ITN Productions - Storytelling whitepaper

Contents

introduction 1

Growing adoption of video
in content marketing 2
Current applications of video

How to make a compelling
corporate video story 3
Key ingredients of a successful video story

Integrating video into
the wider marketing mix 6
Matching video content to your customer’s buying cycle
Communication channels to consider alongside video

Emerging trends affecting
video consumption 9
The birth of the second screen
Mobile/4G
Video direct marketing

On-screen brand management 11
How does your brand move and sound?

Appendix 12
How to choose a video production company

Contact us 14

ii CORPORATE STORYTELLING

“The beauty of the moving image is that it
takes the dryness out of what is purely a little
written message. It gives it body. Soul.”
Jon Snow, Presenter, ITN

introduction
The story-telling power of video has long been established as a means
to change perception, behaviour and attitudes. Since the birth of TV,
broadcast news organisations have used video to inform, educate and
provide a channel through which these stories can be disseminated.

In the digital age, companies are increasingly harnessing the power of video
to provide deeper engagement with employees, customers and shareholders.
Platforms such as YouTube make it easier than ever to “Broadcast Yourself”,
and as brands become broadcasters and media owners in their own right, it This brief paper is
intended to highlight
is vital they are as consistently represented through the moving image as in
what we believe to be
other forms of communication. the emerging trends
within digital corporate
A number of studies show the increasing relevance of the medium of video storytelling, and to
provide a framework
to help integrate
• 75% of senior executives watch business-related video on websites and
video into your
52% watch on YouTube at least weekly1 communications mix.

• Senior corporate decision makers are spending more time in front of a We hope you find it
screen. Employee-owned smartphones and tablets used in the enterprise to be useful and are
on hand to guide you
are forecast to more than double by 2014, reaching 350 million2
through adopting best
practice in using video
• 76% of B2B buyers3 found videos, webinars or podcasts useful when to communicate with
identifying potential suppliers or in final supplier selection your audiences.

• Research from Forrester predicts compound annual growth of 26% in video Simon Baker
advertising through to 20174 Business Development
Director
ITN Productions
E: simon.baker@itn.co.uk
T: +44 (0)20 7430 4511

click below for more information
1. “Video in the C-Suite: Executives Embrace the Non-Text Web”, Forbes/Google (2010)
2. Computer Weekly http://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/BYOD-Bring-your-own-device-or-demise (Nov 2012)
3. “Buyersphere Report 2012: The Annual Survey of changing B2B Buyer Behaviour” (Base One/B2B Marketing, 2012)
4. “Digital Media Buying Forecast, 2012 To 2017”, Forrester Research (October 2012)

CORPORATE STORYTELLING 1

Growing adoption of video
in content marketing
Research shows that 70% of B2B brands in North America are using video
as part of their content marketing strategy, up from just over half in 20115.
We see this trend continuing in the UK as more brands begin to exploit the
opportunities that video offers in engaging with customers and staff.

In the UK, some 60% of marketers are currently using YouTube as part of their
content marketing approach, with some 46% planning to significantly increase
investment in this over the coming year.6

The opportunities for B2B firms to exploit these trends to deepen engagement
with customers, employees and shareholders has never been greater.

Current applications of video
Video can be used in an increasingly broad and creative range of applications.
Production values are constantly rising, due to the expanding possibilities
afforded by green screen studios, computer generated graphics, archive
footage and the inclusion of animation into the mix.

Here are some of the more common applications of video, and their particular
relevance to internal or external communications.

INTERNAL EXTERNAL

Executive interview
Video news release
Product demo/animated information video
White paper/research
Campaign video
Personalised video pitch
Customer case study
Results reporting
Communicating change
Major project update films
Corporate Social Responsibility
Staff events
External market update - changes in the macroeconomic environment
Video newsletter
Studio based corporate debates
TV adverts
“About us” corporate film
Pre-roll/post-roll ads for use in TV or on YouTube

5. “B2B Content Marketing: 2013 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America”, Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs (Nov 2012)
6. “Social Media Benchmark, Wave 2”, The Chartered Institute of Marketing, July 2012

2 CORPORATE STORYTELLING

How to make a compelling
corporate video story
Key ingredients of a
successful video story
We asked storytellers from across ITN to recommend to us the
key components of effective storytelling, and how it relates to
the production of corporate films. Here’s what they said:

“Always look for the human dimension when
creating any kind of film, a story that the viewer
can personally relate to, however dry or difficult
the subject matter. This helps the message
to resonate with the viewer and makes them
more likely to own and share it with others.”
Chris Shaw, Editorial Director, ITN Productions

“Corporate messaging such as facts, figures and
statistics can sometimes come across as slightly
dry. By connecting with the viewer emotionally we
engage their imagination and that helps with the
absorption of core ideas. It makes it more effective.”
Grant Fulton, Creative Director, ITN Productions

“Building your brand in the video space allows
you to tell the overarching story. To declare
its ownership and give it personality.”
Marc Ortmans, Brand Director, ITN Productions


The most successful corporate films will be planned and
conceived with a clear and defined understanding of three
key factors - Relevance, Reach and Resonance.

RELEVANCE

REACH

RESONANCE

Relevance
Focus on creating content that your target audience truly values.

By adopting an insight-led approach to content creation, you will ensure that
you develop subject matter that is relevant for your audience. It’s great to
produce content that is fresh and up to date, but if that is your strategy then
ensure you get to market quickly or risk being perceived as off the pace.

Similarly, it’s important to consider the desired ‘shelf life’ of your content and
strike the balance between being not so topical that it’s out of date next week
but neither so anodyne that it can stay on your homepage all year!

Finally, pick some ‘white space’, away from your competitors’ content. Have
something truly unique to say, if not about what you do then how you do it.

Reach
Plan the most effective channels to get your content in front of your
target audience.

Integrating your content into email and search marketing campaigns can help
your content to be found and viewed by your target audience. Video should be
planned alongside all other forms of content to provide an integrated cross-
platform content plan. Experimentation with ‘long tail’ search terms should be
encouraged in order to find the prospects currently searching for solutions to
a problem (e.g. “How do I...”).


Once viewed by your target audience, you need to make it as easy as possible
for them to share it with colleagues internally and externally through the
integration of ‘share’ functionality across all key social media platforms such
as LinkedIn and Twitter. A ‘forward to a colleague’ option should also be
included to help the viewer to build the internal case for your product/service
by making it easier for them to share the content with their professional peers.

YouTube is now the world’s 2nd most popular search engine after Google, and
each week over 100 million people take a ‘social action’ such as a like, share,
or comment7. As well as your own website, establishing a channel on YouTube
as the hub of your video content is a common way for brands to manage their
video assets in a single place. Involving professional
production specialists
Resonance early in the process,
even before the brief
Build video that has a lasting impact.
is written, will ensure
that you have the
It’s important not to embark upon any kind of content marketing journey
support to create
without having a plan. Consider how video will sit alongside your other content
the most compelling
forms and how it will build over time into a body of work. As we discuss later,
story possible.
the consistent approach to on-screen look and feel can be achieved through
the development of video brand guidelines.

Building content that is relevant at each stage of the buying cycle is key and
“If video is to really
will ensure it has a lasting impact on the viewer. Defining objective measures
drive ROI, it needs to
of success will help maintain a focus on return on investment. Views and be considered much
click-throughs are easy to measure, but how far through the funnel are you more strategically. It
following these leads? Where to take them after the end frame? Where do needs to tie in to long-
you want your customer/prospect to go next to harness the engagement and term objectives with a
set of key measurables
convert into an action that moves them further through the sales funnel?
established at the
beginning of your
At the very least, you should take your viewer somewhere you can help them. journey, and not be
Create, test and refine a number of journeys for different scenarios and ensure seen - as is often the
you measure the effectiveness of various calls to action (contact us/download case with some digital
activity - as just a bolt
a white paper etc). on to a campaign.”
Victoria Clarke, Editor,
B2B Marketing

7. YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/t/press_statistics


Integrating video into the
wider marketing mix
Matching video content to your
customer’s buying cycle
Business buyers have different information needs at different stages
of the buying cycle. In the Buyersphere8 report, research from
Base One and B2B Marketing revealed the most popular sources of
information consulted at each stage of the buying cycle, as shown in
the table below.

Whitepapers 46% 29% 25%

Industry press 31% 28% 21%

Press advertising 31% 45% 24%

Web searches 29% 56% 15%

Online community sites 28% 35% 37%

Facebook 28% 31% 41%

Offline events/seminars 25% 36% 39%

Videos/webinars/podcasts 24% 44% 32%

Blogs 23% 41% 36%

Other word of mouth 21% 50% 32%

LinkedIn 19% 56% 25%

Direct mail 17% 47% 36%

Supplier websites 14% 53% 33%

Supplier emails 13% 36% 51%

Twitter 10% 35% 55%

Identifying and defining the need Identifying potential suppliers Final supplier selection

Base: used each channel/source to help find information or advice

76% The research revealed that over three quarters
of buyers consulted videos, webinars or podcasts
use video to identify when either identifying potential suppliers or in
or choose suppliers final supplier selection. It is vital that your content
strategy has relevant information targeted to their
specific needs at each stage of your customer’s
buying process.



Here are some practical ways in which you can ensure your
video content ties in to each stage of a typical buying cycle:

Problem recognition
Building content that addresses the problem faced by your target
audience can work well in building awareness. Editorial in tone, with
minimal ‘sales’ messaging, the purpose of this type of content is to
demonstrate that you understand their business issue and that you have
expertise in this area.

Information search
Over recent years, Google has become synonymous with search. Even
amongst very senior “C Suite” audiences, it is the go-to place for
information in solving business related problems. The advent of ‘blended
search’ (where video features alongside text links in search engine
results pages) has made it even more important to have high quality video
tagged with key search terms when your customers are searching for
information online.

Evaluation of alternatives
This is especially relevant for service brands, as video can help bring
your proposition to life by providing a degree of ‘physical evidence’ of the
quality of the service you provide. For example, allowing the customer to
‘virtually’ meet the key players from your business through video allows
you to build rapport early in the buying process.

Purchase
In businesses where online purchases can be made, these can be
captured by the use of a strong call to action and embedding a clickable
link into the final frame[s] of the video. For more complex sales, a range
of calls to action can be incorporated to drive response in the most
appropriate way (book an appointment/submit an RFP/call us now).

Post-purchase evaluation
On-going and value-added communications with your clients that
positively reinforce their purchase decision. This might include a
variety of topics, from updates on best practice and commentary
on industry developments through to more formal, research-led
‘thought leadership’ and personalised video communications.


Communication channels to
consider alongside video
Having carefully crafted your film, you’re going to want to make sure your
target audience can actually find it. The table below9 shows web searches and
emails are the most popular routes to finding the material.

Supplier White Videos/ Offline
websites Articles papers webinars events Blogs

Via a web search 74% 71% 86% 81% 32% 71%

Through supplier emails 25% 26% 37% 44% 44% 23%

Personal word of mouth 28% 26% 27% 21% 34% 17%

Through an online community site 5% 9% 13% 18% 9% 22%

Through LinkedIn 5% 6% 8% 11% 11% 24%

Through Facebook 3% 4% 6% 11% 9% 22%

Through Twitter 2% 3% 5% 10% 6% 16%

Through other social media 2% 6% 7% 6% 5% 8%

Already knew about it 42% 34% 25% 19% 33% 20%

Base: used this (588) (378) (139) (138) (122) (99)

81% This clearly demonstrates that any video
production needs to be carefully integrated into
find video content a broader communications plan. Whilst emails
via a web search from suppliers are a popular way of finding the
material, this is dwarfed by the 81% of buyers
that find content through a web search - further
underlining the need to consider keyword and
search marketing strategy when developing a
video content programme.



Emerging trends affecting
video consumption
The birth of the second screen
Although Shazam (www.shazam.com) is perhaps best known for its music
identification and tagging capabilities, brands are increasingly using it to “It all started in 2002,
signpost users to online video content on sites such as YouTube. We have also even before the advent
recently seen consumer brands11 begin to experiment with ‘Shazamable’ ads of smartphones.
Shazam launched a
to drive traffic to mobile-enabled content. simple service designed
to connect people in
the UK with music
they heard but didn’t
know. Since then,
Argos was the first Shazam has become
retailer to launch a one of the world’s most
Shazam enabled ad recognized mobile
consumer brands and
one of the Top Ten most
downloaded apps on
iTunes App Store.”10

In B2B markets, for example, Shazam could be used in radio advertisements
targeted at SME business owners and used to drive views of an online video
that further deepens engagement.

We are also starting to see Aurasma (www.aurasma.com) being used more
and more as a call to action within brochures, linking directly to online landing
pages, giving video a more interactive platform. This works in a much more “Aurasma is the world’s
leading augmented
visually engaging way than a QR Code, as the app recognises a still image
reality platform.
from a video printed on a page and directs the user to the video online. This Available as a free app
can be especially useful at events or conferences. for iPhones, iPads and
high-powered Android
Both of these technologies offer potential to open up opportunities to devices or as a kernel
for developers, Aurasma
engage with audiences in ‘dual screen’ behaviour. Although consumers are
uses advanced image
increasingly using a phone or tablet while watching TV, we see this trend and pattern recognition
offering possibilities amongst corporate audiences as handheld devices such to blend the real-world
as smartphones and tablets are increasingly used both out of the office and in with rich interactive
the home. content such as
videos and animations
called ‘Auras’.” 12

10. http://www.shazam.com/music/web/about.html
11. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/argos-first-retailer-to-launch-shazam-ad/4004882.article
12. http://www.aurasma.com/what-is-it/


Mobile/4G
As mobile moves into 4G the distinction between lower quality mobile content
and high quality desktop versions will be a thing of the past. This change will
see more companies moving their websites into HTML 5 responsive designs,
allowing the site and content to automatically optimise for mobile, tablets
and PC.

Statistics13 for The Guardian website revealed that 35% of site traffic came
from mobile devices. The breadth of this range of devices was huge, with 1,857
different device types being used to access the site in one week alone.

As more mobile carriers enter the market and the costs of 4G data plans start
to fall, a growth in the enterprise subscriber base will see the appetite for high
quality video consumption on the move rise further still.

“In B2B markets, we will continue to see an increase in access to high
quality, business related video content viewed on mobile devices. Trends
such as Bring Your Own Device will remove technological barriers to the
consumption and sharing of video content that helps senior corporate
employees to research and solve business related problems.”
Simon Baker, Business Development Director, ITN Productions

Video direct marketing
With the rising popularity of internet and email marketing, the opportunities
for physical direct mail to achieve greater impact and cut through have never
been higher. Technological developments have led to the cost of screens
falling to the point where their use in highly personalised direct mail is now
practical, using tools such as Pitch Pack (http://www.thepitchpack.com/).

Imagine your brand message and personalised video, played out on a small
video LCD screen automatically when the pack is opened by your key client or
prospect?

13. “Guardian: 35% traffic from mobile devices”, New Media Age, 19/11/2012


On-screen brand management “Companies have well
established print brand
guidelines but these
How does your brand move and sound? do not often cross over
well into the on-screen
Most companies have well defined and documented brand space. At this point the
guidelines, covering a whole range of marketing communications trade mark takes on
from pantone colour references and logo sizes through to other attributes such as
movement and sound.
brochure layout and advertising templates. These are perfectly
We predict that video
adequate for brands that are to be seen and not heard. brand guidelines and
graphics toolkits will
Far fewer B2B brands have guidelines as exhaustive as these print guidelines begin to be the norm,
to consistently define the way their brand moves and sounds on screen. with each new film
reinforcing the brand
Consumer facing brands have long understood the need to give their brands
and bringing it to life,
movement and sound. rather than having
a branding exercise
The recent launch of ITV’s new brand across all channels sees a brand that for each film which
has been designed with movement and sound firmly at front of mind. The main is often the case.”
ITV logo is a colour-picking design which changes to suit its backdrop as well Simon Baker, Business
as the nature of its programming14. A series of idents was created to bring this Development Director,
ITN Productions
to life:

To find out more about the ITV rebrand,
click here

Have you considered what your brand sounds like? Or how it should move?
Does every video build and reinforce your brand? Other brands have combined
movement with an audio ‘sting’ to further reinforce the consistency across a
range of brand communications. This opens up the opportunity to tell the story
of your brand values and consistently reinforce them with each film you make.

If we say “Intel”, what do you hear? Intel has achieved high levels of brand
recognition even when featuring within a range of advertisements created by the
PC manufacturers which use its chips in the devices sold to the end consumer.

As B2B brands increasingly begin to experiment with video as part of their
content marketing strategy, it will be as important for them to develop and
embed guidelines for how their brand is visually represented on the screen as
well as on the printed page.

14. http://www.itv.com/news/2013-01-14/new-itv-logo-rebrand-2013/


Appendix
How to choose a video
production company
Once you’ve decided to include video as part of your communications strategy,
what next? Here are some of the questions we’re frequently asked.

How do I choose a video production company?

According to a recent Google search, there are c. 377 million results for the
search term “video production companies”.

So how do you choose? Our advice is to hire the very best people you can
and trust them to deliver for you. We believe that ‘best’ is a combination
of the quality of relevant work they’ve done in the past, combined with a
demonstration that they truly understand your business and what’s driving
your desire to make a film. Trusting them to deliver means setting clear
objectives and then stepping back to allow them the creative freedom to give
you the best product possible. Clear objectives mean a clear ROI.

At what stage in my project should I be engaging with them?

As soon as you’re even starting to consider commissioning a film. The best
production companies will have many years of experience in helping to define
objectives and cost requirements such as yours, so the earlier you speak to
them, the better - especially with long term projects such as video strategy
formation and video branding which can take time to plan and implement.

What are the common pitfalls and how can they be overcome?

As with any project, lack of clarity at the briefing stage can often lead to
rework, frustration and increased costs. Some clients have a very fixed view
of what they’re looking for, which is sometimes helpful but can also at times
lead to a poor end result if they are not receptive to advice. It is important that
you not only involve your production company early, but trust them to drive the
creative aspect of production to ensure the best results.

Ensure that you have a limited number of key decision makers and make
sure that they are all present at the crucial stages of the project. Making sure
everyone buys into a shared vision of what success looks like is critical. As
we have said, the absence of agreed objectives and metrics at the outset will
make it impossible to determine ROI later.


I already have a creative agency - how would a video production company
work with them?

Although many production companies work directly with clients, they are
normally more than happy to work alongside your existing creative agency,
and do so whenever required. Video branding often falls between the remit
of branding, marketing, production and creative agencies, so make sure you
choose a production company that is well versed in all these disciplines.

What should I consider when forming a corporate video strategy?

Come up with a production schedule for the year. See which elements overlap
and can support each other, as well as which elements could be templated to
create a series of content. Plan how you are going to create a useable archive
of footage from your filming days. Ensure that you work with your production
company to come up with reusable formats so that you are not always starting
from scratch. Aim high, look out for great stories in your business, open up
the right channels of communication with your business and clients to find
these great stories, they are out there!

This is especially important when looking at your onscreen brand guidelines
- which we recommend you formalise before you start any production, if you
haven’t done so already.

For answers to any questions we haven’t covered here, or
for an informal discussion about your requirements, please
drop us a line at productions@itn.co.uk and one of our friendly
and knowledgeable team will be delighted to help.


Contact us
ITN Productions is the creative content division of ITN. With decades of
broadcast experience at its heart, we have the expertise to conceive,
produce and publish stories that help corporates to drive deeper
engagement with their employees, shareholders and customers.

Producing high impact content for over 600 clients worldwide, we are well
placed to support you in a broad range of projects.

Further information and support available from ITN Productions

• Communications strategy consultancy to define the role of
video in your business

• Informal help and support in developing your brief, brand or
production strategy

• A team of highly experienced, friendly and knowledgeable
production staff

We hope you have found this document useful,
and would love to hear your feedback.

We’re very happy to have informal discussions to help you decide
whether video is right for your business and to help guide you through.

Simon Baker
Business Development Director
(View Simon’s Profile on the ITN Productions website)

ITN Productions

T: +44 (0)20 7430 4511
www.itnproductions.co.uk

© ITN Productions, 2013

ITN Productions - Storytelling whitepaper

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