Saturday 20 February 2016

The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones - Rushdie & Rock & Roll & Russians

Salman Rushdie once wrote that a person will primarily be either a Beatles fan or a Rolling Stones fan, just as one will prefer either Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. This analogy isn’t terribly clear if you’re not a fan of Russian literature, but if you are, you’ll get that the analogy works because like The Beatles vs. The Stones, one author’s work tends to be carefully crafted and elaborate, while the other tends to be sharp and hard.

The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were the perfect yin-yang halves of mid-60s rock culture, and while it wasn’t necessarily by design, I believe their successes were rooted in effective marketing principles - each band presents a very straightforward brand promise that was based in these respective tendencies.

Smiles vs. Surly

Generally speaking, the Beatles were the fun, safe version of British rock ‘n’ roll. Their brand promised fun, high-energy, escapist pop music (especially in their early recordings), and was later supported by “artistic” leanings that were still more cerebral than visceral.

The Rolling Stones were the harder edge of British rock. From their earliest club dates, their music was earthy, physical, and sensual - rooted in (and lifted from) American Blues. They were somehow dirty and dangerous – and certainly more sexual. That was their brand promise: the darker, dirtier side of music with a sensual edge that early-60s America represented to England.

These brand promises were not entirely accidental. The Beatles chose a band name with an obvious pun built into the word’s misspelling, hinting at a sense of humour and fun. The name was inspired by Buddy Holly’s “Crickets” - a pop band. The band’s members were (relatively) clean-cut, and (publicly) innocent and fun-loving. The band even established consistent iconography – the trustworthy brand recognition that carried from the logo on Ringo’s kick drum through to every product with the Beatles name on it.

The iconic Ringo kick drum vs. Charlie Watts not giving a damn

On the other side, the Stones presented a dark, smoky impression from their very first recording, and a consistent non-smiling attitude. Their name was inspired by the title of a Muddy Waters song. The band members sported big ears, big lips, bad haircuts and acne scars - there wasn’t a “cute” one in the bunch. And again, their name supports the brand promise unambiguously: a rolling stone = rolling rock = rock’n’roll. The Beatles wanted to hold your hand. The Stones wanted to take you out in the alley behind the bar.

The marketing of each band’s brand promise is more evident when viewed through the lens of their pre-recording years: the Beatles first dressed in leather, while the Stones wore suits and crooked-toothed smiles. In hindsight, both images look put-on, and they probably were - which is why their later images worked so well once they swapped personas for the ones we now recognize. Their later personas were more genuine, and by all accounts pretty authentic.

Forced frown (Paul) vs. forced smile (Keith)

Once they settled into being the bands we know today, the clear brand promise of each band was supported by (and delivered with) great products - the music - and the rest is history.

The Tolstoy vs. Dostoevsky comparison holds true through their later work as The Beatles became increasingly acknowledged for masterful songwriting and studio work, while The Rolling Stones were acknowledged for capturing sparks of genius amid their chaos and debauchery. Crafted and elaborate, vs. sharp and hard.

The musical culture of the 60s was unique because everything was new - it supported the kind of brand clarity we see with both the Beatles and the Stones. Because of the culture’s newness, it’s difficult to imagine this kind of clarity ever happening again.

Regardless, the lessons for brand marketing remain clear because of their purity and simplicity. 

You have a few moments to establish a first impression, and a lifetime to develop repeat customers, which will happen best if you get everything right in the first place. You have to understand who you are, and where your authority lies. You must be genuine and truthful. You need a clearly-articulated and well-understood brand promise, and a carefully-considered brand strategy that reflects your clarity and authenticity. Well-communicated clarity and authenticity will still win the day, and it will win the test of time.


* Note: This story is a re-edit from a post I made to my “Sociable Blog” back in 2010. While I streamlined this article a little bit from the original version, I like how it captured my evolving views on the importance of clear, core messages - and it incorporates music, which is is the Dostoevsky side to my Tolstoy side of writing about brand understanding. Rushdie was right, at least about me - I also prefer both Dostoevsky and The Beatles.


Tuesday 16 February 2016

It's Morning Again in.... Canada? Using Stock Video Footage? Details Matter.

Video editors increasingly have a good variety of stock video footage options at their fingertips - istockvideo, VideoBlocks, and lots of others. By-and-large these tools are fantastic. Stock footage can set a scene, provide transitional footage over rough edit points, and they can even be pivotal to telling a better story. They can save time, and can save thousands of dollars that you’d need to acquire original footage in potentially distant locations (to say nothing of offering summer footage when it's winter where you live, etc.).

There’s one big caveat to using stock footage though, and it’s unfortunately overlooked with mind-numbing frequency: as a video editor, you have to pay attention to ensure that any stock video is adding to your narrative, not ripping it to pieces.

Stock footage has to be consistent with your content, and it must be accurate. If you are appealing to an audience of prairie-based farmers, don’t use mountain footage. If you are targeting urban Canadians, don’t show palm trees swaying in the foreground of your skyscraper footage. If you are targeting German automobile enthusiasts, don’t use highway footage with American road signs (or signs written in English, for that matter).

And, if you are a politician running to be President of the United States, DO NOT USE FOOTAGE OF A CANADIAN CITY. You see the harbour in this video's opening scene? It's Vancouver, British Columbia.  



Oops. The introductory voiceover narration even says “It’s morning in America.” Too bad the sun is rising on this morning over the Great White North... and that's how this video begins.

If you think I'm being hard on the video editor, please note that the tugboat in the opening scene is flying a Maple Leaf - just in case the cityscape wasn't apparent enough.





This is basic stuff - a rookie mistake - and it is easily avoided with a bit of care, attention and foresight. How did this video editor get their job, you may ask? Do you think they'll get to keep it? And more to the point - do you think they’ll ever work in video production again? Chances are the producer was working pro bono, but that's never an excuse to deliver shoddy work.

The fact is that there’s always a market for cut-rate producers who don’t pay close attention, and who don’t really care about the story they tell. Please, just don’t be one of them.

Thursday 11 February 2016

A Planning Guide for Communications Managers for the Production and Shooting of a Business Video

My epiphany with video production came when I needed to share a complicated proposal with a potential client, and I knew they were not likely to read an eight-page proposal document. I did however suspect they would take five minutes to watch a video. So, I flipped my proposal into a timed PowerPoint presentation, flipped that into a flash video, and I recorded a voiceover narration. I uploaded the final product to a password-protected Vimeo link, and emailed the link to the client. It was my first attempt at what I now call “enhanced PowerPoint presentations,” and they have become much more sophisticated since then (like, I don’t actually use PowerPoint). These productions have all the attributes of a PowerPoint presentation, but instead of being performed in real-time (which can be a major pain for everyone), the video link can be replayed and shared at the convenience of your audience, as often as they’d like. These are affordable videos to create, and as long as you follow-up in person, they totally work.

Anyway, when I sent this potential client the link, he replied only ten minutes later. He watched it, and he awarded me the business, just like that. He was “blown away” with my “cutting-edge technology” and “attention to detail.” It seems almost quaint now, but the fact is that video remains a quick, information-dense, and highly credible means of sharing your message. There’s an element of creativity and “magic” to a well-planned video, even if it’s just a collection of voiceover, text, and images - and it’s almost always better than a PDF attachment.

Video is better still when you plan to do it right, of course, with original footage and narration. Many video production companies (like Kazolu) will take care of all elements of production - from direction and script development, to shooting original footage, lighting, sound recording, and editing. Or, you may only need a videographer and editor if you can manage the project’s script, messages, general direction, and even art direction. You can’t necessarily expect a videographer to be a business consultant too, just as you can’t expect most copywriters to craft great images - and some videographers simply don’t understand the nuances of crafting a good message  - so if you are managing the overall project, it’s important for you to do your homework in order to get the best results.

Feel free to get involved as much (or as little) as you’d like in the production - this is your story, and it’s yours to tell. If you’d prefer to outsource everything to the pros, go for it (but hire carefully, of course). If you want to be involved in directing the overall production, make that clear when you are soliciting quotes. And, if you are directing the project, here are some tips to keep the production (and your story) on track.

Pre-production Planning:

    • Determine what is important to feature and say - what is your overall vision and message?
    • Determine how long you’d like the video to be, what you’d like to say, and how much information you’d like to share - is this a feature-length documentary or a 30-second commercial?
    • You don’t need to script every word said by a narrator or on-camera subject, but you should at least write down key messages - specific points you’d like to make
    • Plan, print and share scripts and/or key messages among everyone involved 
    • Plan specific shot lists that you’d like to capture, and share this list with the videographer prior to the shoot date (or even prior to asking for a quote), along with locations of where they can capture the shots (e.g. your building’s exterior on a sunny day; your delivery truck pulling up in front of a client’s building)
    • Set the shoot dates, confirm locations and timing for each location, and plan for travel time between locations if required
    • Have destination information, addresses, travel itineraries, meeting room details, etc. in writing, printed and shared among all participants
    • Obtain permits and/or permissions if required (you may need a municipal permit if you’re shooting on Main Street, or a property-owner permit if you’re shooting in a mall)
    • Ensure your videographer provides and brings all necessary equipment
    • If you have an in-house videographer, ensure all their equipment and batteries are working, charged, and packed
    • Have all participant information ready on the shoot date - names, titles, phone numbers, email addresses - and share printed copies with the videographer so they can get spellings correct when they insert superimposed text at the editing stage
    • If specific photos and logos are required, have high-resolution or vector file versions saved on a USB stick, and bring it on the shoot day to share with the video editor

Plan and Practice:

Scripted dialogue can sound pretty fake if you’re not a professional actor, but a series of key ideas can sound pretty natural when they’re spoken in your own words. Share the written key messages with your videographer - they will be editing many minutes of footage down into only a minute or two of screen time, so you need to be crystal-clear about which messages must be on-screen to ensure they capture the right takes in their edit. 

  • If you have a script, make sure that you and everyone else who will be on-camera has read it beforehand, and that you and they feel comfortable with the “part” they will play 
  • Ensure everyone reviews and understands your key themes and speaking points in advance, and are comfortable with them
  • Don’t memorize lines, or overthink anything - just be comfortable with your words, themes, and be yourself

Prepare the Location:

  • If you are filming at your office, make sure the space is clean in advance of the film crew’s arrival
  • Keep anything confidential out of sight
  • Pick a location in your office that will support the story you’re trying to tell - if you want to look folksy and family-run, you may not want to shoot in your mammoth shipping warehouse - but if you want to look bigger than you are, a 10’ x 10’ office may not be the best location either
  • Let your staff know that videographers are coming, and at what time
  • Be ready - filming will usually start about 30 minutes after the videographers arrive and begin their setup

Plan, Relax, and Repeat:

It’s a great idea to include team members (or yourself) in the on-screen narration (rather than a voiceover on top of visuals of your building or office), because there are few tools that show the personal side of your business better than - well, appearing in person. Appearing on camera can be exciting or terrifying, depending on your fear of public speaking - but it’s best for you or your speaker to appear as natural as possible. 
  • Unlike the days of physical film, the only cost with video production is time, and the videographers have already planned for multiple “takes”, so don’t worry - they will keep shooting until they get what they need - relax, and repeat as many times as it takes to say what you need to say
  • Consider providing your videographer with a list of your key messages in the form of questions that they can ask you - your responses to the questions will come across as personable, factual, on-message, and hopefully fairly natural
  • It won’t hurt to bring a bit of face powder along - if you are perspiring a little bit, your face will look like a shiny mess - and men with “high foreheads” (OK, bald guys) are particularly susceptible to facial-sweat-shine

Plan for enough time:
  • Even a 60-second video may require a few hours of shooting for the videographers to get everything they need - allow them the time to get the best-possible take
  • Expect even a basic interview-style video shoot to last a minimum of two hours - and planning for four hours is even better - better to have too much time, than not enough
  • On the shoot day, give the videographer your full attention, be at ease, turn off your phone, and have fun!


And finally, if you decide to hire a company that can manage the video production process from start to finish, most of these tips still fully apply. Remember, it is your story to tell, so don’t be afraid to be involved as much or as little as you like with the process. It’s a really fun and creative way to tell your story, so enjoy it, and learn as much as you can along the way. If you are engaged with the production, the chances are pretty good that the final product will be engaging, and will earn the results that you want it to.



Monday 8 February 2016

Consultants, Seth Godin, Tony Robbins, and the Value of Advice

What is the value of common-sense advice? I recently commented on a Facebook friend’s post who wrote “I've finally reached the point where seeing Seth Godin quotes actually makes me not want to read the quote at all. The smartest guy who never sold a thing.” I’m not going to defend Seth Godin, nor attack the comment itself - but it did get me thinking about the value of informed advice.

Although Godin has built and sold a company (or two) successfully, the “product” for which he is most known is his personal brand, and his insights on marketing. I have been a fan of his ideas since I learned that he titled one of his books “All Marketers are Liars.” That’s some truth - many marketers are liars, and the title challenged marketers to prove themselves otherwise. I love a good shot across the bow of an entire industry. 

Common sense it is not always commonly used. I have taken some heat over the years for admiring the work of Tony Robbins: my peer group is old enough to remember when Robbins sold his “Personal Power” series via late-night informercials, and while that approach may have undermined his credibility, he sold a tonne of product that way. I was one of those buyers of Robbins’ CDs in the mid-90s, a classic example of someone who was frustrated with my opportunities in life, and looking to make a radical change (I was trying to make a living as a creative writer and musician, and it was predictably kicking my ass). Robbins’ products, by-and-large, were valuable - they inspired many people (and me) to take some actions that would move them towards achieving better goals. I have said that Robbins’ skill is in packaging common sense, and selling it back to people - because common sense is in fact a scarce commodity. His ideas didn’t change who I was - I just shifted my approach to doing some things, and found a better way to support myself (and my future family) while still working in a varied, creative career, which I still do.

So what is the value of repackaged common sense? What is the value of Godin’s marketing ideas? Does the value cease when these writers have taken our money for their books, seminars, and audio recordings? No, of course it doesn’t - if that were the case, then all education would be fundamentally valueless. The product they are “selling” is not their written words, nor the medium, but the ideas that their words convey. The final, actual value is determined by the end-user’s ability to fit those words into their own context, and put those ideas into actions that support their own circumstance. 

Robbins has repeated the statistic that 90% of people who buy a self-help book (including business books) never actually read it to completion. This means that 90% of a writer’s potential market will only exchange value for the physical product - they will generate no added value after the purchase. The same statistic likely applies to the “products” of management and marketing consultants - strategic plans and documents also often end up unread in filing cabinets after the contract has been paid. This ineffectiveness, if anything, is what gives business writers and consultants a bad name - but this could arguably be the fault of the reader, not the writer.

So, should writers focus on the 10% who will read their ideas and take some action on them? Perhaps, but I would suggest that that writers and consultants should make their work more well-written, engaging, and inspiring - the challenge to all writers is to break through to more than 10%. If Seth Godin or Tony Robbins are successful (and they are), it’s because their work is resonating. It’s getting results, which means that it gets referrals, begetting more “sales,” which means even greater value provided to more and more people who are using the ideas they have learned. In this sense, outside of selling a lot of books, it means that successful writers have sold a lot more than just their own physical products.

Even if a reader disregards almost all of an author’s ideas, if one idea inspires a reader to do something differently towards a positive change, then that is value provided though an informed tool of guidance. The true value of any educator’s counsel can be incalculable: if anyone has taken something they learned and put it into action for positive change, then the educator contributed meaningfully to that change. It seems odd that people will begrudge the success of someone who shares good ideas and counsel in exchange for a share of the value they facilitate. That is the value of consulting - it is outsourced expertise that takes you to places you haven’t been able to go to on your own. You just need to pay attention - and respectfully pay your invoice when it arrives - before putting new ideas and perspectives into action.

Friday 5 February 2016

Shocking Top Five Reasons to Avoid Lists of Hyperbolic Copywriting Tips!!!

OK, I don’t have five reasons to give you - just one. Marketing copy should never lie. There are thousands of daily blogs and clickbait tweets that offer you five/ten/twenty/fifty tips, keywords, “strategies”, and/or products that will allegedly help you write better marketing copy. My problem is that most are built on hyperbolic language that will have very little to do with what you are actually selling. Unless you are selling actual snake oil, it seems unlikely that your company, product, or organization is “shocking,” “epic”, “game-changing,” or “in a class of its own.” If it is, kudos - but I suggest the #1 rule for marketing copy is that it must be truthful. 

Hyperbole, grandiosity and bullshit may have worked in the pre-internet world (for a while, anyway), but people are now one click away from discovering the truth about you. Hyperbole may sell your product once, and “180 Power Words” may earn some clickthroughs, but will those clicks accomplish your goals? Will you earn referrals? Will you build trust? Will you get repeat customers? If social media traffic is your end-goal, by all means go for it - but traffic is meaningless for most if nobody is retaining your message.

For most brand communications, empty hyperbole won’t provide a sustainable return. Lies and insubstantial rhetoric rarely work in business or in politics beyond the impulse buyers. Isn’t it preferable to be truthful at the outset? Wouldn’t it be better for your growth and the achievement of your goals if you were able to reveal a resonant, compelling truth about yourself, rather than share some flowery words that don’t actually represent who you are, and what you do?

Truth is a difficult thing to articulate, which is why there is so much crappy advertising. In fact, I frequently argue that bad advertising is what gives my chosen profession such a bad name at times. There are scores of lazy marketers and bad advertisements out there, which sucks doubly for those of us who are trying hard to do good work, say good things, and actually accomplish the marketing goals of our clients.

Truth can be hard to tell, and there aren’t many shortcuts to getting there. It takes a deep understanding of your brand to be truthful. But, when you have revealed the core truths about your brand, you also reveal differentiators that competitors can’t touch. Everyone and everything has core elements that are theirs alone, and I don’t care what you’re selling - those unique attributes will resonate with someone. Guess what? That “someone” is what we call “your target audience.”

I cut my teeth in the beer business, and I often say that if you can pull truthful differentiators out of any particular brand of blonde lager, then you can do it for anything. Of course, most beer marketers focus on “lifestyle” rather than “product” - or worse, they’ll focus on attributes that have nothing to do with the core product itself. What does being “the coldest” have to do with beer quality? Congratulations to the consumer on their refrigeration choice, but that beer didn’t chill itself - so why is it a selling point? It obviously works on some level because it keeps coming up again and again, and it’s an approach that may achieve the brewer a quarterly result, but it’s a rickety platform to build a brand upon.

I tried very hard in my early days of beer marketing to get past temperature and/or bikinis to tell a better story about our products - one that was competitively unassailable, and one that would sell more of our product, without being completely embarrassing. I was sometimes successful, and often not - especially when shitty marketing agencies and/or senior managers got in the way (including some dough-heads who believed that “women don’t influence beer purchases”). I had to write strategy and ad copy about “ice cold taste” (whatever the hell that is), but I also had the opportunity to tell some unique truths, and I still see those messages resonating behind those brands over a decade later. I’m also pleased to say that the “ice cold taste” copy hasn’t been used in years - and you won’t find those clips on my C.V.


My point is - there is a better way. Your brand already owns core assets and attributes that will tell your story, tell it well, and you will own that story - and ownership of any segment, no matter how fine, is a critical advantage. You can’t appeal to everyone, and trying to do so is nuts - so focus on the elements of your specific segment that you can truthfully own, and beat the hell out of it. Make your communications hyper-compelling to your target audience, be truthful, and you will win their loyalty for life when your truth matches their experience.