What Makes a Great Product Video?

Shots from a 1-minute product video we created for a beautiful line of watches.

We’ve had the opportunity to create product videos for a wide range of clients. This includes luxury watches, diamonds, highly-engineered umbrellas, high-fashion eye wear and more. We have some ideas for what makes a really good product video.

First things first; Why would you need a product video? There are many reasons which are not limited to:

• Launching a new product

• Relaunching a product after updating it or rebranding

• Refreshing your digital content

• Reaching and making inroads with a brand new audience

• Raising capital

• Showcasing your product at conferences, trade shows

All these reason are very important, so it’s also important to do this right.

1: MAKE IT LOOK GOOD

The right lighting, camera, angles and movement can make all the difference in how your product looks.

Of course, the first thing you need is beautiful product shots. This makes sense, right? Otherwise, what’s the point of your video. But it’s not just about ‘taking pictures’ or ‘shooting some video.’ There’s a lot more to think about. You need to use the right lighting, the right angles, the right camera lenses. Even choosing the right background is important. The point is to show off your product in the best way possible - professionally and beautifully.

2: ENGAGE THE VIEWER

You need to tell the story of your product. That might be the history of the blood, sweat and tears that brought it into existence. Or it could be the story of how your product is helping, or will help, people. It could even be an inspirational story that tells how your product makes people feel.

3: MAKE IT ABOUT MORE THAN THE PRODUCT

What do sushi, candles and flowers have to do with a product video?

Your product is the star of its own product video, but viewers will probably start to lose interest if all they see if product shots - even if those shots are beautiful. So you need to show your product in action. Use lifestyle shots, actors - whatever it takes to create to interest in addition to your product.

As an example, one of our clients provides a video intercom system that makes life easier and more secure for businesses and residences. Using product shots alongside lifestyle shots, we were able to show told a ‘day in the life’ story of someone who lives in a building with the intercom system. We brought in actors to be the main character, a delivery person, a girlfriend and a dog walker. We even got sushi and flowers for a ‘date night.’

4: KNOW YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE

In addition to sexy product shots, make sure you tell the audience what is special about your product. How does it help people, what can it do for them specifically, what challenges does it address? Is it just something to have fun with like a game, a toy or a new bicycle lineup? How is it different from all the other choices out there?

4: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

In the end, one of the above matters if you don’t know your audience. So make sure your messaging speaks to them in a way they can appreciate and understand. Evoke the right emotions to make them stay interested. Give your video the right personality by using humor, facts, an inspirational feel.

Let our team make your team a great video. Your product and our expertise will go a long way.

Benefits of Hiring an International Digital Content Agency

What is an international digital content agency?

An international digital content agency has their feet in more than one place at all times. They have teams in different places ready to go on your project at a moment’s notice. And they can be where you need to be when you can’t. For Storyboard Media Group, this means the United States and the European Union. But we don’t stop there - we’ve also filmed commercials in Asia, Canada and Greece.

What are the benefits of hiring an international agency?

Although the benefits can be a little different for large international companies and more localized brands, there are some common benefits. It’s going to depend on your brand. For example, we have clients in the fashion industry that have headquarters in the US and the EU. Sometimes they need interviews filmed in the States, and then products and talent filmed in Europe. We handle both aspects seamlessly as opposed to two separate agencies handling a project in two different place. What does all this mean?

• One single point of contact - When you have filming happening in France and New York for example, having the ability to use one team provides you with a single point of contact throughout the project.

• Cost-effectiveness - One large project worked on by one agency is usually more cost-effective than two different agencies working separately on the exact same project. Two separate agencies may end up producing the exact same amount of content, but at nearly double the cost.

• Time savings - Let’s face it; If you work in the Los Angeles time zone, it can be difficult to communicate in a timely manner with a London or Paris team. A single point of contact can communicate with you on your time to make life a little easier.

• They can be where you can’t - It’s simple. You office is in New York but you need something filmed in Lisbon. Instead of taking the time to book a flight, fly across the Atlantic, stay in a hotel and fly back to New York you can just set up normal phone meetings to follow the developments of your project. The agency can be your eyes and ears on the ground.

• Cultural awareness - International agencies understand different work cultures, have unique connections and partners, where to find talent, and understand the legal situations on the ground. This covers things like getting permits, and paying talent.

• Quick maneuvering - Because they’re international, these agencies are used to working intelligently and figuring out challenges before they become a problem. This saves a ton of time and headaches.

• Remote check-ins and quality control - A big part of any project is giving you - the client - the ability to be as present as possible throughout the process. That means being able to pick talent, pick locations and watch as filming takes place. And all of this can be done from the comfort of your own office. Using tech we can take you on virtual location scouts, send head shots and demo reels of available talent, and let you watch remotely as filming happens on your project.

What are the steps to beginning an international project?

While the complete answer to this will depend on your specific project, here is a rough guide to what you can expect. Once you Find an agency that works in the area(s) you need to have covered:

• Identify who the contacts will be for your team. For example, if you have offices in both Chicago and Madrid, and you work in Chicago, figure out who the main contact in Madrid will be for the production team.

• Schedule the shoot days in all locations. Your agency can accomplish this as the connecting piece between all parties. But be ready to wake up in the middle of the night if filming needs to happen during the morning in Europe and it’s 2AM your time.

• Schedule on-going check-in meetings to make sure everything stays on time and budget.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. Of course, every project has a lot of other steps involved, but these steps listed are mostly confined to international projects.

If you’re ready to travel the world without leaving home, throw us a note. Let’s discuss how we can help you span continents for your brand seamlessly and easily.

How Video Helped A Crowdfunding Campaign

At one time or another we’ve all forgotten or misplaced our umbrellas on a rainy day. When that happens we’ve had no choice but to dash through the wind and rain head-on, and arrive at our destination drenched, cold and looking like something the cat dragged in.

Our client knows the headache of the forgotten umbrella. And of the need to buy a cheap throwaway replacement just to make it through an afternoon and hoping the wind won’t destroy it. That’s why the CEO and Founder decided to make some of the best, if not THE best, umbrellas around. Engineered for strength, and designed for a sleek and fashionable look and feel. These are the types of umbrellas you really, really don't want to lose. And they made sure you never will with a new idea based on not so new technology.

To make sure your umbrella will always be at your side when it counts, they paired their umbrellas with a sensor that can alert you when you leave it behind. When it was time to start production on this new umbrella line, they turned to crowdfunding.

Filming took place over three afternoons at five different locations. The resulting video helped ensure their goal of was not only met, but passed by a large amount. The video, getting more than 20K views, helped to successfully raised over $105,000 with close to 1000 funders. That equals success.

TIPS FOR CROWDFUNDING WITH VIDEO

This video was a crucial component for our client’s crowdfunding success because it covered these points:

• It let them know there was a real company behind the “ask” - A well-crafted video tells viewers that a real company is behind the words and pictures, and lets them know their support is going to something that is also real

• It excited people, or got them to think or feel a certain way - We showed people actually using the umbrellas in ways that matched the message - showing how easy it is to pair the app and umbrella, how the app helps you remember your umbrella, how compact they are, how large they are, etc.

• It set them apart from their competitors - At the time our client went live with their campaign, another umbrella company was already on the platform and asking for funding. But this video completely differentiated our client’s brand and set them far apart from the other. Part of the appeal of these umbrellas is that they're incredibly well-crafted. So we showed some of the process that is involved to make the umbrellas and explained what goes into each one. From blueprints to product shots, and from a wind test to explaining the app and proximity awareness.

• It was a part of the whole - It was used in addition to a very well-developed, and well thought out whole campaign. This means that while the video was impactful, the whole campaign needs to represent the brand and the ask in order to get the funding needed.

If you need help or would just like to discuss a project you have in mind, reach out and say hello today. We are a video production and video marketing company with capabilities in both the US and EU and we're ready to help. Reach out and say hello!