THAT, my friends, is the power and charm of simplified marketing.
2 words and your mind has been hijacked by a catchy jingle, an image of two bubbly tablets dropping into a glass of crystal clear H20 and possibly a pale faced, indigestion-plagued person sitting next to their half eaten deep dish pizza… about to toss their simmering seltzer salvation down their gullet.
Just 2 words and without thinking, you’ve recalled a problem that can be solved by the product. BRILLIANT.
So let’s take it wayyyyy back to marketing meetings of yesteryear.
It’s probable that at some point the indigestion big-wigs of this company met with the advertising crew and gave an hour long in-depth display of why these dissolvable tablets work. Charts, product testing, scientific results and guarantees were no doubt tossed around during a monumental data-packed discussion that would surely convince even the most discriminating consumer of its usefulness… so why didn’t Alka-Seltzer go with:
“Sodium bicarbonate can be used to treat heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux by reacting with and neutralizing excess stomach acid through effervescent tablets that contain three active ingredients, aspirin, sodium hydrogen carbonate and citric acid. Also, aspirin belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It works by blocking the action of an enzyme in the body called cyclo-oxygenase and oh what a relief it is!” as their jingle???
Because they understood that ENTERTAINMENT can be more valuable than the over-stimulation of EDUCATING your audience to death.
Though this product is complex and scientifically proven, the message is simple.
Bottom line… if your stomach hurts, plop-fizz your way to relief.
Problem. Solution. That’s all they need to know.
Close your eyes… (wait, actually don’t because I still need you to read my words) IMAGINE that you’re taking your target-audience out on a blind date.
You put on your best suit, douse yourself with high-end cologne and drive to that fancy corner steakhouse, eager to meet your new muse.
Do you sit across the table from this beautiful stranger, rub your sweaty palms together and then begin reciting every mundane moment of your life so that she can fully appreciate each and every morsel of the man that you have been, currently are and ever hope to be???
(Good luck getting second date.)
But what if you tried courting your audience instead?
What does she need? Why did she agree to this date?
Dinner, companionship and connection… not the details of last week’s wart removal… so take a deep breath and give her just enough of what she needs to get her to agree to date #2.
So what’s the equivalent of a 2nd date in the world of marketing?
Google searches. Leads. Phone calls. Emails. Consultations.
You’ve gotta spark enough interest to get some action from your call to action and that’s done by making sure your message is simple, memorable and easily absorbed into the viewer’s mind.
The more you can narrow in on the meat & potatoes of your message or the sweet & simple essence of your service and stop trying to push your beloved information watermelons through human attention span-keyholes…
The more you’ll start seeing your efforts convert into genuine, profitable results.
Like these campaigns:
Got Milk? (Totally makes you thirsty.)
Maybe She’s Born With It? (Fake your natural beauty.)
Give Me A Break. (Who in their right mind would refuse a chocolate break or a piece of broken chocolate?)
The Breakfast of Champions. (Cereal box heroes.)
The Best A Man Can Get. (Smooth, manly jawlines.)
Melts In Your Mouth Not In Your Hand.
(This is a lie, but I still buy/eat them.)
I Want My BabyBack-BabyBack-BabyBack-BabyBack. (You just sang, again… didn’t ya?)
Double The Pleasure, Double The Fun. (Hot twins. Who cares what they’re selling.)
Dilly Dilly. (Nothing to do with beer. Sometimes simple & stupid = memorable.)
When done right, marketing with simple, clever videos can be powerful enough to make your message last a lifetime (just ask the plop-plop peeps)… and Ydraw can help you do just that, oh what relief it is!
Everyone wants a viral video. In fact, that’s what most of our clients ask for when they come to us. But, when it’s time to look at our Art Styles page – many clients panic and think,
“What if I choose the wrong one?”
That’s why we are going to talk about the difference that art choice can make to your video and a few things to think about when choosing yours. Because although we pride ourselves on working with the most talented artists in the industry – that doesn’t mean that every one of them is the best choice for your project.
Let me tell you a short story.
Once upon a time, a client named Booz Allen came to us for their first whiteboard animation video. They are a serious, respected firm with very serious, important clients. Even though this video was internal, they wanted it to be serious, professional, and aspirational.
But, there was just one thing.
Their Scriptwriter had a gut instinct – what if we juxtaposed the informational tone of the script with a fun, unexpected art style like Calvin & Hobbes to create a surprise effect?
Well, Booz Allen decided to go with Semi-Realistic instead. Here’s the first scene from the first set of images delivered by their choice of artist:
This works. It gets the job done. However, Booz Allen isn’t in the business of just getting the job done. So, they made the command decision to switch artists (for a small fee).
Here’s the first scene again – with the exact same script – rendered in the Calvin & Hobbes style:
Now THAT’s memorable!
Just using a different art style brings the script to life in a completely new way.
In fact, this style was such a huge hit –they have made dozens of videos since in this style.
This is a perfect example of how the right art style can truly elevate a project.
So, what should you consider when choosing the art style for your project?
Here are 3 things to consider:
TONE/MOOD:
What is the tone of your script – what feelings does the voiceover evoke? And, what do you want the mood to be of your video? Some examples might by light-hearted and humorous. Other scripts are heavy, covering more serious subject matter. Or, maybe you just want an approachable, informational tone. For example, this video we made for Volunteers of America was designed to be beautiful, moving and inspiring. Using our YPaint style, the images are digitally revealed and we incorporated an animated fine line connecting them to support this vision:
ELEMENT OF SURPRISE:
Now, just because your tone and mood are serious – doesn’t mean your art style has to be! By using an unexpected pairing, you create the element of surprise! Examples of this could be the Booz Allen video – which pairs a fun, youthful art style with serious internal subject matter. Or, take a look at this video for the marketing company, Ribyt. They used color to create an element of surprise, by staying all B&W except for their brands green.
Another way to create an element of surprise is to use a mixed-media approach, by combining different types of video footage. In this case, Vital Smarts used a mixture of live video and whiteboard animation:
AUDIENCE:
Sometimes the right art style is the one that will appeal most to your audience.
Ask yourself, “What would my target consumer want to see?”
After all, you’re making this video for them, right?
That’s exactly what our client, Wilson Electronics, had in mind when we created this short, one-scene video in our Cartoony style to capture the feeling that people have when they realize their cell phone signal hasn’t been working:
BOTTOM LINE:
Be willing to think outside the box when choosing an artist!
The right art style will pair perfectly with your script and grab the attention of your audience.
We love working with our clients to discuss options, send samples, and help guide you to choosing the perfect art style for your project.
At one point or another, each of us have had that gut feeling that defies the facts and numbers. When everything looks right on paper but for some reason it just doesn’t “feel” right.
So where does that feeling come from?
Contrary to what you may be thinking, it actually comes from the BRAIN!
Simon Sinek, a British-American author and motivational speaker, does a great job explaining this in his book called “Start with Why.”
He talks about the two parts of your brain
The Neocortex or “the what” and the Limbic or “the why”
The Neocortex being responsible for our rational and analytical thought and language and the Limbic being responsible for our feelings, behavior and decision making. He also talks about how our Limbic brain has no capacity for language.
What this means is the part of our brain that DRIVES BEHAVIOR, our Limbic Brain, doesn’t even understand the vast amounts of information you are throwing at it. It just hears BLA BLA BLA!
So how does knowing all this, help make better videos?
Studying the human brain helps us understand what motivates our audience leading to lifelong business.
Like Simon mentions, when we first communicate the “why” and get our viewer believing what we believe, we establish an emotional connection. After that connection is formed, it doesn’t really matter what we have to offer them or how we have it because “people don’t buy what you do they buy why you do it.”
You can explain to your viewer till your blue in the face what all of the facts, features, benefits and details are of your company but at the end of the day, if they don’t trust you, they aren’t going to click on your website or set up that free consultation or even think about contacting you.
So before smack your viewers in the face with 7 million reasons why your company is exponentially greater than your competitors….
Ask your self WHY you do what you do. Ask yourself if you actually need all that nitty gritty, technical jargon in your video. Ask yourself if you are selling a product or selling an idea.
Understanding the role of the emotional unconscious and how it plays a role in the decision-making process of your audience is critical in making your video successful.
Remember…. “People don’t buy what you do they buy why you do it.”
Would any market savvy business owner toss aside a polished, entertaining, informative system that delivers “YOU NEED THIS PRODUCT/SERVICE IN YOUR LIFE!” messages and keeps potential purchasers watching intently with eye pleasing drawings and storylines of audio delight???
BREAKING BUSINESS NEWS!!! Hundreds do every single day!
It’s crazy and it’s a darn shame.
Common reasons why businesses pass on utilizing explainer videos to energize and leverage their marketing budget buck:
1.) They just plain don’t understand the power videos have on the brains of the masses.
2.) There is a misconception that whiteboard animation will cost them an arm and a leg… and possibly an eye… plus their left kidney… along with a sliver of their spleen.
NOT TRUE. WE DO NOT ACCEPT BODY PARTS AS A VIABLE FORM OF CURRENCY.
Never you fear, I am here to help clear up any misunderstandings.
Successful business men/women/people throughout the ages have mastered the art of ROI (Return On Investment.) If anybody were to be cautious about spending thousands of dollars on a video… it would be me. As a matter of fact, it was me.
Ydraw was created because I needed a whiteboard video for my company. I wanted to, in a short amount of time, explain what my product did… as opposed to a flat, static photo of what it was. An explainer video was the perfect solution to accomplish this with movement, emotion and excitement.
As I began my search, (way back in 2011) There were only 2 companies providing these types of videos. RSA and Social 21. I knew this was going to be the next big wave of viral marketing potential. I wanted it… wanted it bad! There was just one hiccup. The price tag!
$20,000-$50,000 for a RSA animation video!?!?
What in the world??? Were these videos shipped to your doorstep in diamond studded 24 karat gold envelopes and hand delivered by The Queen herself? Thus Ydraw was born.
Ways to maximize the return on your whiteboard animation video:
1.) Upload your video to YouTube and other video sites. (This will jumpstart seo, traffic, and leads)
Traffic can be difficult to create, especially since Google is continually making adjustments to their algorithm. Your odds of hitting the front page of Google are substantially increased with a video than with any other type of digital medium.
Farmers plant seeds, fishermen cast hooks, hunters set traps. CEOs should be searching for endless sets of eyes… these eyes lead to brains… those brains lead to leads… the leads lead to sales. Video marketing will transform your fishing hooks into fishing nets, leaving the shorelines of your profits overflowing with clients you’ve caught.
The first step I took after starting Yinc Marketing was ordering a ‘Fast and Easy Whiteboard Video’. I instantly uploaded it to YouTube and made sure I filled out the title, description and keyword tags correctly. 3 weeks later I found myself at the top of Google on a couple of keywords (Check out the screen shot below and you will see that I am still there). I may not be seeing “27 car pileup on the freeway at rush hour” traffic but it still produces leads and we all know leads=sales.
These results were from a ‘Fast and Easy Video’ created by Ydraw. Economically stellar… so obviously my ROI is huge (Yes, I’m bragging). Here’s the video.
[Tweet “What Can a Whiteboard Animation Video Do For You?”]
[Tweet “Where should you place a video on your site?”]
2.) Place the video on your Website homepage, above the fold.
Videos are a MUST on your home page. Websites need to be based around consumer experience. Grabbing and keeping interest is key. Unless your content writer rivals Hemingway… most readers will bore easily of wordy text. Your video should be the center of attention, so the minute a visitor clicks their merry little way onto your site, the first thing they do is hit the play button.
A word of caution from your marketing mentor:
I am aware how much you enjoy your cookie cutter, sappy, environmentally friendly stock images that make zippo sense nor do they have any correlation to pretty much anything. I understand you want to show photos of an Asian woman taking control of a high powered male saturated meeting… not to mention the salt and pepper haired African American gentleman grinning serenely as he stares upon his freshly opened cardboard box of recently shipped product joy. How else can you show your sophistication, exuberance, diversification, political correctness and overall blanketed relativity?
Just imagine the previous paragraph was typed in a sarcasm font… Sarcasm fonts don’t exist… but they should.
Click this link and you will understand.
The quote of the day:
“Using a specific ratio of Asian people, to black people, to women, to white men. We want to make sure we represent a version of your needs and interests or at a version of your skin color.”
Great video isn’t it?
Your homepage is prime real estate. Think “curb appeal.”
Keep it clean, tidy and geared towards your intended audience.
Here are a couple of companies that excel at this.
The simple formula is: headline, subheading, and video.
3.) Run Video ads.
I recently wrote an article on “How to run YouTube ads and profit from your competitor’s YouTube pages.” I suggest reading it! No matter the size of your company, you should be running ads. How can you expect to be discovered by your target audience unless you throw yourself out there on the stage? It won’t break the bank.
Think ‘investment.’
I had a lead contact me this week regarding a whiteboard animation video. She took her search to YouTube. She clicked on a competitor’s video. In rolls the pre-roll add… and what do you think she saw??? Boom… Ydraw… Double Boom! Like an NBA blocked shot, I Dikembe Mutombo’d my competitor. *waves finger* BOOM!
You see what I did there? Did you catch that?
Instant Replay:
1. Client is in need of my services.
2. She decides to browse whiteboard videos on YouTube.
3. My video ad plays before the other video starts (Boom).
4. Customer calls me because I made the first impression.
5. I get a sizzling hot lead.
And the crowd goes wild!
Clever business doesn’t get much more rewarding than that!
[Tweet “How to run YouTube Video Ads”]
I could go on and on and on and on and on…and on about the benefits of whiteboard animation videos for your company, product or service. I could write forever but the sun is shining and I have eager potential clients to catch in my video marketing net of pure awesomeness!
If you enjoyed this article, share it. If you need a video, call us. If you still find yourself on the fence… well, you can always gather up another heaping handful of random stock photos that speak to your soul. (← sarcasm font.)
Enjoy your day!
What can a whiteboard animation video do for you?
Do you have any idea what you can do with an interactive video? It’s a whole new way of storytelling while allowing your audience to take control of their experience. 99.9% of the population has not caught the vision yet, but it’s ok. These videos are new, exciting, and soon people are going to catch the vision. Steve Jobs told Business Week,
“A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”
This is what I am about to do. I want to give you a couple of ideas on how you can use interactive videos for your next video or how you can take your current video and make it interactive. I created this in about 30 minutes, so forgive the quality and integration. 🙂 Below I posted Range Rover’s interactive video.
Things you can add:
Formbuilder, Video links, Text Links, Socialsharing, Images, Text, Resume, Vote Maps, Skip, Loop, Pause, and Product Placement.
Range Rover Interactive Video And Website
Range rover did an amazing job with their interactive video. They actually developed their whole site with html5. It’s basically one big video telling the story of the new Range Rover.
Aren’t interactive videos cool? They are fun, they inform the audience, and they make people actually complete a task. Because interactive videos force viewers to complete a task or make a choice, they keep the viewer’s attention longer than other videos.
Let us know if you have any questions or comments about how to use interactive videos. We’d love to help.
