Welcome to the Weekly Video Round-Up!

Every week we take a look at how companies are using video to communicate with customers, employees and investors.

Sunshine Village Gets Social

For many people, holidays are one of the biggest purchases of the year, and it’s a decision that takes time and research. Stats show that at least 80% of travelers research their trips online, and 46% of personal travelers are watching travel related videos, versus 36% two years ago. There is no shortage of travel blogs and review sites on the internet, which makes it easy for any trip-planner to access information and compare destinations.

As a popular ski destination among travelers and locals, Sunshine Village puts a heavy emphasis on their online presence to ensure they stay connected to their new and returning customers. Along with lift ticket and hotel deals, Sunshine also puts recent photos and video on the homepage to give a glimpse of current conditions, terrain and user uploaded content. This is an excellent selling feature for the ski resort, as it encourages sharing and facilitates conversation and interaction amongst users. These features also eliminate the need for visitors to refer to other sites for videos and photos, keeping traffic and potential visitors on the Sunshine site.

Audi – Snowy Weather

In this video, Audi aims to show that almost everyone hates winter, except the Quattro.

Best Buy Innovation

Best Buy hit a branding home run with this spot, featuring some of mobile technology’s biggest innovators and positioning their services amongst the forward-thinking group.

Day Made of Glass 2

Corning just released the second part of their virtual hit ‘A Day Made of Glass’. This video is an extension of the same day featured in the first video, and the effects are just as amazing.

Welcome to the Weekly Video Round-Up!

Every week we take a look at how companies are using video to communicate with customers, employees and investors.

Calgary Herald TV

A recent comScore report stated that over the last 12 months, videos published online by newspapers were watched over 720 million times. The same report states that the newspaper industry had over 14,561,000 unique video viewers online, and averaged 952,000 daily unique viewers, with the average newspaper viewer watching 3.9 videos online. As the numbers show, video has made a significant impact on the way the newspaper industry is delivering stories, and how readers choose to access the news. While stories are still largely delivered in print, papers have recognized that changing technologies have also changed the way people prefer to access information, and have expanded their delivery methods to online and video content to better serve their audience and avoid extinction.

The Calgary Herald recently added a video section to their website, that is organized similar to their sections in the paper, each containing video of news stories that are featured on the site and in print. With the addition of this video section, the Herald is able to add visual and audio components to their stories, creating a greater connection to the story and enhanced experience for the reader. Not to mention, watching a clip on the story can be much faster than reading it, which is an important thing as people tend to move quickly online and lose focus after a short amount of time. Even in a time where print newspapers are declining, the Herald manages to maintain readership by offering different mediums to get information, and accommodate the needs and preferences of their audience.

Lurpack Butter

Lurpack Butter was actually able to successfully market themselves to the generally health-conscious masses with this ad by associating their ‘lightest’ butter with healthier meals. The fun close-ups and colorful scenes are both aesthetically pleasing and mouth-watering.

Nike Kobe System

Poking fun at motivational speaking, Kobe Bryant speaks to a crowd of A-listers at the top of their game and urges them to ‘go over the top’. The formula seems simple enough, buy the shoes and you’re on the way to success. You can thank Kobe later.

Family Guy- Wheat Thins

In this spot, Wheat Thins is trying to appeal to the younger generation by enlisting the help of Brian and Stewie from Family Guy. Using the TV shows trademark of repetition, they managed to create a script entirely out of the brand’s name.

Welcome to the Weekly Video Round-Up!

Every week we provide a look at how companies are using video to communicate with customers, employees and investors.

VIDEO PROFILE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

The Red Bull Lifestyle

Branded Entertainment integrates a brand with an entertainment property to create an association between the brand and property. This strategy allows companies to maintain brand awareness within an advertising adverse population, by engaging and entertaining audiences as opposed to hitting them over the head with pure sales tactics.

Red Bull has taken this strategy and perfected it by directly associating the energy drink with the adrenaline craving habits of it’s target market through online video. Watching athletes perform death-defying stunts, viewers quickly forget they are engaging with the brand, despite seeing the logo slapped on every piece of equipment and uniform. Their strategy embraces cross platform story telling, participation and audience engagement and ensures that engagement is at the heart of every initiative. The good news is that Branded Entertainment success is within reach for all companies and it’s not just a fit for B2C businesses.

Communicators need to shift their thinking from strictly advertising and sales to creating content that is valuable and drives a social response from audiences. Content does not have to be strictly entertainment based, but can be informative as well. Creating a web series or documentary-style videos centered on your brand are variations of Branded Entertainment. It all depends on the audience and what influences them, and producing a story that resonates and creates a connection to the brand.

Red Bull TV: Click Here

SUCCESSFUL VIDEOS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Live Fast

The clothing brand Affliction is trying to reclaim it’s hardcore image through this spot titled ‘Truly Live’.  Packed full of motorcycles, tattoos and fighting, it certainly reminds you what it means to ‘live fast’.

Every Presentation, Ever

This video is a perfect summary of every presentation ever given or attended. Produced by Growing Leaders Inc., the video aims to show common communication fails that can be avoided with the organization’s services.

Whistler Blackcomb XXS

This video shows an amazing tilt-shift view of the popular ski resort. This day in the life style video is a great way to show all the awesome amenities of the destination.

Welcome to the Weekly Video Round-Up!

Every week we provide a look at how companies are using video to communicate effectively with customers, employees and investors.

VIDEO PROFILE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Young and Free Alberta

Young and Free Alberta is a website powered by Servus Credit Union, which targets young Albertans and provides tips and financial information specifically for this age group. The organization recognized that young people were not well served by the financial industry, and sought to change the dynamic of the relationship by creating a platform that addresses young people directly, on financial issues that matter to them.  Using Social Media applications such as Facebook, Twitter and the Young and Free blog, not to push information but to facilitate conversation with their audience, Young and Free gain a greater understanding of what they want to know about.  Young and Free then produces a regular web series called Living Young and Free Show that tackles these concerns and creates scenarios that solve regular financial problems. The production quality may not be that great, but the authentic young hosts and subject matter is right on target for the audience as it addresses issues that are normally intimidating, in a way that is approachable and understandable for young viewers.

SUCCESSFUL VIDEOS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Don’t Wake Up In A Ditch

The plot of this video is simple; if you don’t have Direct TV bad things happen to you.  Scare tactics rarely work in advertising but this one is pretty convincing.

29 Ways to Stay Creative

Brought to you by Get out of the Box, a non-profit organization that motivates and mentors youth. A very creative video itself, we like the simple imagery and inspiring message.

Smart Thief

This video totally takes you by surprise in what appears to be regular security camera footage of a robbery, but actually turns out to be an ad from LG. They barely give it away at the end with the LG sign in the window.

Welcome to the Weekly Video Round-Up!

Every week we provide a look at how companies are using video to communicate effectively with customers, employees and investors.

VIDEO PROFILE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Lululemon – Sh*t Yogis Say

YouTube has exploded with various copycat versions of the viral video Sh*t Girls Say and Lululemon wisely jumped on the bandwagon by producing a Yoga version. The spot has just over 500,000 views on YouTube, and has gained the Canadian brand national recognition in just over a week. While the intention may have just been to poke fun at the yoga community, the viral ad was well-timed and executed and completely unexpected from a brand’s usual advertising techniques of promoting a healthy and peaceful lifestyle. Lululemon has proved how well in tune they are to social trends and wisely took advantage to gain exposure for the brand.

SUCCESSFUL VIDEOS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Google India – Tanjore

Another great ad from Google, this one tells the story of a real-life businessman from India and how he used the internet (and Google, obviously) to breathe life into an ancient art form and grow his business.

Doritos – Crash the Superbowl

Doritos has launched another challenge for fans to create the next Superbowl ad for the brand. This is a great campaign as it engages fans, and with every commercial entry the brands gets a little more free advertising.

History of the Modern Calendar

Ever wonder how the calendar evolved over the centuries? This video explains it all in just under 4 minutes. If only History lessons could be this short!