Last week, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel on the rise of video in social media at the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Digital Advertising Conference in Chicago.
The theme of the event was Edge Effect and, as digital has disrupted all forms of advertising, we’re living on the edge indeed.
The session featured some of the brightest and most innovative minds in marketing…oh, and me.
Left to right:
David Brot, Executive Vice President, Account Director, Leo Burnett
Pamela Hollander, VP of Integrated Marketing Communications, Allstate
Kevin Lange, Starcom MediaVest Group
Sharon Mussalli, Industry Lead, Entertainment, Facebook
Aaron Goldman, CMO, Skai
Here are 4 key takeaways from our panel:
1. Think Native.
Just as we’ve moved past responsive design in the mobile-first era, so too have we moved past mere asset repurposing when it comes to video. It’s no longer acceptable to take your 30 second TV commercial and use it online. You must create something that matches the medium. Whether that’s a 6 second Vine, 15 second pre-roll, or 2 minute long form, produce a video that’s inline with how people are consuming content on all platforms you’re utilizing. Pam from Allstate showed some great Vines created for the NCAA tournament that embody this principle.
2. Be Creative.
It’s not enough to create video that merely fits the content around it. You have to find a way to really stand out and connect with your audience. In our short attention span generation, compelling creative is more important than ever. Another great Allstate example is the Mayhem Sale that stole the Sugar Bowl with broadcast and social media integration and activation. David from Leo Burnett shared the key insight that many people watching the game would be busy multi-screening and identify with the notion of oversharing.
3. Eliminate Waste.
Most online video can now be bought in real-time (aka programmatically) using 1st and 3rd party data to narrowly target desired (aka addressable) audiences. And TV is headed in that direction too. Performance branding is no longer an oxymoron. If your video strategy includes any element of “spray and pray” to hit reach and frequency goals, do not pass go and do not collect $200. Kevin from SMG drove this point home and said that the key is leveraging software that can automate the media planning and buying processes.
4. Measurement Matters.
Speaking of reach and frequency, while there is some merit to tracking these KPIs across online video to compare results with broadcast, marketers should also embrace metrics that capture the true potential (and value!) of social video. And we’re not talking about likes and shares. The panel agreed that “viral” is a 4 (ok 5) letter word that should never be included in a brief. Sharon from Facebook talked about measuring video duration and retention and even taking it one step further to measure conversion lift.
