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Video marketing can be broadly defined as video content, produced by a brand that while may entertain, also aims to inform, sell or persuade. Furthermore, It can be seen as different from TV advertising in that video marketing products are shareable, targeted and the results, infinitely more measurable.
Back around 2006 YouTube was still a bit of an unknown quantity in the online world, as with many new platforms and technologies it wasn't entirely trusted or understood by businesses and for a long time YouTube was the home of very amateur content and pirated commercial material such as music videos. Internet speeds and other web technologies weren't refined enough for YouTube to be a household platform but its raw and desirable content did mean that it started to generate an audience and a user base. As the user base continued to grow then of course marketers started to take notice - you go where the people are, but even then very few brands managed to capatalise on the platform. One of the earliest success stories however was Samsung, who created one of the first examples - in my mind - of genuine, viral content.
Samsung created 'It's Flicky' a parody music video to promote its latest mobile device, the X380. Based on the tune, 'It's Tricky' by Run DMC, the video put the phone front and centre and promoted its novelty feature - a screen that flicks up. A simple concept, but expertly executed. It was not slick, the production values were terrible and with a seemingly cavalier attitude to the song's copyright - the young YouTube audience lapped it up. The video received positive comments, as well as many that expressed a strong intention to buy and more importantly, it also secured a sort of viral status - even before brands understood what that meant.
Over time though the concept of video marketing has expanded. We're no longer looking just at YouTube but the whole web structure - websites, social media spaces, email, mobiles and apps - all capable of delivering and measuring video content and video has now become a very important and lucrative marketing tool.
Video is also rarely considered as a standalone product, while viewers are sought, brands realise they must get their video shared and open up a channel for discourse and engagement. To this end, video goes hand in hand with social platforms that allow businesses to reach and measure this added social functionality, and let's not forget the ability to target audiences and measure the returns.
Video features in Google search, YouTube search, Facebook pages, video blogs and mobile ads and does so with a variety of objectives. Brands from Old Spice, T-Mobile, Will It Blend, Orabrush, O2 and Dollar Shave Club have all embraced the medium to great effect and for many small business, Dollar Shave Club for example, have found video to be a great leveller in the online marketplace.
However, the landscape is continually changing and evolving. When once 3 minute videos were the norm, attention spans and engagement are becoming increasingly less and so video formats are shifting towards smaller bite-sized productions but in increasing number. Mobile is shaking up how and where people consume video and we're even returning to our TV sets to watch videos that are now being produced for the web! As interconnectivity continues web, entertainment, advertising and quality productions are all rushing towards each other culminating in a new and fascinating genre.
Back around 2006 YouTube was still a bit of an unknown quantity in the online world, as with many new platforms and technologies it wasn't entirely trusted or understood by businesses and for a long time YouTube was the home of very amateur content and pirated commercial material such as music videos. Internet speeds and other web technologies weren't refined enough for YouTube to be a household platform but its raw and desirable content did mean that it started to generate an audience and a user base. As the user base continued to grow then of course marketers started to take notice - you go where the people are, but even then very few brands managed to capatalise on the platform. One of the earliest success stories however was Samsung, who created one of the first examples - in my mind - of genuine, viral content.
Samsung created 'It's Flicky' a parody music video to promote its latest mobile device, the X380. Based on the tune, 'It's Tricky' by Run DMC, the video put the phone front and centre and promoted its novelty feature - a screen that flicks up. A simple concept, but expertly executed. It was not slick, the production values were terrible and with a seemingly cavalier attitude to the song's copyright - the young YouTube audience lapped it up. The video received positive comments, as well as many that expressed a strong intention to buy and more importantly, it also secured a sort of viral status - even before brands understood what that meant.
Over time though the concept of video marketing has expanded. We're no longer looking just at YouTube but the whole web structure - websites, social media spaces, email, mobiles and apps - all capable of delivering and measuring video content and video has now become a very important and lucrative marketing tool.
Video is also rarely considered as a standalone product, while viewers are sought, brands realise they must get their video shared and open up a channel for discourse and engagement. To this end, video goes hand in hand with social platforms that allow businesses to reach and measure this added social functionality, and let's not forget the ability to target audiences and measure the returns.
Video features in Google search, YouTube search, Facebook pages, video blogs and mobile ads and does so with a variety of objectives. Brands from Old Spice, T-Mobile, Will It Blend, Orabrush, O2 and Dollar Shave Club have all embraced the medium to great effect and for many small business, Dollar Shave Club for example, have found video to be a great leveller in the online marketplace.
However, the landscape is continually changing and evolving. When once 3 minute videos were the norm, attention spans and engagement are becoming increasingly less and so video formats are shifting towards smaller bite-sized productions but in increasing number. Mobile is shaking up how and where people consume video and we're even returning to our TV sets to watch videos that are now being produced for the web! As interconnectivity continues web, entertainment, advertising and quality productions are all rushing towards each other culminating in a new and fascinating genre.
About the Author:
There's so much more to learn about video marketing! Ryan Stone is Creative Director of Lambda Films, aVideo Production Norwich company. Ryan also curatesRetina Burn a video marketing blog, please take a look!
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