on Vimeo.

Old Spice and the Value of Video

Old Spice achieved viral status last week when their 'Old Spice Guy' videos featuring actor Isaiah Mustafa became a YouTube sensation. The videos were short, funny responses to Twitter followers, and were produced non-stop over a couple of days.

I can't say for sure, but I'm assuming the goal of this online video campaign was simply to increase brand awareness and generate a little buzz. That's because many companies are still feeling out those non-traditional styles of promotions from a financial return standpoint.

But Old Spice is one company that does know the financial value of a successful online video campaign, with the reports that sales of Old Spice Body Wash increased by 107% over the last month. And when your sales more than double, it's safe to say that there is value in video campaigns if it's done right.

In Video Veritas

There are a lot of misconceptions about how to incorporate video into a business plan. Several companies will say that simply having video will generate traffic and revenue. Others will tell you that there are simple steps you can follow to make your videos go "viral" overnight.

However, there is no formula for making a video go "viral" because that type of viral or cult status depends entirely on how the audience receives it. That would be like guaranteeing a product will skyrocket in popularity in a week. If you want a successful product, you start by creating a quality product. Video production works the same way, which means that you need to make a quality video if you expect it to be successful.

And the truth is video can help your company, generate revenue and make a difference if it is done right.

Our very own video virtuoso, Dave Sniadak, recently had an article published in Videomaker Magazine (August 2010 issue). Here are a couple key points from Dave's article that you should consider with your next video project:

• Mix It Up - Be sure to incorporate some flavor into your shooting. Don't just adhere to the old "wide-medium-tight" theory and certainly don't just pan and zoom.

• Plug In - Always wear headphones to monitor audio levels. Having that perfectly-focused shot is pointless if the audio quality is lacking.
  

• Think Like an Editor - When shooting your video, determine if you're really going to use the shot.
  

There are many other great topics Dave covers in his article, and I strongly suggest checking it out. With so many subtle intricacies that go into video production, this post is just scratching the surface.

The most important point to take away is that the notion of simply having video and expecting it to be enough is an outdated way of thinking. Video production needs to be serious, because it can have a real impact and generate results.

Online Video More Than Just a Blip on the Radar

For years, the vast majority of online videos were shot by amateurs...and looked like it. Most of these movies were either 2-minute clips of cats and dogs, or teenagers doing stupid things trying to be funny (admittedly I had been guilty of that second one in my younger days).

However, the trend that's been emerging lately has been for professionally-produced, original online content. Just think about how much more common phrases like webisodes and web series have become. There's even a Webby Awards recognizing original online content.

But as with any emerging media, the focus needs to be on content. You need innovative creators to make it. Web video platform Blip.tv has recognized this, and are planning to increase payouts to content creators by 77% between Q1 and Q2 of this year, after already having increased the payouts by 119% from last year.

I like where this trend is going, and hopefully Blip.tv's move will provide more incentive for both content creators and video hosting companies to get quality videos on the Internet.

Axiom Productions Take Home a Telly

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, what’s a video worth?

If you’re Axiom Productions, a video is worth an award and recognition from the visual arts community.

Axiom Productions, the video production division of Axiom Marketing Communications, was recently recognized for a video project it produced for The Toro Company.

The Shoveling Stinks video was awarded a bronze Telly Award, which acknowledges outstanding visual art in multiple categories. The Shoveling Stinks video was entered in the Public Relations video category.

This was the 31st Annual Telly Awards, which acknowledges the finest local, regional and cable television programs, commercials, video and film productions. They also recognize work created specifically for online. There were more than 13,000 entries received last year from all across the globe.

This is a huge honor for the Axiom Productions team and we’re really proud of the work they’ve done. Video production is an important (but often overlooked) key to online success, so it’s great to see it being recognized like this.

YouTube: Music without the video

Just because it is on YouTube, doesn't necessarily mean that it is a video. Many people use YouTube as a simple hosting site for songs. As AP points out:
"Though YouTube is known as the Internet’s greatest video warehouse, it’s becoming known as the place to find new music, no video needed. Put in the name of your favorite artist and there’s chance that besides an assortment of their videos, you’ll find a song with perhaps just a picture or a montage of photos to accompany it — and it still gets thousands of views.

If anyone wants to hear Akon’s remake of Michael Jackson’s ‘‘Wanna Be Starting Something,’’ it’s there. Someone yearning for the new Guns N’ Roses track ‘‘Shackler’s Revenge’’ or T.I.’s new release ‘‘Live Your Life’’ featuring Rihanna, all it takes is a quick search of their name and song title. No problem. While some of the songs are posted directly by an artist’s camp, others are uploaded by fans eager to share and discuss new music by their favorite act."

I've noticed this is especially common for leaked tracks and singles, since videos usually aren't available right away.

Explanation of Microsoft and Seinfeld Commerical

The general consensus after the commercial was released online was: what are they thinking?, this commercial makes no sense, they don't even mention the product.

Initially, I thought it was a terrible ad, but I have taken a more optimistic view.

I think Microsoft wanted to get people talking. They wanted to create a buzz around the much hyped commercials. By releasing a commercial that comes off as completely irrelevant, they have sparked a discussion among people.

Deep down, I think Microsoft and Crispin+Porter have a bigger plan for Microsoft than churros and leather shoes. The first stage was to get the discussion going, the next stage will be to engage the product.

Collectively, the commercial has racked up over 1 million views and millions of dollars of free publicity. At least the coverage of the ad hasn't been lacking...

Making a cause viral

Stand Up To Cancer has rolled out a slew of YouTube videos to raise awareness for cancer prevention. The videos themselves are well done, but it also doesn't hurt that they have a lot of big names behind them. My favorite video is with Larry David below.

Viral Oreos

Oreo successfully capped off a video contest on YouTube today. Users were asked to share their "Oreo Moment" in a short original video. The winning video has over 500,000 views and can be seen below.

One thing I find interesting is that Oreo disabled comments for the video. If Oreo wants to engage in discussion with their customers, why not let them comment. If they are worried about inappropriate comments, which I'm sure would have been posted, they could have at least chosen to moderate the comments. Rant aside, check out the winning video tomorrow.

How to create a parody video

1. Make sure it is relevant.
2. Make sure it is a topic that people are interested in watching.
3. Make it short.
4. Make it funny.

This video covers all four. Relevant because it just happened and the Olympics just finished. Numerous slide shows of the race have been posted on YouTube. It clocks in at 1:06, thus short. And finally, it is a funny idea.

Check it out.

All Tomorrow's Ad Campaigns

With traditional TV viewership down, ad agencies have no choice but to go back to basics. Billboards, subway ads, and in-store ads are second only to online advertising in terms of budget growth.

NYT poses the question of "pervasive versus intrusive". My worry is different: how fun/clever can print ads be? Video gives time to develop a story, there is an audio component, the ad can be complex. In cartoon form, the Budweiser frogs would be pointless, it's all about hearing the croaking. "Mamma mia that's a spicy meatball" isn't funny unless you hear someone saying it in a funny voice. Etc...

But hey, prove me wrong, advertisers! Let's see what you can do.

Viral Video of the Day

Improveverywhere has a great collection of videos on their YouTube channel. While Food Court Musical is my favorite video from the group, this one is also great. It was also shown briefly at this years Student Advertising Summit by keynote speaker, John Olson.