How long-form video is transforming storytelling for brands
Hard sell advertising just doesn't cut it anymore, which is why long-form video is connecting with consumers on such deep levels, says Daniel Goldstein.
A massive change is currently underway in the digital space, as more brands continue to move away from the ‘hard sell’ style of video, instead turning their focus to engaging and connecting with their audience online via long form content and editorial style videos.
Having been in this industry for over a decade, the video paradigm has visibly shifted over time and it’s evident now that brands need to consider content that’s important to both their brand and their audience.
There’s a strong correlation between storytelling and being able to cut through the clutter of communicating to an audience; it’s something that really resonates with people, particularly if it’s engaging and entertaining.
https://youtu.be/ivE9GANA8Ik?list=PLIG_A-M4LPchkNvBph-C8kTMXo05Leby-
So how are brands doing this? For example, RAMS was one of the first brands to step away from the hard sell and instead immersed their brand in a highly successful 12-episode online mini series ‘The Great Australian Dream’.
https://youtu.be/ToXTguUuAeI?list=PLIG_A-M4LPchkNvBph-C8kTMXo05Leby-
Most recently, Realestate.com.au has collaborated with Three Birds Renovations to create an engaging six-episode content series.
The content series for Realestate.com.au will follow three best friends and mums who pursue their passion for renovation while showcasing how to find the perfect property and what it takes to turn a knock-down-rebuild into a family home in just 40 days.
The transformation we’re seeing is content generally reserved for television now making its way into the digital sphere, with brands driving the content in a way that engages on a deeper level with their audience.
This isn’t to say there isn’t a place for corporate communications anymore, there is, but brands are looking for a point of difference, which needs to be addressed by finding the right content and presenting it in an engaging and entertaining format.
Realestate.com.au’s new-look News site is what inspired them to create long form content, as they wanted to focus on delivering video content that inspired, entertained and delighted their audience.
With RAMS, the 12-part series features 10-minute videos featuring talent, including Kyal and Kara from The Block, presenter Nikki McCarthy and architect Cameron Frazer, all who brought their own tips and tricks to achieving The Great Australian Dream – that is, buying, building or renovating your dream home.
The mini series was highly successful as it provided RAMS’ audience with informative, engaging and entertaining content while avoiding a direct hard sell on the often dry topic of home loans.
We’re advertised to on a daily basis and the hard sell doesn’t resonate well with audiences anymore. In order to keep up in such a fluid market and cut through the clutter, brands need to get creative with their video marketing.
Editorial style videos come in a range of lengths and formats, there’s no one size fits all formula but the underlying goal remains the same – you need to give something back to your audience – entertain them, inspire them, or why not teach them something new?
Daniel Goldstein is the co-founder and managing director of Visual Domain
Any actual evidence to back up this string of assertions? Like results, or figures, or facts? Even just a quote or two? Long-form video is a terrific option for lots of clients. But why set it up against ‘the hard sell’ (whatever you’ve assumed that is) without making any proper, reasoned arguments? You do neither medium a service.
How are these examples deeply connecting with consumer. All this might not be hard sell, but they’re definitely long sell.
If you want to connect with audiences on deep levels, there needs to be “No sell”.
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I hate to heap more flak on this article, but it’s just such a weak argument. The title promises some sort of insight… but Daniel unfortunately provides very little. The video mini series is being labelled ‘highly successful’ yet none of the videos seems to have had more than 4,000 views? I can’t see how this would have shifted for the client the needle in any way.
Such a shame, there’s probably quite a good argument to be made for long form content in this category – but you’d want someone who can talk strategy, content distribution and results too (not just someone who says long form video is great, because he can make it).
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All these videos are crap, boring in a deeply un-connecting way.
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BANG! I’m with you on this.
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