Corporate movies without advertising platitudes
With the growing importance of video content in corporate communications, the question of the right format is becoming increasingly important. Which formats are convincing and in which direction should corporate movies develop? One thing is clear: films that focus too much on advertising messages usually come across as stiff and no longer fit into the age of Web 2.0.
Moving images are becoming an increasingly important medium for corporate communication. This realization is by no means new. However, gone are the days when more or less elaborately produced videos were primarily used to promote products and services without criticism, as in an advertising spot. With the advent of social media in corporate communications and the changes in user needs brought about by Web 2.0, such one-dimensional formats simply lack credibility - at least in most cases. It is not uncommon for wooden CEO statements or stilted interviews to border on the embarrassing. The entertainment value is also usually not at its best: Only a few corporate movies can stand up to the growing competition of videos on the Internet.
Storytelling enters the next round
But how do you present a company in the right moving light? How does a company appear credible and not flat or embarrassing via the medium of video? The solution lies in an indirect connection to the company. Existing and potential customers must be surprised and be able to identify with what is shown in the film. Digital natives in particular can no longer simply be fobbed off with rehearsed phrases. This is the only way a film in Web 2.0 can play to its strengths, namely the telling of a lasting story and the associated dissemination. Identification therefore takes place through storytelling that is directly linked to the company and its world, but this does not have to be forced on the viewer. Interchangeable PR messages all too often come across as strained and fundamentally assume a lack of understanding on the part of the viewer.
A good story, authenticity and aesthetics
For example, aesthetic film portraits with authentic life stories from the world of customers are very effective - whether for a consumer goods company, an insurer or a B2B group. In other words, people who stand out through their work, their profession or a particular passion. In this way, the customer becomes an indirect ambassador for the company, without prefabricated sentences being put in their mouth. A good story always works, and if it can be linked in some way to the company's activities, the company is given a face and benefits from an enhanced reputation. Products or services are one thing, but who claims them is the other, usually more relevant sales argument. Infotainment-oriented company blogs or web magazines offer the ideal platform for spreading this idea. Otto, for example, is moving in a good direction with its blog Twoforfashion.otto.de, as is Mercedes-Benz with its blog mb.mercedes- benz.com. Among others, the unicycle pioneer Kris Holm talks about his daring interpretation of riding on just one wheel - always stylishly staged and authentic. The Mercedes Benz brand is not mentioned at all. Nevertheless, the star is given more shine.
