Corporate video is the best thing since sliced bread. And we really really love sliced bread.
So what is corporate video?
Forget what all those pesky content marketing gurus make us believe; corporate video is all about you and your business. This is why corporate videos last a minimum of three minutes, but longer is always better: this is the only way to get all the information in there, but to be sure add a lot of bullet points.
Short is good. Long is better.
Remember, today’s audience is very time rich so get on that soapbox and wait till they drag you off kicking and screaming. The subsequent savage beating is a way in which your audience communicates respect and gratitude. Business people are funny like that. 
Let’s talk about me.
A corporate video is essentially a promotional tool for your business and your brand, which means you. So effectively, it’s really all about you.
Plus is better than minus.
Adding value is important. The operative word is ‘adding’ so don’t forget to mention:
- What you were up to in 1989.
- Add something generic like ‘we’ll go the extra mile’.
- So you’re the Apple of chartered accountants? Do tell.
Features and benefits
You can safely assume no-one has researched your product before visiting your site, so hammer home those features and benefits, no matter if they’re also in the written content and the brochure.
Naming names.
You know that guy who always drops names of famous people he met? Be that guy. Nothing boosts credibility more than dropping names of corporates half the town has worked for, so make sure you have a long list of logos flashing up.
Getting the righting write.
Scripts are for wimps. Just copy your entire branding document in a new window and read it all out. Remember, you can always fix it in post by spending a few extra thousand on post production. Your video production company will have a gold plated coffee mug made in your honour.
Jargon
We all know business is all smoke and mirrors, so it’s good to sound smarter than you are. Jargon is the shortcut to business success, so make people care about your product by using lines like ‘we leverage a diverse and versatile distribution channel that is focussed on delivery quality local rollout’.
Flashy: Good
A good rule of thumb is to spend at least a third of your budget on one of those swooshy thingies with your logo that the guys on the board will just love. It also makes great content for showreels of production companies.
Music
Getting the music right is essential, so it’s a good thing that there are only two real choices;
- That Coldplay song with the piano intro that you hear at every conference. You know tadadadadada tadadadadada tadadadada.
- Any track from Ibiza Jazz House Compilation 1997. Especially the one with the endlessly repeating sampled saxophone.
Authenticity
Authenticity is very important. Thank God it’s easy to fake. Here’s how you do it: Use lots of stock photos from the first page of Google Images for your ‘staff profiles’ and get a presenter that does morning TV or beer commercials for ‘client testimonials’ too for maximum authentic connection.
Less is not more. But more is morer.
The value of video production is measured with on simple metric; amount of minutes produces agains budget, so squeeze in those extra two minutes where you can. 
Call to action!
Our audience can’t think, so we need to do it for them. Having a strong call to action at the end of your video is a great way to remind people why they’re watching.
Buy now
Make sure that your audience is made aware of the fact that they can purchase your product or engage your service. It’s easy to forget, so repeat at 30 second intervals.
There are many ways to contact you
Make sure you audience knows they can call you, and email you, and tweet and write a letter and send a postal pigeon and send smoke signals and visit your Myspace page.
Don’t forget to name your URL!
It’s very important to make sure that people know the full URL of your website, especially if they’re watching the video on your website.
It’ll go viral. Promise*
And the best thing is; Corporate videos have a tendency to go viral all by themselves. Just upload them to Youtube and let the sharing begin!
