Hello,
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, but here at Wooshii, the blazing passion in our hearts is (as ever) video.
We love it. And we love keeping it simple, rewarding and hassle-free. Like all the best relationships.
More than anything, we want our clients to feel the same way. We want you to set aside the past heartbreak of marketing that missed the target like a blindfolded Cupid and focus on how video can provide the results you need. How it can be a match made in heaven for your strategic and tactical goals.
To that end, we’d like to share some news, trends and insights that will give you a clearer picture of what video has to offer. You see, while we’re in love with video, the truth of the matter is we’re much more pragmatic than romantic.
VIDEO IN THE NEWS
Wellness brands use video for positive change during a pandemic
Brands in the wellness category have turned to video during the pandemic to better connect with consumers and help them cope. The trend is captured in The Most Viewed Video Ads chart which illustrates how businesses in sectors such as fitness, nutrition, healthcare and psychology are using creative video to motivate consumers, build their brands and promote their products and solutions. [Source: AdAge]
COVID crisis ignites demand for relatable content
The future of video is “a battle for how to create content that empowers viewers to engage with relatable content, level up their skills, find happiness, and quell stress.” That’s the conclusion of a Forbes piece which argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed video content and consumption, with consumers increasingly preferring video that is relatable over unrealistic images. [Source: Forbes]
YouTube trials shareable segments tool Clips
Video platform YouTube has begun testing a clipping feature with a small group of creators. Clips allow users to select a 5-60 second segment of a creator’s content that can be shared with others across platforms and is available on desktop and Android devices to start, with iOS compatibility to be introduced soon. [Source: exchange4media]
TikTok partnership with WPP paves way for more brand videos
TikTok has formed a global partnership with giant marketing services group WPP as part of its strategy to help brands develop safe and effective video content for the platform. “More and more brands all over the world are experiencing the impact TikTok has to create moments that not only shape culture but also drive business value,” said TikTok vice president of global business solutions Blake Chandlee. [Source: The Drum]
How AI has learnt to remove masks and accurately recreate a persons face
A few months ago Digital Human Group started exploring the idea of using Charlatan (their proprietary neural rendering technology) to remove face masks on close-up subjects. Their mask removal results were pretty amazing so they decided to go a step further and create a facial performance underneath the mask using only an audio track!
What you see here is still very much a work in progress but it is exciting to see where this technology is going. There is very little manual artistry in this piece and every time you see maskless Doug everything on his face from his eyes to his mouth is synthetic!
You can watch the video here
TACTICAL TRENDS & INSIGHTS
The average person spends 100 minutes a day watching video
The average person will spend 100 minutes every day watching online video in 2021, up from 84 minutes in 2019, according to projections from Zenith. That’s equivalent to watching 25 continuous days of video this year. Clearly, this growth in viewing time will drive greater advertiser appetite for well-made online video.
Long-form on the rise
While short-form video remains hugely popular, it’s important to note that demand for long-form is on the increase. From a marketing standpoint, longer videos have numerous advantages. Not only are they more likely to stay in the minds of viewers and deliver higher engagement rates, but they also offer a better way to convey emotion, inspire and educate.
“Show, Don’t Tell”
Too much exposition has the ability to kill momentum and disconnect the audience from the narrative, “Show, don’t tell,” is one of the most common forms of feedback that any writer/filmmaker/creator will get, but what does it all mean? Showing, not telling will make your videos more vivid and allow the audience to immerse themselves in the story you trying to tell.
These folks here do it perfectly, they truly let their actions speak louder. Welcome to the CUC stunt team – Biggest Stuntschool in the World.
You can watch the video here.
Training that sticks in the mind
The age of lockdowns has propelled online learning up the agenda for many organisations. But there are compelling reasons for ensuring videos are integral to training programmes, and they go far beyond social distancing requirements. From onboarding new hires to familiarising your sales force with market challenges or new product specifications, video is an incredibly effective channel for lodging vital information in the mind.
CAMPAIGN IN FOCUS
Gumtree
Classifieds site Gumtree wanted to prioritise the Motors FSBO (for sale by owner/private seller) category. It asked us to come up with a video strategy and creative ideation to tackle this challenge. Wooshii had complete creative input from scripting, storyboarding, artistic direction, building a bespoke set and creating unique characters specifically for this campaign. With a strong concept, this project was a clear opportunity to create something unique for a major brand. Working with a tight deadline, we rose to the challenge. A great team, including a top Director from our Wooshii network and our in-house post-production talent, delivered the goods. We produced a total of six videos including four cutdowns. You can see some of the work here.
