Remember Christmas? Sitting on the couch, eggnog in hand, Christmas mince pies within reach, watching the latest ads on the telly? Remember thinking, “Imagine if we produced ads like this! Ads which people look forward to seeing! Remember Buster The Boxer from John Lewis?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8hXrsOx-cs
As wonderful as those Christmas ads are, that’s just once a year. And as for the cost involved in producing an ad for your company…well, it depends.
Yes, I know. ‘It depends’ is not the answer you’re looking for. Or so you think. You see, a great marketing video doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune to produce.
The most effective types of marketing videos
Not every marketing video needs to be an expensive production. Each type plays an important role in putting your company in front of the right audience. And each has inherent costs that are different to the others.
Here are the seven most effective types of videos we create, and each one of these is a marketing video! An effective video is not merely one that people remember, but also the one that delivers the best ROI.
- Corporate
- Educational /Explainer
- FAQ
- Advertisement
- Product demo
- Promotional video
- Testimonial
We can create each one of these as live action film, or animation. Choosing which option works best for you depends on your target audience, the outcome you want to achieve, the ad’s concept, and your budget.
A client’s budget
The size of your budget will limit what is achievable. If you have a small budget, having the latest BAFTA award-winning star acting in your TV ad is unlikely. But it may be big enough for a graphic ad that will blow people’s socks off!
A large budget is great. It means that actor we were talking about could be on set tomorrow. But the pursuit of the big production video can often blind clients to what they really need.
The lightbulb story
A while ago, I met with a potential, large budget, new client who wanted an animated ad to sell their lightbulbs. They were keen, excited, and had ideas! But they were so taken up with the idea of an animated ad they hadn’t realised they’d missed a few crucial steps: Who was their target audience and what did they want that audience to do.
Duh, I hear you say. Anyone who wants a lightbulb and buy them, obviously! It turned out the right audience were no-nonsense, middle-aged men who owned their own companies and wanted to light their factories or warehouses without spending a fortune. Animation wasn’t going to work. But testimonial videos kicked it out of the park.
The full complement of items that might be needed for a high-end marketing video
The good news is that your video’s working budget and production schedule are created using a ‘production-item menu’, so to speak. The type of video, and the concept will dictate which menu items are required.
- Concept and Scripting – These are essential. Think of them as the pizza base on which the other menu items are added to create an amazing final product.
- Lights, Camera, and Audio – The concept will dictate whether the basic kit, all the bells and whistles, or something in between is required.
- Location – if your video is to be shot in the wilds of Outer Mongolia, there will be transport costs, location hire, and accommodation costs for the crew and actors, and probably camel feed. If we’re shooting ten miles from our offices with our in-house crew, then no accommodation will be needed.
Shooting in a studio may require set design and construction.
If we’re shooting on a green screen there will be a CGI (Computer generated images) component. - Costume – Are we talking two people in chicken suits, a dozen people in pirate gear, or someone in an everyday, generic outfit? What does the concept require and can the budget handle it?
- Make-up – Testimonial videos usually need no more than the basic anti-shine powder-down. But if we’re filming the afore-mentioned pirates it’s another story. It takes time to make everyone look like they’ve stepped off the Black Pearl!
- Actors – BAFTA award-winning superstars aside, ‘actors’ could be you, members of your staff, your client, their staff, or animated characters. And speaking of animated characters, the spectrum is vast. From Bill and Ben, the Flowerpot Men, the animatronic farmyard animals in Babe, to the full CGI characters in
- Auto cue – Depending on the length of the script, the type of video, and the memory of your actor, you may not need autocue.
- Crew size – ‘Crew’ is not only the people on set during filming. It also includes pre- and post-production teams. The size of the team will be determined by the concept. We have a full, dedicated, in-house team who can handle just about anything. Occasionally, if the scope of the production requires it, additional outside support may be needed.
- Catering – A happy crew makes a great production so there will always be tea, or coffee, and sticky buns of some description. Proper catering depends on the length and duration of the shoot.
So, now you know the basics of what goes into the production of a corporate video. The next step is to work out:
- Who is your target audience?
- What is the outcome you want to achieve?
- A killer concept.
- Your budget.
If you’re unsure about any of these components, give us a call. We’ll fire up the kettle, and order in a batch of fresh sticky buns. For now, here are some…
Quick facts about why video marketing is more important than ever
95% – how much more powerful video is than text.
100% – how much YouTube rises in popularity every year.
2 BILLION – the number of devoted YouTube users. All of whom are potential customers.
Figures like these prove that video is THE marketing tool of today. Great video gets you talked about. Without it…
Do you really want to fall so far behind that no one remembers you anymore?
Contact us on info@weareopusmedia.com or 0333 358 3335
Animation, Photography, Video – Opus Media. Films that win business.