Getting it right is 🔥: the long and the short of video forms
Growing up around the workshop, my Dad would insist that there’s a “right” tool for every job.
I’ll go so far as to say that this is the absolute truth in marketing and brand building, also.
Matching the right media assets to the task hits the mark only when we know for sure what the mark actually is.
Compare your inventory of media assets with this list to see if we agree:
Short form video:
Personal example: WhatsApp videos for your niece to wish her a happy birthday
Commercial example: Instagram reel to announce a new service and gain attention
Pros: Generally lower production values (lighting, audio, post-production, script) so it’s cheap to produce in volume; Responsive to trends; Quick to make and get into circulation
Cons: Platform-specifics can make distribution challenging; Short-term attention grabbing
Analysis:
In a personal context, your nieces will love getting a video message. It’s not the same as a big hug, but it’s nicer than a cake emoji 🎂.
In business contexts, people sometimes mistakenly expect a disproportionate response from short form video. Perhaps it will garner a lot of “likes” but there is only a distant correlation with action. Little is invested, so little should be expected - until the aggregate effects are noted. Repeated exposure is the key. It’s exhausting - which is why sometimes people hire professionals to make a lot of short videos and they just pull from the bank when they’re ready for another. There’s an alternative use case, though: Human Resources. HR teams are quickly realizing the economics of using video to improve knowledge. Trek bikes and our local Aptyx (formerly GlobalMed) know this and use short form video to great advantage.
Here are a couple of samples of short form video from one of my clients:
2. Long form video:
Personal examples: Life Stories (memoir films), Wedding films
Commercial example: Brand Stories to invite relatability and evidence
Pros: Embedded signalling of quality through higher production values; Ultimate control over an extended message; Increased “contact time” with prospective clients
Cons: More costly as it engages professional services; Less frequently updated
Analysis:
Long form video isn’t for everyone. It’s for an organization (or an individual) who is investing in an elevated outcome. The investment for really good media was once counted in tens of thousands but the technology and skill base has changed the scene. As well, the pandemic has landed a few of us in less urban areas of the province (read: not Toronto) and we’ve brought agency-level skill and talent to the masses. For personal filmmaking, Life Stories have taken off and the boomers are into it. And wedding filmmakers are now delivering far higher quality for the same relative investment in today’s dollars.
Here’s an example of long form video from someone in our region:
On the whole, the business case for long form video rests on brand building and conversion. For short form video, it’s useful for punching through the noise and getting attention. And it has specific utility in closed environments.
The consumer side sets up a wider usage gulf, with younger people creating free content to keep the TikTok world amused or with older people investing in heirloom film projects.
Knowing one’s outcomes definitely helps one to select the very best media tool for the job.
