Today’s dilemma: marketers are facing a true challenge in dealing with the ever-increasing demand for video for social channels, while they are still being held to the highest levels of production standards for any work that represents their brand.

These two conflicts, the battle for high standards offset by the need for more and more videos, are creating real friction internally for many of the largest and more innovative brands.

Brand marketers need to ask themselves four important questions at this critical juncture. Today will will look at ONE of those:

 How important are production values in today’s day and age?

High quality productions are still important to marketers, but it’s nowhere near as critical as we may have felt in the past.  First and foremost, you have to consider the screen size that your production will be viewed on.  If your message is going out on tablets, mobile devices or online in general, you may be able to cut corners on some aspects of production quality and focus more on delivering a variety of unique messages to your consumers.  Additionally, younger audiences today, who were literally born into an age of TV advertising,  are increasingly distrustful of overly polished video messaging; big productions can appear less authentic to them than more modest executions. But be careful where you cut: you need to keep a good quality picture, good quality sound and top-notch writing. You can dispense with special effects, expensive talent and over-done lighting and full-HD video streams,  if your message stays clear, and viewers can see/hear what you have to say. DO NOT shoot videos on your cell phone, or have the kid next door do it for you, as those methods can do more harm to your brand than you may think!

Letting go of your brand is not an easy exercise for marketers.  These highly skilled advertisers have grown up in a demanding culture that insists on perfection in every form of marketing communications.  It’s time to lighten up a bit, and trust that your consumers will understand if you are a little less than perfect, but are giving them more in return — with unique messaging, varied communications, and real, authentic product stories. And always consult with a professional- we are glad to hear out your ideas, and offer “the good, the bad and the ugly” advice that will help you make a good decision, and a great video!

Next: part two- What does your customer want to see?

Share your thoughts and ideas here… or give me an email!

Re-posted from an article by Neil Perry