Tag: Video

State of the Customer Digital Report

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As a global provider of medical devices and technologies, Teleflex is committed to promoting superior customer experience through its internal “Exceptional Everyday” campaign and annual CX Week event.

Each year since 2019, Signal has produced a digital “State of the Customer” report in the form of a microsite posted on the company’s intranet. The reports are organized as a series of departments examining the perspectives of customers, patients and employees, punctuated by testimonial quotes and video clips from Teleflex executives and staffers. The process has involved Signal writing the content based on provided source material, designing and developing the microsite, and providing UX strategy.

Power Tools Social Media Campaigns

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Ingersoll Rand’s Power Tools division maintains an active social media presence, promoting its popular line of products. When the manufacturer needed help producing compelling content for its B2B user audience on Facebook and Instagram, they looked to Signal to provide additional bandwidth.

The Power Tools division was keenly focused on market research, launching new products and keeping dealers and distributors happy. They relied on Signal for creative writing, design and animations on a regular basis, to keep the pages interesting and engaging.

From raw assets of product images and/or video content, we provided monthly batches of posts, in advance, to help client teams streamline the approval and execution process.

Employee Inspiration Video

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Teleflex is a global provider of medical devices and technologies, which is committed to promoting superior customer experience through its internal “Exceptional Everyday” campaign.

The company asked Signal to create a video to be shown the Teleflex annual corporate meeting, as an introduction before the CEO’s keynote address. The goal was to celebrate the importance of every employee’s role in the customer experience, affirming to every one of them that “what you do matters” in saving the lives of patients.

The resulting video was a complete turnkey project from Signal’s video production team, from concept development, script and storyboards, thorough voiceover recording, music sources, mixing and editing. For authenticity, the production included two days of location shooting with actual Teleflex employees in their work settings.

 

planning a video

5 Action Steps for Your Next Video Project

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planning a video

Hands down, video is one of the most impactful tools marketers have for connecting and converting audiences. With so many opportunities at stake, you’ll do yourself a favor by creating a thoughtful video project plan before you begin. From project conception to promotion, here are the top 5 action steps to help make your next video project your best ever.

 

1. Spell out your strategy.

Does your company have a video marketing strategy? Digging into the following questions can help you make sure your message is communicated in a pithy, powerful way.

  • What is the core purpose, goal, subject, and message of this project?
  • Who is the target market(s)?
  • How and when will this content be used?
  • What’s the desired length?
  • Are you looking for high, medium or low production value?
  • What do you like (or dislike) about any previous or competitor videos?
  • What are the budget and timeline?

 

2. Clarify who is responsible for the script, storyboard, and assets.

Before you can get cracking on creative concepts, you need to know who on your team – or which trusted external resource – is handling the important tasks.

  • Who is responsible for creative direction? Creative concepting?
  • Who will write content for the storyboard/script?
  • Will the video contain audio (speaking subjects or voiceover) or will it be silent, with text on screen only?
  • Do you have the necessary assets (including images, footage, and graphics) or do they need to be created?

 

3. Get into the weeds on video production.

Video production will most likely require the most coordination with both internal and external resources, so knowing what’s needed is absolutely key.

  • If video and/or photoshoots are required, how many are needed, in what locations, and with how many cameras?
  • What are the estimated shoot duration, travel time, and expenses?
  • Do you need to plan for wardrobe, makeup, props, or any special equipment?
  • If you are using a vendor, do they have any specific preferences or requirements?

 

4. Know what’s needed to finalize the video.

Post-production is where your strategy and creativity come together for a video that makes a splash. Ask these questions to ensure your hard work translates into a great final product.

  • What new motion graphics (intro, outro, titles, transitions, etc) or 3D animation need to be created, and who will create them?
  • Who is the talent for audio voiceover and when will they record?
  • What audio soundtrack or sound effects are needed, and who will procure them?
  • How many clips will be created?
  • In what format(s) will the video be exported?

 

5. Prioritize promotion and measurement.

An amazing video quickly loses its worth if you don’t give it the promotion it deserves, and don’t know if you’ve hit your mark.

  • How, how often, and on what channels will the video be promoted?
  • What are the requirements for analytics and tracking?
  • What are your desired results or KPIs?

Video projects are multifaceted and demanding. Taking the time and effort to create a thoughtful plan before you jump in can improve your team’s performance, and the audience experience. With hundreds of successful videos under our belt, the Signal team is here to answer any questions you have!

 

 

Human Connection in Video

The Value of Human Connection in Video

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When it comes to reaching an audience, video is unparalleled. And when it comes to creating a human connection, using people in videos is the key to success. Whether you’re creating internal messages or targeting your prime marketing audience, the voices – and faces – you use in a video can increase the effectiveness.

Creating connection

In business as in marketing, there are three key characteristics of success: relatability, leadership and emotional connection. That is especially true of video marketing. Faces and voices in a video create:

  • Connection – We empathize with other people via their facial cues and tone of voice.
  • Relationship – Eye contact makes a huge difference in the way people react to what a person is saying – even in video.
  • Human touch – Putting a face on the brand helps people emotionally connect with your product or message.

People love faces

The fact is, the best thing you can do to not only convey your message, but also elicit the precise emotional response you’re seeking is to put a face in your video. Studies show that the human brain has a special place for faces – dedicated neural circuits that respond only to faces.

As an example, consider whether employees would rather watch a personal video message from their CEO, or read an email with the same information. The video wins hands-down, and chances are high that the employees will remember the message for longer.

Voiceover spices up text

While most of our communication is geared to take in facial and body language cues, video voiceovers can also be a boost to video effectiveness when it’s not possible to include faces. A voice reading the text displayed in a video is still more engaging and memorable than text displayed alone.

What to look for in voiceover talent

Whether using in-house talent or a professional voiceover specialist, it is important that they be engaging and well-spoken to capture and hold your audience’s attention. Words should be articulated in a warm voice with expression, drawing the viewer in. It’s important to choose the right person for the job – someone with great energy who speaks with an authentic tone that adds credibility to what they’re saying.

Need help making your videos pop? Signal’s in-house experts are here to answer your questions.

Attends Social Media Marketing

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Attends, a brand of Domtar Personal Care, is a pioneer in the incontinence industry, with products that deliver confidence and freedom to millions of people around the world. Domtar has engaged Signal to assume control of the Attends social media channels for planning, content development, design and development of visuals, and scheduling posts.

Our objectives are to help the client build audiences and brand awareness, to reach younger and more active users as well as caregivers, and to drive traffic to designated “Where to Buy” pathways that can be tracked to capture measurement. We plan monthly editorial calendars with a mix of content that includes product profiles, general wellness tips, holiday celebrations, links to relevant third-party articles, and so forth. Each month we review the proposed material with the client for their approval, then create and deploy the posts as agreed.

 

Results:

Increasing awareness while minimizing the stigma of incontinence by engaging users through aspirational content and helpful resources.

  • Increased monthly reach by more than 275,000 people

Driving more product exploration and sample requests to help get users into the right product for their needs.

  • Increased website traffic by 260%
  • Increased direct response actions by 419%

Americas 2020 Annual Kickoff Inspirational Video

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Headquartered in France, bioMérieux is a worldwide leader in microbiological testing solutions for medical and industrial applications. The company engaged Signal for turnkey production of an inspirational video for their America Annual Kickoff Meeting, to be played as an introduction for the executive keynote address.

The goal was to motivate the audience of sales field teams to navigate and overcome challenges in the changing healthcare landscape, tying in with the meeting’s motif of kayaking through whitewater rapids by means of skill and teamwork. The video used a symbolic “kayak instructor” as a narrator over outdoor action scenes, interspersed with testimonials from bioMérieux sales reps and other experts. Signal edited the script and developed storyboards based on the client’s general outline.

The original concept was to film these testimonials on location at a riverbank setting, but weather conditions on the day of the shoot forced a change of plans. We adapted by shooting these segments in a studio set against greenscreen, and composited stock footage of nature scenery in post-production.

The completed video met with positive response at the client’s event. The executive giving the keynote was reportedly “pleased and genuinely enthusiastic with it,” and leadership from the home office was also impressed.

10 Tips for Better Do-It-Yourself Videos

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Smartphone cameras have gotten very sophisticated, leading many companies to choose shooting their own videos instead of hiring a professional crew, for everything from in-house training to marketing and social media. But there are a number of potential pitfalls that can lead to disappointing results. Here are a few of our best practices for shooting smartphone videos.

  1. Shoot videos in horizontal orientation, not vertical. Vertical orientation results in significant blank areas on either side when the video plays on a widescreen monitor – a rookie mistake that can make your video look crude.
  2. Frame your subject. Your video will be more visually interesting if your subject fills the frame, or sits slightly off-center.
  3. Use good lighting. Proper lighting makes a huge impact on smartphone videos since they have smaller image sensors and lenses. And make sure you’re not shooting into the sun!
  4. Steady your hand. Use both hands and hold your smartphone as close as possible to your body to help stabilize your video.
  5. Pay attention to the audio. Even if your video is high quality, poor sound recording ruins the overall effect. Use microphones and shoot in a place without background noise.
  6. Consider purchasing accessories. While smartphone cameras have improved immensely, they’re still not professional quality. Consider purchasing accessories for your phone, like tripod mounting systems and creative lens add-ons.
  7. Don’t use digital zoom. While your subject may appear closer if you zoom in, you’ll lose a lot of video resolution. The best zoom is your own two feet – position yourself close to the action.
  8. Don’t use the flash on your phone. For evening or nighttime shots, find another light source to bring your subject out of the dark.
  9. Be aware of your background. Take the time to set up your shot, and keep your background simple. Remember, the background will either contribute to your story, or distract from it.
  10. Invest in editing. In the end, the power of your video may come down to the expertise of your editor. Invest in professional video editing to add wow factor to your final product.

If this sounds daunting, you may want to consider hiring a professional to do the filming for you. In fact, here are three good reasons to bring in the video pros from the start.

  1. It’s not as easy as it seems, and bringing in a professional ensures that you start your marketing efforts with the highest quality video for editing.
  2. Your smartphone camera can only do so much. For video of the highest quality, trust professional equipment.
  3. Avoid all the wasted time of trial and error by tapping into someone with the experience in getting the best possible product – with all kinds of subjects and in all kinds of situations.

Looking to get optimum results from your video? Ask Signal about our options to handle your project from start to finish.

tradeshow display videos

5 Best Practices for Your Next Tradeshow / Conference Video

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tradeshow videos

Considering a video for an upcoming industry event? Clients often engage us to create corporate videos – sometimes called “screensavers” – to get attendees’ attention at a tradeshow, conference or convention. The tradeshow video is the perfect opportunity to show your brand in a new light that goes beyond the dry corporate presentation. In this latest installment of our video series, we’ve assembled five best practices to help you rock your next tradeshow video.

1. Brand forward

First and foremost, your tradeshow or conference video should focus on branding. Think high-level brand messaging and imagery that grabs people and sends them off with a feeling about your brand or company. The goal is to move them to visit your booth, where they can get more details. This video isn’t about conveying lots of information – it’s about making viewers take action!

2. Loop, not linear

Many viewers will only see portions of your video as they walk by, or start watching the video after it’s started. Instead of a linear story, choose a seamless loop that delivers the right messaging and feel throughout the video. To make sure that people do see the call to action no matter when they’re watching, consider a persistent CTA in the lower third of the screen – “Visit us at Booth 288 today,” for example. 90 seconds is a good maximum length (although 60 seconds is better!).

3. Silence, please

When it comes to your tradeshow video, the best practice is no audio, no voiceover and no music! Let the imagery speak for itself. Conference and tradeshow halls are loud, bustling environments and you don’t want to add to the noise. Any sound is a bad idea since no one will be able to really hear it.

4. Big & bold visuals

This may sound funny, but visuals should be eye-catching, visible from across the room and somewhat vague. Remember, the goal is putting your brand front and center, so imagery should align with your brand. Use your most engaging visuals, either with motion or showing the hero product or people. What do you want people to remember ten minutes later?

5. Copy that’s crisp

The tradeshow video is NOT a PowerPoint presentation, so avoid long blocks of text that won’t get absorbed or even worse, will turn off potential customers. Copy should be intentional and polished, kept to short phrases and sentence fragments – close to the level of copy on an animated gif. The tone of the copy should match your brand’s personality. 

Ready to get started on your tradeshow or convention video? The Signal team is here to help.

 

Patient Success Story Video

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In 2018, Bioventus chose Signal to produce a patient testimonial featuring all-pro tight end Greg Olsen of the Carolina Panthers. Olsen endorsed the EXOGEN ultrasound bone healing device, which helped him recover from a nonunion fracture in the foot and get back on the field without additional surgery. The video debuted at the Bioventus national sales meeting in Las Vegas. The campaign also features billboards, print and digital advertising, as well as social campaigns.