WHAT IS A CORPORATE VIDEO?
(1347 words – 6 min read) A corporate video production is essentially a video created for a company for commercial purposes. It is a visual way of presenting a brand’s vision, values and benefits in an engaging, interesting way. With the increasing importance of digital media, there is an immense potential to use corporate videos not only on websites and social media, but also in events, corporate meetings and presentations. So if you are a marketing or advertising professional, you should know which corporate video elements make up an effective, engaging message to your audience. Not all videos will necessarily need to display all elements. It all depends on the industry, purpose and complexity of the message. So take a look and see what you could be using on your next video.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CORPORATE VIDEO ELEMENTS IN THE MESSAGE?
What should you focus on to deliver an engaging message?
1.Solutions and values:
First of all, it is not so much about products and services in themselves, but about branding.
So think as a customer: what benefit do I get from this brand as oppose to that other one? There is a practical benefit (what this product or service actually does); and often an emotional one (How? is it about credibility? being cool or fashionable? eco friendly?) What are the values this brand stands up for? What kind of personality does this brand evoke? That will determine the tone, the mood of the video.
2.Simple language:
The simplest the language, the longer the audience will remain engaged. Complex data can be used, but always balanced and in a way that connects with the audience. Try to avoid complicated language that your target audience may not understand.
3. Emotion:
This is a key corporate video element. People take action by a combination of thought and emotion. Present only hard facts and you will have the most boring video. Chances are no one will watch it to the end. So hard and dry facts need to be connected to human emotions – how does this info impact the viewer on a personal level? The secret is to educate and inspire at the same time. What is it that inspires the people in the company to do an awesome work that benefits the people watching the video?
4. Storytelling:
A video shows a story; it has a beginning, middle and an end. Hence a good script and storyboarding are essential to help you visualise the whole message and the story you want to tell. What you do, who benefits from what you do, how this motivates you to keep doing it better and better. Also, telling the company’s history is a great way to create empathy. Everybody relates with stories about how it all started: overcoming challenges, being visionaries and fulfilling an eminent need and so on.
WHAT ARE THE KEY FORMAT ELEMENTS OF A CORPORATE VIDEO?
In other words, how do you transmit those values in a visual way?
5. Staff interviews:
People engage with people. Hearing from a real person who works for the company, engaging with his / her knowledge and emotions inspires credibility and spontaneity. In other words, it looks more real and believable than a super produced ad with no real faces. What companies and people look for is trust, long term relationships with each other.
Most staff members, when asked to give interviews for a corporate video, may feel uncomfortable. Hence, a good director will help them to relax and inspire confidence. Ultimately, staff interviews are meant to express what they already know, in a natural and spontaneous way.
6. Location shots:
Where applicable, you can also show the office or factory, the real thing, with real people, real machinery etc. Again bringing an element of honesty to the video. Adding to that, aerial views (drone shooting) are a great way to inspire grandeur and perspective for the future.
7. Customer testimonials / interactions:
What’s other people experience with this brand? How did they benefit from its products or services? Customer testimonials bring transparency and trust, and it’s often the best way to build credibility. Or you may have your customer not speaking, but interacting with your brand, products or services instead. As the saying goes, “A picture tells a thousand words.” It all depends on context. Either way, this is one of the best corporate video elements.
8. Edition:
Timely cuts alternating people’s shoots and other images, with voice over, makes the video more dynamic and interesting.
9. Voice Over:
A voice over can be delivered by a staff member or by a professional talent. The narrator will bring the tone and voice to represent the company. Voice overs work in combination with the editing. Essentially it means to have a narration over images other than the person’s headshot. Usually to present facts in a dynamic and more emotional way.
10. Still images:
You may also make use of still images to bring context. For example, company’s historical images; event photos; customers, etc. Or more generic stock images that illustrate ideas without the need of shooting anew.
11. Graphics and Animation:
A good way of showing data in a more dynamic way. Better than having the CEO’s headshot while he or she talks about numbers and results, is to have eye-catching animated graphics and colours to keep your audience engaged. You may have custom made graphics and animation or use stock icons depending on budget. Video explainers can have a lot of graphics.
12. Music:
The rhythm will dictate the tone and emotion you want to transmit to the brand. Upbeat music will inspire dynamism, technology, on-trend brands, while a classical music will inspire sophistication and luxury, for example.
13. Presenters:
You may also have a professional talent or a celebrity as a presenter instead of a management staff, depending on budget range. For example, in the case of a celebrity, it is a way of instantly connecting the values attached to this person to your brand and generate engagement.
14. Video length:
So how long should a corporate video be? It depends on each company and the story they have to tell. A good video duration is anywhere between 90 seconds to 10 minutes – it all depends on its application. For example, a video for your website homepage can last for around 2 to 4 minutes, whereas a video to use at a meeting presentation or event can be longer. A social media video can be shorter, around 90 seconds. When planning a corporate video production, you should take into consideration the different applications, so you may have a few versions ready to use.
EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE VIDEO ELEMENTS IN PLAY
Check out this example of corporate video made for the Scotch College to present students the new uniform range. Full of emotion and storytelling that connects its values to the heart of the students. More than consumers, they become advocates of the brand.
Another great example is CBH Fertiliser, where music, great shots, editing and voice over bring dynamism and emotion to a B2B market.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CORPORATE VIDEO PRODUCTION?
More and more, video is establishing itself as a preferred media to consume information, both online and offline. Therefore, as people become increasingly time poor, dynamic ways of communication are becoming more popular than ever.It simply requires less effort and time to watch a video than to read a text. It is also a powerful away of delivering your message at a meeting, adding professionalism and credibility to your presentation.
Also, videos engage more senses than a text, and all its many elements are the best way of inspiring emotional connections with your target audience.
CONCLUSION: MAKE USE OF THE CORPORATE VIDEO ELEMENTS TO COMMUNICATE YOUR BRAND AND ENGAGE YOU AUDIENCE
Ultimately, many things are taken into consideration to create a great corporate video production. Having experienced professionals to create, direct and produce your corporate video is the best way to ensure your brand can communicate its values, products and services in the most effective and engaging way.
Finally, you can check out more examples of great corporate video productions here. Enjoy!