Here are some exciting quotes from the article:

” Increasing engagement is the number one reason media companies gave for adding video to their websites (76 percent) followed by strengthening their brand (60 percent), and increasing site visitors (55 percent). Surprisingly, increasing advertising inventory ranked fourth in the list of top reasons for using online video (33 percent). “

” Twitter referrals generate highest level of engagement with online video content. “

” Almost 50 percent of media companies plan to add sponsorships to their online video monetization strategy in 2010. “

Has your business/organization leveraged video to increase income? If not, then you’re ignoring money to be made through exposure of your brand and message via video!

Read the article: New Research from Brightcove and TubeMogul Signals Increased Investment and Growth for Online Video in 2010

‘…oh I don’t know.  It get’s the word out, right?’

It’s a pretty good answer.  Yes, it get’s the word out.  People buy what they know.  The simple truth is: video is profitable.

But before you can make that profit, you have to dig a little deeper.  Finding that inner why is important because it’s going to shape your campaign.  When you know why you do something, it often changes how you do it.

Here are some of the reasons why video works:

Emotion

People buy what they feel.

There’s a reason why history buffs love Gladiator.  It’s the same reason why nature lovers drool over Planet Earth.  Video does what almost no other medium can do.  It fills the senses with a real and visceral experience.  If you can give your clients that kind of ‘drool’ moment where they keep clicking ‘play’, your video will go viral.  And that’s great for business.

Social

There’s no better way to impress.

We’ve all heard a lot about social media marketing these days.  It’s cool and young, and for those that get it, profitable.  Social media is all about interacting with people.  Sharing ideas.  Tweeting.  Here’s the honest truth: video is the king (a-hem, guru) of social media.  Using your video in a social media context will blow away any competition that posts about kittens and their favourite jeep.

Sales

The perfect repeatable sales pitch.

We’ve all given a sales pitch.  It usually happens over a coffee or by phone.  It’s uncomfortable.  There’s plenty of face twisting, teeth twinkling and hard questions.  Ug.  Just imagine if you could have your perfect sales pitch masterfully crafted ahead of time, add music, mood lighting, and brilliant images of your product with beads of water dripping down it (might not be appropriate).  And you can use it an infinite amount of times.  Guess what… video.

Sticky

Online video keeps people on your site.

Google analytics never lies.  Your cousin’s first website (4-bit color!) a U2 fan site, still receives precisely 3.6 minutes of viewership from each guest.  Your business website?  3.6 seconds.  Something’s wrong.  Let’s look a little deeper and see if we can solve this problem.  Oh, U2sucks.com has a video on the landing page and your business site doesn’t!  A video captures the audience’s attention.  Teenagers.  If only they could design our websites.

Portable

Show your video everywhere

Remember when you were in school and the teacher put a tape in the VCR?  Remember that bubble of excitement in your throat that turned into hyper convulsions and sent you to detention?  Well, we adults are not so different.  We just hide it better.  Show a video at your next presentation.  Pop it on your iPhone and share it on the subway. Hand out flash drives at trade shows.  Now you’re getting the hang of it.

So now you know why your business should have a video.  You may have even gained some ideas as to how it could be marketed.  This is going to be important.  It will help shape your campaign and give direction to your video.

When you’re deciding on a video company, make sure they give you a thorough creative brief.  A good company will ask questions that will not only draw out your message, but will determine what your campaign should look like.

Good luck!  And if anyone asks why you’re making a video, you can tell them it’s because you want your company to succeed.

Veronique Da Silva Photography partnered with Aclara Promotions to raise funds for Haiti

Many have donated their time and money to help those in Haiti.  Few have contributed as passionately as photographer Veronique Da Silva.  On January 13^th, her Facebook post read “Haiti on my mind.”  By January 29^th, she had raised over $10,000 to help those whose lives have been destroyed by the earthquake.

Her method was simple: to give what she had.  She teamed up with fellow photographer Michael Tourigny and began a marathon photo shoot that would span a week.  Next, she organized a stunning fundraiser gala to bring the community together.

Veronique asked Christopher Ruffell of Aclara Promotions if he was willing to help.  The answer was a no brainer.  Of course!

The idea was to produce a victoria video production of the event with the hope that it might inspire others to start up fundraisers of their own.  Christopher started by going to the photo shoot where long hours were spent filming the participants.  He next brought his camera to the evening event where guests from around Victoria opened their hearts (and wallets) for Haiti.

“Simply amazing!” wrote Veronique of the fundraiser, “…the (event) was a sure winner!”  Veronique’s personal crusade to help those in need brought together some of Victoria’s most enigmatic and talented people.  Burlesque, improv, musicians and DJ’s kept the night alive.  Hours of organizing volunteers and labouring through photo shoots left her exhausted.  After two marathon weeks, Veronique was left with one final task…

…to count the money.

Related Links
Canadian Red Cross
Véronique Da Silva Photography
Michael Tourigny Studios
Miss Rosie Bitts

But some businesses escape. They cut through the vines and dodge the tigers. That’s because they do something many talk about but few realize. It’s called video marketing

Companies too often make the mistake of producing videos on the fly. They’ll do it with a webcam or find some novice film maker who doesn’t know anything about business. The videos look cheap and don’t hit the right points.

Your customer is a lot more savvy than that.

‘Quality’ is the key word in video marketing. With a great team that knows about business and how to make excellent video, you’ll receive a quality product that resonates with your customer.
This is your moment to shine, so do it with class. After all, you only get one first impression.
Below are five quality check-points that you must do to raise your company from the jungle to civilization.

Creative Brief

The first rule of quality is to understand who you are. It’s dark in the jungle, so the good video marketer will shine a light on your company. What is your message? Who is your target audience? The idea is to reach down into the soul of your company and find out what it’s all about. You want the video to be genuine so it resonates with your customer. A good creative brief is the first step. Only work with a company that offers one.

Script

With creative brief in hand, the shaman is put to work. It’s script time. There are many questions at this stage. How should the script engage? Should it be funny? Instructive? Sophisticated? It’s important that your company’s message and values are reflected in the writing. A good script will go through numerous revisions to capture this.

Talent

Even the toughest marketer needs friends, and the smartest form a tribe. A ‘tribe’ is a group of experienced people who bring their unique talents to the table. The most experienced people are worth a village. The camera operator is worth two. Just like the chieftain, he knows the lay of the land. Make-up and Costumes are the artisans. Warriors work the lights. Make sure the company you choose can provide a roster of experienced tribesmen.

Visuals

A good camera, fast lenses and inspiring locations are all part of the professional package. It’s important to compare portfolios and resumes when choosing a production company. Make sure the one you choose has a well respected web presence. It’s not enough simply to point and shoot. You want National Geographic.

Sound

It’s a dangerous truth for the video marketer that predators are heard before they’re seen. Most don’t prick their ears till it’s too late. A poorly mixed audio track has caused the death of many an otherwise fantastic video. Some marketers even refuse themselves a good score for the video’s funeral! Sound can make all the difference, and no expense should be spared to have the best.

Quality is the most important consideration in video marketing. It’s the driving force that will separate you from the rabble. If the quality is poor, it will reflect badly on your company. But if it’s high, you will find trusting customers everywhere.

Find your way out of the jungle and into a world of opportunity. Add a high quality video to your website today!

Our Place Society recently showcased a video titled ‘Hope & Belonging’ at their annual gala event, A Taste of Britain, held at Crystal Gardens. The goal of Our Place is to give a ‘hand up’ to people who are down on their luck and need a place to sleep, a hot lunch, or counselling on how to get off the street. The video showed guests at the fundraiser event what Our Place does so as to build an understanding of issues facing the homeless and describe how the community centre can help. The video was met with praise from board members at Our Place, as well as from guests at the fundraiser who said it gave them an emotional connection to the society.

CLICK HERE To Read More on the Hope & Belonging Page…

VICTORIA, BC – Our Place Society recently showcased a video titled ‘Hope & Belonging’ at their annual gala event, A Taste of Britain, held at Crystal Gardens.  The goal of Our Place is to give a ‘hand up’ to people who are down on their luck and need a place to sleep, a hot lunch, or counseling on how to get off the street.  The video showed guests at the fundraiser event what Our Place does so as to build an understanding of issues facing the homeless and describe how the community centre can help.  The video was met with praise from board members at Our Place, as well as from guests at the fundraiser who said it gave them an emotional connection to the society.  The consensus was that the video helped raise funds for Our Place by touching the audience in a meaningful way.

“A Taste of Britain came alive through the video presentation by Aclara Promotions,” said Reverend Al Tysick of Our Place, referring to the production company that made the film, “what a gift of kindness and generosity.”  To help add depth to the film, the Aclara Promotions team was given a full tour of the facility, which included very clean showering areas, a games room, nursing stations and a host of other services.  They were also able to film one of the permanent housing units, and to catch the large kitchen in action.  “Our Place Society has really dispelled the myth that street life has to end in tragedy,” said Christopher Ruffell, principal of Aclara promotions, “Our Place is a living model for empowerment and hope.”

‘Hope & Belonging at Victoria’s Our Place Society’ can be viewed at Aclara Promotions – Click Here to View

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Our Place is a non-profit society formed by the alliance of the Open Door and The Upper Room in 2006. It offers a sense of belonging to Greater Victoria’s most vulnerable citizens. Our Place provides a home, nourishment and hope through living, sharing, learning and worshipping together.

Aclara Promotions is a promotional video production company offering distinctive cinema-style production value to local organizations and businesses. Contact Aclara Promotions to discuss how they can help create a video for you.

Natural Growth: The Story of Dockside Green

This documentary tells the story of a unique development in Victoria, BC. While other developments meet the minimum standards of sustainability, Dockside uses this as a first principle. It follows a ‘triple bottom line’ approach, where equal weight is given to ecology, economics, and society. Occupying water front property near Victoria’s downtown core, it has become the pride to the city, and receives visitors from around the world.

Future projects include an extended version of the documentary, where a broader approach will place Dockside into the context of Victoria’s evolving relationship with sustainabilit.

Natural Growth: The Story of Dockside Green was produced/shot by Christopher Ruffell and written/directed by Jordan Harbour. An Aclara Promotions Production.

To Read more, visit the Natural Growth page on Aclara Promotions…

Related Links:
Natural Growth Press Release
Deborah Curran & Company Website
The City of Victoria Website
Mayor Dean Fortin’s Website
Dockside Green’s Website
Dockside’s Architect’s Busby Perkins + Wil Website
Farmer Construction’s Website
Selkirk’s Architect Fran D’Ambrosio’s Website

VICTORIA, BC – Aclara Promotions is elated to share a new documentary, ‘Natural Growth: The Story of Dockside Green’.  It premiered at the EcoDoc film showing in Victoria, BC on October 7th, 2009.  The theme of this event was ecology, and topics ranged from First Nations issues to ground water depletion.  Aclara Promotions looked into sustainable development, using the Dockside Green building development as a model.  Out of 15 entries, Natural Growth was chosen to receive ‘The People’s Choice Award’.

The documentary touched on hot topics associated with sustainability.  Dockside Green’s multi-use building development was envisioned using ‘the triple bottom line’ as a primary principle.  This principle champions the idea that society, ecology and economy must be given equal weight when considering any development strategy.  Dockside most notably treats its own sewage, creates power from wind turbines, and offers affordable housing.  “It is an inspirational development,” says Aclara Promotions writer/director, Jordan Harbour, “If this video can help spread sustainable values to the public, I will be thrilled.”

Experts from multiple fields were called upon to take part in the documentary.  The final edit saw appearances from Deborrah Curran (a leader in smart growth law), Frank D’Ambrosio (Victoria’s premier architect), and Dean Fortin (the Mayor of the City of Victoria).  Christopher Ruffell, the film’s producer, was thrilled with the passion shown by those interviewed.  “We’re excited to have such a range of excellent participants who could speak to the unique qualities of Dockside Green”.

‘Natural Growth: The Story of Dockside Green’ can be viewed online in HD at Aclara Promotions – Click Here

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About Aclara Promotions
Based in Victoria, Aclara Promotions is a promotional video production company offering distinctive cinema-style production value to local organizations and businesses.

Click here for a printable PDF version of this news release.

Related Links:
Natural Growth Press Release
Deborah Curran & Company Website
The City of Victoria Website
Mayor Dean Fortin’s Website
Dockside Green’s Website
Dockside’s Architect’s Busby Perkins + Wil Website
Farmer Construction’s Website
Selkirk’s Architect Fran D’Ambrosio’s Website

What use is a twenty-minute video if the viewer only watches the first five minutes? The sweet spot for effective promotional videos tends to be 3-5 minutes. With the right production-quality, that’s enough time to grab the consumer’s attention and perk the interest of future clients.

Write Words are Right

Frankly, press releases and print ads make boring scripts. Because it is one of the key elements in video production, be prepared to spend a great deal of energy refining the story. Read the script out loud to gauge reactions. Is your message coming through loud and clear, or does it seem stilted? A professional writer is in many ways just as important as an editor or photographer. Consider hiring one to give your video a professionalism to match your client’s ideals.

Who is this for again?

Don’t forget who your audience is. Where will the video be played, and to what age group? As the viewer’s setting changes, so to must the video. An Internet video is usually short and snappy, while an in-class DVD can occupy hours. If the aim is to generate interest in a product, the story must be sculpted to generate want. If the goal is to inform, build an emotional connection between the audience and the story. Bear in mind that the viewer is the final step in the production process.

Verify the Blueprint First

A script is a lot like a blueprint: your research and development goes into making it, and from it you have a map of what you want to achieve. Have the script written far in advance of the shoot date as it will determine what challenges you will have to overcome. The more mistakes caught on paper before the shoot, the less time and money spent fixing them in post!

Replicate & Share, Share, Share

Don’t whip out your promotional DVDs at trade shows only to whip them back into the drawer once you’re home; make copies and spread them around! Embed a copy on your website to show off your work. In the office waiting room, have a small LCD screen with the video cued up for anyone to press play. Share it online using sites like Vimeo and YouTube. Don’t let your videos collect dust when there are so many options… so many opportunities!

- By Aclara Promotions