IT'S JUST VIDEO. IT AIN'T GONNA BITE.

Allow me to start with a story:

Not to long ago I approached a local company whose product I had recently purchased. It was good stuff. I checked them out online since I wanted to know more (you know, how customer loyalty and brand buy-in typically starts). Their online presence was pretty good, but it lacked a story. It was pretty pictures, but no real brand or culture to speak of. I figured I’d reach out.

A phone call led to a meeting which brought to light a new product they had on the near horizon. They were fully behind the quality of this new product, but the branding was practically non-existent. The clock was ticking, and they had no story to tell, no strategy for its roll-out, and not even a finalized logo to print on it.

“I can help with this” I said. I briefly brainstormed. “We can get a short, on-brand, video that sums up why this is so special. We’ll take some product photos, tie it all in to an email marketing campaign, give members-only pre-release access, and make as big a splash as we can with the weeks you have.”

This seems to have been exactly what they wanted to hear from someone. Their energy was palpable, and I sensed a good amount of relief, as well. I felt for the company. They were so focused on the quality of the product, that they had little-to-no marketing budget allotted for its release. They had no marketing personnel - only two full-time employees. I told them not to worry about money. I just wanted to help, to tell an interesting story, and fill the small lull I had in my schedule. “I can do this for you. It’ll be fun. Plus, I love your product.”

The next day I sent over a rough shot list which outlined all the video content we’d need to capture — nothing that requires a lot of lights or closing off streets or a van full of extras (non-speaking acting talent). Aside from keeping the client in the loop, the goal of the shot list was to help manage expectations of the shoot and help them to visualize the final product a bit, too. The video approach was to be clean, classy, and entirely on-brand. We’d have a follow-up meeting to discuss the details and finalize a schedule.

Then… the comms went silent. No response to my email and no response to a text. Silence. Things happen, so I gave it about 10 days and followed up again. Nothing.

Confused and a bit jilted, I moved on and filled that lull in my schedule with a pro bono nonprofit project. All good. Meanwhile, I began to craft theories as to what happened. “They closed up shop. The product release got pushed back six months. It was my breath! No - they were engaged in espionage!” I certainly was curious why things derailed. So, many weeks later I reached out one last time to bluntly ask what happened.

After a couple days I received a response that they had felt overwhelmed. With the product’s timeline and the short staff, the idea of a video and small, focused marketing campaign scared them off. So much so that instead of attaching a story and campaign to the new product, they left it to chance. Unfortunately, that did not turn out well.

Here’s the lesson:

Video should not induce fears or stir up trepidation or anxiety. If it does, the production process is likely being misunderstood or has not been properly explained. Video is a tool that often has to fit within constraints. It's not a one-size-fits-all process. If it seems daunting, that can be normal. In fact, I find that hesitant clients often fall into two categories: over-simplifying the production process, or over-complicating it.

Ask questions. If you’re not asking questions, you’re not approaching this properly. Don’t make assumptions - be they overly optimistic or pessimistic. Base your expectations upon measurable items. And be sure you really want a video right now. But before you make any rash decision, at least let us bang around some ideas for you. We’re still big believers in the value of the ol’ telephone line.