I was recently invited by the Iowa chapter of the American Marketing Association to be part of a panel discussion about how to avoid the noise in digital advertising. We’re so overloaded by ads these days, how do you cut through the clutter and stand out? The discussion was a good one. Of course, as I was driving home, a few more ideas popped into my head. And I have a much easier time explaining myself on my laptop, than in front of 160 people.
So, how do you avoid the noise? My first thought: be less noisy. Here’s one of my favorite commercials of all time, that demonstrates this strategy perfectly.
One topic of discussion was understanding when to use certain forms of digital communication. There are a million opportunities to use video, but perhaps one of the most overlooked: replacing written blogs with videos. Content marketing is all the rage right now, and it is a great strategy. But blogs can start to bleed together. A video version puts a twist on this trend. It allows you to demonstrate that you know what you’re talking about through show and tell. Videos are highly popular on social media. And video is great for SEO. Here’s an example of how one of our clients, Yess Yoga, utilizes this approach. Lucia posts a “pose of the week” once a week to her website, Facebook, etc. It is short, sweet and to the point. The strategy has worked wonders for showcasing her knowledge and friendly personality, building her client base and boosting her ranking on Google.
Pose of the week: Shoulder Stand / Sarvangasana from Lucia Yess on Vimeo.
Avoiding-the-noise challenge #2: B-to-B marketing. This is another area in which video can give you a boost. Sales are often made based on personal connections and emotion. Video adds a personal touch that you can only replicate with a face-to-face meeting. It allows you to introduce potential clients to the faces and personalities that run your business, it helps tell your story, and it can better explain your company’s mission. Video can also show clients how a product is a made. A behind-the-scenes tour can offer “insider” information that gives the client more confidence in your product. Here’s a video we did for BilT Guitars. It isn’t necessarily a B-to-B situation, but you’ll get the idea.
BilT — kid gloves directors cut from 515 Productions on Vimeo.
Challenge #3: how can non-profits cut through the clutter? Video. Video. Video. Non-profits typically exist to improve society, to help people in need, and/or to right a wrong. These organizations are overflowing with stories of both heartbreak and inspiration. Video can deliver emotional attachment in under three minutes. If someone sheds a tear as they’re learning about your non-profit, chances are that person is going to immediately care about your cause. Here’s a recent video we did for the Chrysalis Foundation, that demonstrates this theory:
Chrysalis Foundation from 515 Productions on Vimeo.
Challenge #4: we sell boring products. During the panel discussion, Josh Fleming brought up this example. I could not agree more. They’re selling a boring razor. But the video is far from boring. Keep in mind, it feels a little chaotic, but don’t confuse that with noise. This is creativity, and creativity is the best way to cut through the noise. It may sometimes be risky, but if you can get creative, your product will no longer be boring.
Before you set out to try any of these video strategies, you need to keep two basic principles in mind: quality and creativity. If your video is poorly produced, you will only be adding to the noise, not avoiding it. Unless it is showing something like a meteor hitting the earth, fuzzy videos tend to blend together. But videos that look and sound like film, on the other hand, cut through the clutter. And, as we just saw with Dollar Shave Club, taking a risk and getting creative can pay off big time. Don’t always play it safe and copy what’s already been done. Dare yourself to study a formula, and then go in the exact opposite direction. It may not always work out. But if you don’t give it a shot, you run a greater risk of just getting lost in all that noise.