This blog is the ongoing chronicle of our own application to our business of the theories; ideas and lessons we are sharing and recommending with our clients.  

Taking Risks

If you're not taking risks then you're playing it safe.  It's one or the other.

Yes, it's hard for some people/ companies/ brands to take risks - there's the natural fear of failure, but today, the paradox is it is more risky to maintain the status quo - you risk become commoditised and irrelevant - easily replaced.

"If you or your brand does not have relevance and create passion from your customers and fans then long term you're in trouble - you're no different than washing powder."  Franklyn Un

Much of the current marketing talk today is about online social media, building and connecting with fans but social media is more than just about setting up a Facebook fan page or Twitter account.  It's about creating social objects says Gaping Void's Hugh MacLeod.

Facing Problems

I faced a problem with the CLIVE stuff we were creating - namely potential customers where comparing us with inferior produced competitors.  Our key messages were not being heard.

The reason - our website - (which is where most of our customers find out more about us)  did not clearly communicate our unique selling points - we looked like our competitors - ie just selling the technical video production ability instead of where we wanted to play - our creativity, our online marketing understanding, our script writing, our production quality, presenter coaching, technology platform and analytics. 

We had to change the way we sold and move from a volume production view of the world towards a very customer centric, creative, niche approach.  Less how many video jobs but more about developing the whole of customer experience - right through to their customers experience.

Seeds take a while to germinate

It took a very long time (in web years) for my team to actually understand what I was saying (and I suppose my deeper understanding of the space and ability to communicate).

Lonely Girl 15 (2006)

We'd all seen the Lonely Girl thing way back in 2006 but what was the end result today? Did it eventually ever sell anything beyond building the Directors profile? Was/ where's the long tail benefit to fans?  What's the point if those no end in sight?

Beached As

I'd seen the clips years ago but the guys appeared on one of the national morning TV shows - I sent the interview to my guys - it's when they saw the commercial return from the books "they got it".  In many ways many businesses are like this - they need to see someone else successful before they have a go - it reduces their perceived risk - they need to be sold and convinced.

For every huge success there will tens of thousands of failures - today there's 37 hours of video uploaded to Youtube every minute.

"It ain't viral till it's viral" but there are some common elements to viral video success - low budget; humour; topicality; provocation; surprises and strategies - piggybacking on trends or celebrities; kids and cute animals.

If you focus purely on the $$$ then customers will soon see through your work.

2010 - Doing Incredibly Boring Work and the Creative Stuff that inspired.

My video guys were stuck on a very boring government job - we done a hundred simple presenter to camera CLIVE clips, it was the creative ones like Wendell's Dancing Reebok that got the most Click Thrus and results - social media was focused on how many fans or Twitter followers - the next metric is engagement. 

2011 - Focus on Creative Inspiration 

Less now on volume and more focused on customer experience.  The development of characters to deliver key communications messages to targeted audiences; a platform for companies and brands to engage online; a framework for new talent to be involved.

Introducing The Characters

Each character went through a behavioural profiling approach (60 questions) used by Human Resource consultants around the world - developed to hopefully resonate with each customer segment.

The Hard Arsed CEO	The Punchy Salesman	Online Presenting Diva	Viral Video Expert	The Nerd
Facebook	Facebook	Facebook	Facebook	Facebook

Each character a Facebook fan page; Twitter account created and behind the scenes video element created. 

The rest to unfold - I'll keep you posted.  

S*x Sells - Setting the Scene

The room is very dark that you can only sense it's small size by the steamy confined heat and the short re-verb of the pulsating sounding background beat.

Each beat the sound gets louder.

Through the dark a single light beam shines cutting through the dense smoke. A body lies near naked - a voluptuous and scantily clad woman.

Camera cuts to a man, he's all green, standing over the body.

He pours liquid, much like maple syrup, over her body - she awakens and screams with delight.

The camera zooms onto the jug label - "Create Compelling Content" scrawled across its bright label.

Cut to green man taking a photo with his new Smartphone.

The man laughs loudly and smiles devilishly (even though he doesn't have a mouth) - he looks for a pocket to put his phone but he doesn't have one - fade to black -

title card - "capture the moment".

"Cut", the camera pulls back wide to capture the whole studio. Chisolm explodes!

Note: Reminder to self - need to add something so that potential clients understand this is a marketing vehicle to promote products or services using brand ambassadors. The key to all of this is developing characters and stories that resonate with your audience.

Reflection

OK - maybe the ad concept above is not going to work for most (any) potential client but that ad is not designed for everyone - that's the key message - as guru Seth says "it's about products for customers not customers for products". We explore characters and ambassador authority.

Developing Characters

We finished shooting the last few CLIVE clips this week - Sales guy Ernie Cash, CEO Franklin Un and Creative Director Chisolm Van Schwizer. We'll have the very short, professional corporate CLIVE clip and then a background behind the scenes video where you learn a bit more about the team. As Ernie says "it's people and stories that sell" and Franklyns swear jar rises quickly - I'm not sure how well this will go?

Filming, Scripting and Creativity

We look at the draft edits - they're amazing - you just couldn't write those sort of dynamics quickly (I don't think). Chisolm tells me the sytle is called "Dogma" - yep - I'm sure there is some academic out there who will tell me what the term is for what we've done - the approach we've taken. My thoughts are that by doing we learn - by sharing we understand. There's a continuous cycle here somewhere.

Roll out

I'm still playing with ideas on how to roll the whole new site - the phased roll out gives us the ability to easily add layers more layers and elements as we go. As you know the web is not the big bang media launch but a long tail customer and fan engagement strategy. Don't get me wrong we still need to develop some promotion element at the front end to get word spreading faster. Ideas take a while to cystalise.

"There are approximately 70 words to a 30 second script.

On websites you've an average 12.5 seconds to get attention and engage your new visitors - that's 28 words!

At Maxys, we can help you increase your website effectiveness.

Browse around and Contact Us."

Sport and the love of it - creates common bonds and conversation.

I particularly love this time of year as the NRL Finals heat up - every game seems to be a ripper and highly entertaining.

Unfortunately my Sharks are at the other end of the table this year - it's a "rebuild" we say.

I'm a typical mad Sharks fan - I think it's a bit of an escape from the daily pressures of modern life and in many ways brings people together.

There's something about not winning a premiership in 42 odd years of competition (who's counting) that builds a certain strength of character!  (LOL)

That "Sharks Forever" will and determination, of overcoming advertisty, of persistance, exists in every Shark.

That deep down sentiment shared with family, friends and fellow Sharks Supporters - a common bond - to win a Grand Final.

Last night we launched a CLIVEvideo as part of the new "Sharks Connect" Community Engagement program.  Below is the press release and check out the Sharks website for more information.

Personally, I'm very happy to have had a small part to play.

31/08/2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SHARKS ATTACK THE NET WITH VIDEO HOSTS

The Cronulla Sharks NRL club is luring a new breed of internet-savvy fan using an innovative web technology to deliver an engaging personalised welcome message from their website.

New CEO Richard Fisk and new Chairman Damian Irvine are leading the charge to turn the embattled Club around and the recent launch of the ‘Sharks Connect’ marketing initiative is a key part of their strategy to re-engage with their local community and supporter base.

"Sharks Connect is a very important initiative for the club,” Mr Fisk said. “We are extremely serious about re-engaging with the fans and in making them a big part of what we are doing here at the Sharks. By becoming involved with the Sharks Connect program fans will receive better communication and we can keep them abreast of everything going on at their club.”

The Sharks website (www.sharks.com.au) boasts a friendly new look, with internet visitors greeted by a videoed Mr Irvine walking across the home page to invite them to join up at Sharks Connect.

Long-term Sharks fan Scott Maxworthy has delivered the message through ‘CLIVE’ (short for Customer’s Live Internet Video Experience), a revolutionary transparent video layer that delivers an instant, interactive web video experience (www.clivevideo.com.au ).

“These days, you’ve got just 12 seconds to grab someone’s attention on the web,” says Mr Maxworthy, who heads local firm Max Media and Entertainment.

“CLIVE is easily installed on existing websites, using just one line of code, and loads instantly as it’s streamed from our high-end servers. The real effectiveness lies in the immediacy of the professionally scripted and shot video message.”

Internet Advertising researchers Dynamic Logic recently released results from surveys covering three years that show strong impact from Rich Media with Video content, with ads using video creating stronger brand influence than those using any other media format.

With most web pundits predicting video is the future of the web, the launch of their CLIVE video initiative puts the new-look Sharks well ahead of the game.

Further information:

Scott Maxworthy, CEO, Max Media and Entertainment

0414 792 072 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it www.maxys.com.au