Why Do Brand Films Work For Business?
Let’s agree that ads suck. From TV, social media, billboards, radio, email, games and apps, they’re everywhere. Most of you probably overlook them, skip them asap, or even pay a premium to get rid of them. Because of this, brands are looking for new ways to reach you. Enter the brand film.
By partnering with talented filmmakers, brands produce something more meaningful and creative than the ads you see on repeat. Brand films are innovative ways for businesses and companies to connect with their audience through common interests through a narrative, typically towards a path to positive change.
Rather than being overt and conspicuously in-your-face, brand films receive attention through your social network - the sharing of the film itself, social media, the press, word of mouth.
Now, brands have always used storytelling methods, but brand films take audio and visual production to a new level. They’re giving brands a new way to communicate deeper stories in long form content - which certainly is a challenge consider our shortening attention span through the years. According o Wyzowl, the average attention span in 2000 was 12 seconds. In 2015, average attention span was an abysmal 8.25 seconds. 2022? Laugh out loud. This is all bad news for marketers.
The good news?
There are still ways to hold attention. According to Nielsen research, content with a clear value proposition are able to hold people’s attention for much longer. Using rich media like video - use video and make the first 8 seconds attention-grabbing. VIDEO HOLDS ATTENTION. The average lenth watched of a single video online is 2.7 MINUTES.
The length of brand films ranges from a few minutes, to 30 minutes, or even longer! Some are a standalone productions, while others form a series, like what you would see on the large streaming platforms. Regardless of the format or streaming device, brand films are the future of content marketing.
Why make a Brand Film?
Adding video content to landing pages, emails, or embedded on other platforms boosts conversion rates. Currently, 87% of marketers utilize video for digital strategies, and video ads account for 35% of online spending. Unsurprisingly, 54% of consumers prefer video marketing, and 73% want entertaining videos.
Millennials are one target audience that is driving the importance of brand films. Research shows 80% of millennials pay attention to video content when considering a brand.
And brand films are more than extended commercials. They have higher expectations, placing as much emphasis on art and innovation as displaying a product. The increased production costs come with improved sales and brand recognition and make the brand film very worthwhile. Taking a look at a company like Charle Schwab’s “Why Not Now” short film about Johny Henry’s transformation from doorman to dry cleaner to dealmaker.
On top of its effectiveness, brand films offer an alternative to television commercials and online video ads. The rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime means viewers are seeing video ads and commercials significantly less than they used to. Brand films are sneaking into their sights through social sharing and as newsworthy topics when done just right - as a marketer, that is a HUGE win.
What makes a good Brand Film?
Storytelling is the single best tool for making a good brand film. Simple, right? Well, if you’re not a blockbuster director, the project might feel more complex than it is. Consider the great cinema aureur G.O.A.T.s - David Fincher, Ridley Scott, Hitchcock, Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, to name a few - what do they have in common? Strength of vision.
A successful audiovisual production is more than car chases, massive explosions, and cutting-edge computer graphics. A straightforward narrative with clear visual or audio elements results in effective communication, like Apple’s “1984” Super Bowl commercial.
For your target audience to understand the brand message, the brand films must COMMUNICATE ABOVE ALL. Sending a message that communicates shared values with the audience is how and why brand films work as a marketing strategy in 2022.
The NBA created a brand film during the COVID-19 pandemic when the league literally shutdown overnight. They produced, “The Day Sports Stood Still,” to capture the moment in time when the shutdown occurred and when COVID became one of the reasons the NBA had to take a pause on the season
It documented the impact the shutdown had on players and franchise owners as human beings - not as employees, businesses or corporations, etc. The brand film delivered a cinematic production that connected the hearts of the viewers and the players on camera based on shared experiences and values.
DoorDash’s “Soul of the City” film celebrates food and what it means to communities. Focused on NYC, DoorDash features restaurants and their stories to encourage New Yorkers to go dine in now that COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and restaurants have reopened. Hit play on the video below and watch how a brand film does its magic.
Brand Films on a budget?
Not everyone can afford brand films, or can they? Filmmaking might seem priced for larger companies, but there are plenty of options for a budget-friendly brand film. Even small businesses can stimulate significant ROI with strategic video marketing.
The first step to making a budget-friendly effective brand film: hire experts. Professionals can offer invaluable know-how without being a household name.
Insight: it can even come to you free if charge, all you have to do is google it. The Internet is packed with insights on how to storyboard, produce, etc. Once you do a bit of research on those topics, you can approach convo with experts from an informed place.
It may turn out that hiring a boutique video production company to produce the video is cheaper than trying to do it yourself. Businesses specializing in video come with many benefits including understanding the needs of a successful marketing video and can help you examine your target audience for the best fit.
Or, you may learn that it’s more budget friendly to try your hand at video production with the helpful advice from experts online. In that case, assembling your version of the Avengers - voice actors, writers, graphics designers, and a few experienced production crew members - ensures the best results. With the right creative team, there’s no limit to what brand films can do.
Ready to make a Brand Film?
Production teams can scale brand films to the size of your business. Do some digging to discover the creative agencies and video production houses who produce brand films that make a practical consumer impact on an appropriate budget. If you need some extra input or an extra pair of hands in the production process, give HADJI Studios a shout. We specialize in distinct brand films that help get what you desire.
