Four Simple Ways to Brand Your Story

What does it mean to “brand your story” using corporate video?

Recently, I noticed something interesting going on in the area of language: corporate clients are combining “story” and “brand” in the same sentence.


For example, just this week while meeting with a new client, unexpectedly came, “We want our story branded through video.”

Now imagine this for a moment. Imagine telling your unique video story with some “off-the-shelf” stock footage. You are forcing generic video images to tell your custom video story.

Chances are, you will be disappointed. Your culture, energy, passion and vision will hardly be captured in a way that emotionally connects you to your audience. It would be like going to McDonald’s and expecting to receive a custom meal.

Your corporate story is not a commodity. Neither is your video story. Treat it well and it will serve you well.

On the train ride home from New York this week, I thought about it a bit more. What exactly does someone mean when they say, “We want our story branded with video?”

Here are some common themes, as I see it, connecting “brand,” “story” using corporate video.

Four Simple Ways to Brand Your Story Using Corporate Video

1. Identify Your Emotions

Every living organization has relationships. Your organization is no different. Who are you? Why are you different? What’s your ZAG? Your answers are tied to specific emotions that people have towards you. Creating an emotional connection back to your audience through your video implies understanding the emotions that make you unique to begin with.

2. Share Your Dream

Strong brands create strong dreams. A dream is a journey from one state of mind to another. What is your company’s dream? What journey are you on? Where are you taking your viewers? Transporting your viewers to another state of mind in your video allows your audience to imagine new possibilities and opportunities and apply them to their world.

3. Make Meaning

Assume for a moment that your purpose in business is not about yourself, but about others. Why does your company matter? Are you “making meaning”? How are you so different, that dare I say, I have actually fallen in love with your brand? Corporate video can be as powerful or boring as you make it. Capturing your “Why We Matter” factor through video is a powerful way to show what would happen if your company did not exist, and why it exists in the first place.

4. Dip Into Your Past

Your present moment is a reflection of your past. Sharing your past provides a framework and context for your viewers to care even more about you. Your company’s history and experience is as unique as your own. Capitalize on the traditions and values that brought the company to where it is today. Sharing with your viewers where you have been helps them align their personal values with your corporate values.

Does your corporate video incorporate any of these themes in authentic, personal and emotional ways? Don’t let your video fall into the trap of being indistinguishable from the pack.

Your brand deserves better, yes?

---Tom

4 Simple Ways to Brand Your Story

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3 Reasons to Share Your Corporate Video

Shhh!!!

Don't tell anyone. But yesterday, I had a chance to kick around some ideas that Troy Dreier over at Web Video Universe wanted to hear.

The subject? "What's the big secret?"

Troy's interview with me centered on how organizations can begin using their video story to design meaningful conversations by:
--embracing their story
--embracing new media
--embracing the concept of publishing their story on-line.

Here's a cheat sheet why posting your corporate video on-line can ultimately help you:

1. Your Stories Are Being Told Anyway; Be Part of the Conversation.
2. Boost Your Hiring.
3. Authentic Corporate Videos Strengthen Branding.

Head over to Web Video Universe for more.

---Tom

P.S. Just don't tell anyone.

3 Reasons to Share Your Corporate Video

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Deconstructing a Corporate Video

My dear friend and long time supporter of this site, Christian Long at think:lab, got me fired-up to reveal the three biggest challenges I faced while producing and directing these two award-winning corporate videos dealing with epilepsy for the teen market.

Many of you have written me wanting to know what goes through my mind as a director while producing and directing corporate videos. While there are dozens of important decisions to make throughout the life of any video, I hope that this post will give you a glimpse on how a few decisions were made to tell a corporate video story.

Challenge #1: "What are we trying to fix? What is at stake?"

Solution: Turn myths into facts.

One of the biggest challenges in starting any corporate video is isolating the problem or issue at hand. A question I'll often ask to get the ball rolling is: "Why do you want to produce a video?" In other words, "In a perfect world, what do you want the video to do?" While video is an incredibly powerful and emotional medium, it does have its limitations. Matching the issues at hand with the emotional power of video is the first critical step in determining what shape, style and tone the corporate video story will take.

--What are we fixing? Correcting decades of misconceptions about epilepsy was the biggest issue for us to tackle.
--What is at stake? Perpetuating the years of ill-guided and unkind treatment towards those with epilepsy.

Challenge #2: "How do we produce two cool, hip and entertaining epilepsy videos for the teen market while educating them and correcting the myths surrounding epilepsy?"

Solution: Create an emotional connection through peer identification.

The "Take Charge of the Facts" video is more educational and medical in nature. As a documentary filmmaker, I am naturally inclined to interview people to tell their story. This video was a different situation. I had to make sure we got the right information out in the right way. Depending upon "real people" interviews would not work. Hmmm...what to do?

Go "Green."
After much thought, I went with the green-screen effect (think Matrix.) We casted 48 actors. Hired two. This accomplished several things in one shot:
1. A teen audience could quickly connect with the actors (who I directed NOT to act.)
2. The message could be crafted in a "hip" way without a TelePrompTer; there was plenty of room for fun ad-libbing by the young actors, while still retaining and delivering the important information.
3. The green-screen effect gave me lots of creative freedom to create any cool graphic background I wanted; I could use words, animated designs, strengthen branding, etc. It created a "virtual" place or "world" the actors lived in; it was their "home."

After the filming.
During the edit process, one of my most commonly used "secrets" to sustain viewer attention is to select music and change it up every 30 seconds. This creates a feeling of continuous movement...not a moment is given up to make you lose interest. Also, intense graphic design and carefully chosen language from my long-time scriptwriter produced the right effect to keep the audience engaged, informed and entertained.

Challenge #3: "How do I show first aid for someone having a seizure?"

Solution: Slow it down!

This took a long time to resolve. I went through every possible scenario; actors, real teens, clinical footage, re-creations. In the end, I used a blend of two actors and a teen "hero" from the second epilepsy video, the documentary "Out of the Shadows."

I taped two first aid seizure scenes in "slo-motion." We actually walked through two "fake" seizures and described what to do if someone sees a person having a seizure. Then in editing, we reinforced the first aid message by inter-cutting full-frame graphics into the first aid scenes. It worked like a charm.

A new story is told.

I hope that this has given you some insight towards understanding how corporate videos can be emotional, entertaining, meaningful and inspiring.

These two films have changed my life in many ways. I can only hope and dream that these videos transform the lives of those who watch them.

---Tom

Deconstructing a Corporate Video

"Hey! Don't Freak Out!" Demystifying Epilepsy

Moments like this are, indeed, rare.

4 Remarkable Heroes + 4 Authentic Stories + 2 Films + 4 Awards =

A Chance to Change the World!

It hasn't happened until now.

I'm talking about what it means to have epilepsy. I mean r-e-a-l-l-y talking about epilepsy. And to r-e-a-l-l-y talk about how judging others with medical conditions stinks. Judging those with epilepsy only continues to perpetuate the myths that prevents us from connecting ourselves to one another. The Epilepsy Foundation and KGC Direct is out to change that...and to change the world, with these two videos.

The videos I just finished producing are rolling out to most public junior high and high schools throughout America.

Three Telly Awards and an Ad Club of Connecticut Award later...the films are done. But the conversations are not.

The conversations are just beginning. Hopefully, these conversations are starting to demystify and correct the myths, the stereotypes and judgements people have towards those with epilepsy.

My deepest desire is to see these stories help the world become a better and kinder place. It has been a blessing to be able to capture this footage and to act as a "bridge" for those with epilepsy and without epilepsy.

"Out of the Shadows"

This short documentary is designed to show the real-life experiences of a diverse group of four teens dealing with epilepsy and the misperceptions of their peers. Their deepest desire is tell the world that they, by and large, can do the things that you can do. RSS readers click through.

"Take Charge of the Facts"

A hip, graphic-packed, fast-paced film covering the basics of epilepsy, the different types of seizures and first aid.

---Tom

Dont Freak Out

The "Starbucker" Meme

I've been tagged. By a shot glass, no less.

Terry Starbucker, over at Ramblings from a Glass Half Full, is kicking off an interesting "meme-metaphor." Terry poses these four questions:

1. How full is your glass?
2. What kind of glass is it?
3. What's in the glass?
4. Reasons for #1, #2, and #3

He'll collate the answers from everyone who participates and post a "meme-mosaic." Here's my "shot" at his questions:

1. How full is my glass? It's full!

2. What kind of glass? Easy...a tea glass.

3. What's in it? Chai tea, of course.

4. My reasons?

We can choose to drink tea mindfully or not. It's the same thing with our life. We can choose to create, or "drink," our life...consciously or unconsciously.

If we choose to create our lives consciously, then our experiences become wonderfully "tasteful" like chai tea; rich and spicy; full of zip and zest!

And the tea glass? That's like our mind. Our mind is the "container" which holds our "chai" tea experiences together.

I now pass the "glass" invitation to:
Jason Alba
Alex Shalman
Michael Wagner
Robert Hruzek
Adam Kayce

---Tom

The Starbucker Meme