Importance of the Branding Video
Branding is an intense emotional experience. Just the sound of a name or a glimpse of a logo could inspire a multitude of different emotions. When we see the golden arches of McDonald’s, we feel something. Maybe in some cases, it’s disgust (burgers that never get moldy), but for me it’s nostalgia (the moment my kid said he no longer wanted a Happy Meal). Same when I see the old Toys R Us logo or Sears.
There are brands that bring back bad memories, and sometimes even anger. There was a sushi place not far from my old home. After a terrible experience with one of the waitresses, I cringed every time I drove by the place and saw their storefront logo.
And like emotions, our feelings for a brand can change on a dime. I loved Islands as a kid. Their Hawaiian-themed burgers, fruit punch and endless fries were one of a kind. For many years, I lived in a place without any Islands nearby, and when I finally visited the place well into middle-age-hood, my excitement turned to disappointment. The endless fries were gone, the service was slow even with the restaurant half-empty, and everything felt over-priced. Not long after this last visit, the Islands near my childhood home closed permanently.
I know I’m over-preaching the choir, but just in case there’s that the one tenor in the corner who’s always on his phone during service, here’s the big profound message:
Your brand image is important, and so is maintaining that brand image.
Brand Videos Create a Positive Brand Image
Brands come to us here at Picturelab for that purpose. As a full-service video production company, we have helped many startups establish and communicate their brand message to the world. In most cases, we worked directly with a brand to help them identify and shape their messaging.
From that experience, here are a few tips to consider when producing your brand video.
Identify Your Audience
There may be temptation to cast the widest net possible. But during our initial meetings, we discover that may not be the best strategy. Identify the audience that matter most, which will help to craft the best story.
Know Your Brand Character
Understanding your brand personality is important in designing the video. And this isn’t just about who you think your customer want you to be. It’s more about who you want to be and what image you want to establish. Many brands fail when they try to conform to the ideals of others. Blaze your own trail and there will be a way.
Know that Brands Evolve
Brands mature over time, and a playful image that works now may not work later as you add more enterprise customers. Brands evolve and so should your brand character. Knowing this will help produce the video that is most effective in conveying the right image for the time.
Vary your Video Strategy
Startups are usually bootstrapped so it’s understandable that they want that one video to do everything. They want to establish their brand, explain and demo their product, and also have a testimonial squeezed in there somewhere. Obviously, this only creates a mess that fail to engage with anyone. Have your brand video focus on establishing your brand identity. The demos and explainers and testimonials can come later. First and foremost, introduce yourself before you whipping out your resume.
Be Creative
The most successful videos we’ve produced are not the ones that copy other styles. It’s the one where we take our understanding of a brand and so something unique. Be yourself. Don’t be afraid and take a leap.
Picturelab is a creative video production company based in California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Irvine). Contact us to learn more about how we can help with your video marketing campaigns.