Keeping consumers engaged in your products or services should be your biggest concern. As with the digital age comes the video age. Both cultures feed and thrive off of each other and shouldn’t be taken lightly. As a multi-screen consumer, I utilize TV, internet, and mobile connections to search and share content among my family, friends, and colleagues. As I’m searching content related to my favorite products, services, and brands, one thing I noted: brands that utilize videos kept my attention. Videos allow a product to come to life. Beyond the simple logo and tagline, a video engages the consumer in the use of the product.
One way or venue to utilize video marketing is Youtube. Youtube is at the forefront of bringing the products wherever the consumer is, either at home, work, or on the go. During December of 2009, approximately 33.2 billion videos were viewed. With that astounding numbers comes an astounding way for your company to be exposed to the masses. For example, Dynomighty Design released their first video onto YouTube and immediately took off and reached 2.7 million views by being displayed on the front page of the site. It’s without a doubt the amount of sales these views caused ($130,000 from a single video).
It’s certainly easier said than done to put out a video and see these kinds of results. With that said, utilizing as many digital mediums as possible will bring in these kinds of results. Before the digital age as we know it, companies had to rely on tv and radio ads as well as billboards along the road and word of mouth between consumers. These companies did quite well for themselves, but imagine the results if you had these pre-digital mediums as well as a plethora of new digital tools to utilize. From billboards to YouTube, and from flyers to Twitter and Facebook, brands are reaching a new generation in a whole new way. This new generation won’t be satisfied with the old way of doing things, but by presenting a brand through a video, you reach them on a personal level. You are now speaking their language.
This following video from Microsoft Advertising/Europe illustrates perfectly the new digital age and the multi-screen consumer:
Within the music industry perhaps one of the most interactive award shows is the People’s Choice Awards. Every year, upon the release of the nominations, fans flog to the PCA site to place their votes. Now, more than ever, part of the promotion campaign for the 2011 PCA’s relies on videos, Twitter, and mobile. On the PCA site you can browse press conference videos, behind the scenes, red carpet and even videos form 2010 PCA’s. Additionally, the campaign now includes a PCA application for android based phones. As an avid music listener and mobile consumer, I’ve now downloaded the app to vote at my best convenience. An important key about mobile consumers is convenience. Following is a video fro the 2011 PCA campaign:
With today’s music climate comes the struggle for artists, particularly country artists, to sell physical albums. The digital age with digital downloads is something that is certainly crucial for the success of an artist; however, physical albums are still a cornerstone for every artist wanting to make a name for themselves. This past month saw an outstanding achievement in country music as Taylor Swift’s brand new album “Speak Now” moved in excess of 1 million units its first week. As the release date grew nearer, I noticed such a powerfully incredible digital marketing campaign not only for the album but for Taylor herself. Below is a Target ad for her album that certainly played an integral part in the astounding sales:
With the People’s Choice Awards video marketing, a few things caught my attention. First and foremost, the host, Queen Latifah, made several specific comments about how the awards show was the fans’ show. The fans through several media outlets are in control of the outcome. By engaging and interacting with the consumers, this campaign is highly likely to succeed. Also, the video is presented in a press conference sort of way and features many household names that have won accolades and media buzz over the years. Using names or brands that the consumers can easily identify with engages them and keeps their interest. It is their interest and investment as media consumers that keeps this show alive.
The second campaign, more specific to country music, utilizes Taylor Swift’s brand. Her superstar status has solidified herself as a brand within the country music and even pop music genres. This video stems from Taylor’s likeability, youthfulness, and great songwriting skills. Whether you, as a music consumer, agree with Taylor’s abilities as a musician or not is not the question. The question remains whether her marketing campaign was a successful one. Indeed it was. Bottom line: Taylor’s mass media and digital marketing campaign did what it needed to do (sell albums). Many of country music’s top earning stars utilize social media tools, video, and digital marketing to reach their fans as well as make new ones.
As with any genre of music or product off the shelf, each has its own shelf life in the consumers mind. Without including an engaging and interactive element to a product’s marketing, your company can easily be seen as something of the past. Twitter, YouTube, Facebook Myspace are all tools you should use to get your products to old and new consumers. Without doing this, people will simply forget you. Make sure with your video digital marketing campaign that you paint it black with video to make sure they do remember you.
Music, Words, Passion 