How to Use Video to Strengthen Brand Identity
In an afternoon conference at the 2013 Streaming Forum conference in London, industry experts looked at how to use online video to strengthen brand identity, and how it can go horribly wrong.
We’re seeing a wave of big companies serving up their CEOs in online videos. According to Peter Rugg, AV consultant for UBS, it’s peer pressure that’s driving the trend: companies want to show their CEO as an expert offering informed advice about key topics – just like their competitors are doing.
“I’m not sure why the big organizations are choosing to use video; they just are,” Rugg said.
To make CEO videos successful, panelists offered practical advice. One was to hire media training specialists to school the company’s top execs. Those execs need to know what works best when creating video, and they need experience in front of the camera. Chris Lloyd, technical director for 27partners, said that media training is key, helping the CEO feel comfortable talking to a camera.
When a CEO is alarmed by the thought of taking questions from the audience in a video Q&A, Lloyd suggested planting questioners. The CEO will be less anxious if he or she can depend on a few kind questions.
Or maybe the CEO is anxious about shooting live video, since there’s no way to pause and redo a section. If that’s the case, Lloyd advised pre-recording the video and making it look live. It’s easy enough to record the CEO message ahead of time, edit out any rough patches, then stream the video at a set time. No one has to know that the stream is on-demand rather than live.
“It seems live, but the CEO is back at his desk having a drink,” Lloyd joked.
Companies shouldn’t force a CEO to do live streaming if he or she isn’t comfortable with it, Lloyd offered.
One message that several panelists repeated is that production values are key. When showing the CEO in an online video, make sure the results look professional. Many companies have meeting rooms that are attractive enough to use as video studios, Nevil Bounds, sales director for Feltech, said. Make sure the space and the recording equipment are professional. Don’t spoil or compromise the brand with a substandard experience, he added.
That could mean using an in-house team or hiring professional freelancers. Hiring an experienced director is also a good decision. Take the efforts seriously
“It’s got to be professional,” Bounds said. “I think you have to have a minimum level of production standards.”
Watch the full presentation below:
B105: Using Video to Strengthen Brand Identity and Corporate Culture
Moderator: Simon Frusher, Director of EMEA Operations, TalkPoint — UK
Nevil Bounds, Sales Director, Feltech — UK
Peter Rugg, AV Consultant, UBS — UK
Hareesh Vazhaparampil, Senior Product Manager, MIXMOOV SAS — France
Chris Lloyd, Technical Director, 27partners — UK
Matthew Misik, Head of Audio Visual, The Royal College of Surgeons of England — UK
Learn the latest in corporate video technology and strategy, as well as gain insights into webcasting trends and best practices.