With a third of all internet traffic now coming from video, technology brands have to do all they possibly can to push the envelope and really get consumers and businesses sharing and talking about their promotional video output.
From a directorial point of view, technology products and services are considered to be innovative and luxurious. Aspirational imagery and language are therefore essential components in video to help sell ‘the dream.’ However these are not the only elements of filmmaking which can turn a video view into a purchase.
Here we will take a closer look at some of these elements through great examples of technology video marketing campaigns done right.
Google’s Chromebook advertising campaign centred on the idea of a computer ‘for everyone’ and so its series of promotional videos had to have an ‘everyman’ appeal in order to convey this message. Google went with a series of homemade videos of people of all ages and backgrounds, from silver surfers getting to grips with their first computer to shots of babies bopping around in high chairs. The imagery is accessible, the USPs are in a bright font and then the humorous edge makes it sharable and attractive to those just looking for a basic laptop.
Intel and Toshiba
The sheer scale of ‘The Power Inside’ campaign for Toshiba was breath-taking, and saw film stars Harvey Keitel and Craig Roberts acting out an end of the world scenario with creepy, red-eyed aliens who sported evil moustaches. As part of the ads’ promotion as the first ever ‘social film,’ viewers were allowed to decide the outcome of the storyline and even get involved by auditioning to appear in the series as an evil ‘Ulrick’ or guardian of the human race. Incorporating social media aspects in this innovative new way allowed Toshiba’s laptop range to be seen as tools to inspire, to unlock people’s creativity and most importantly, to get people talking about Toshiba laptops.
Apple
When the latest iPhone model comes out, you will usually see news footage of people queuing for hours to get their hands on this most coveted of gadgets. But in terms of its video-orientated promotion, Apple’s latest marketing campaign is fairly low-key and not the huge ‘song and dance’ hardcore iPhone fans will be expecting from the ‘biggest and best’ iPhone yet. This six minute video explains the benefits of the updated features to customers as well as the beauty of its design; it’s a fantastic example of a ‘second-tier’ marketing effort, where interested parties will look up this content after they have caught a shorter version of the ad elsewhere.
Samsung
Another example of a second-tier marketing video is one promoting the latest Samsung mobile. In a move differing slightly from the iPhone campaign and its list of benefits, this video runs through features and specifications, which will appeal to technology enthusiasts looking to establish the differences between this and the iPhone 6. This advert has proven to be very popular, even though it is simple in its concept. It has gained over 21 million views, which clearly indicates that Samsung are very aware of what appeals to their target demographic – functionality – and less the beauty and design features.
Zynstra
In the latest animation we made for Zynstra, a cloud computing client, we proved that a technology marketing campaign for a business-to-business audience needn’t be boring and dry, but rather, quite beautiful. In a sense, the treatment we did for Zynstra explains the concept of the service in a very accessible way. It looks just as sleek as a television commercial; however, the content is more about persuasion and logic rather than appealing to the audience’s emotions.
Credit Call
The videos we made for Credit Call are another example of how to successfully adapt content to suit different audiences. On the Credit Call YouTube channel, the first video you will see, Swipes are Out, appeals to a wide audience and has a funny, ‘virally’ angle to it, showing all the different things you can do with your old swipe card (including, blow it up). Next up, we drill down into more detail, with the Credit Call Heart of Payments video, using the same narrator, with just a slightly altered tone, to explain to the target audience (businesses) more about how it works. Then finally, we have the more in-depth videos that again have that serious tone of voice, yet still include bits of animation to make them aesthetically pleasing to business audiences.
At Hurricane Media, storytelling is our strong suit. No matter what message your business is trying to put across, we will work with you to ensure that your video marketing portrays your business in the best possible light, so call us to discuss what we can do for you using the contact details below.
Call us: 01179 240773
Send us an email: info@hurricanemedia.co.uk
Tweet us: @hurricanemedia
Photo credit: Screen Grab from Swipes Are Out: EMV Migration video