Category: Local Business

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Local Business Uncategorized

Branding is a Slow Burn… but a Longer Term Investment

I love commercials. I know… I’m the odd man out.

In fact, I’ll share a little secret with you: When I watch TV, I mostly skip the shows and look for the ads.

I’ve noticed that big names do branding commercials while small businesses create informational commercials. This got me to thinking and here’s what I came up with regarding the differences.

1. Branding creates a feeling

Check out this commercial for milk:

An informational commercial would have started by listing the health benefits of milk, continued with telling you where you can buy it, and finished with a call to action (i.e. Drink Milk because it’s good for you.)

Compare the above with this commercial:

Which one gave you more information? Which one are you likely to remember when you are at the grocery store thinking about what to buy? (Matt Dillon tells us, “don’t forget it,” but I’m pretty sure you already have.)

2. Branding is slower

If you want a quick burn with immediate results (i.e. a sale or event) then informational is the only way to go. Just tell people “Who, What, When, Where and Why.” But as Roy H. Williams, the “Wizard of Ads,” asks, do you really want to train people to wait for a sale, or do you want them to buy from you because they love your brand?

If you are looking to build a “presence” in a product category, or a reputation in a geographical market–if you want people to feel your weight–then informational ads will be watched and forgotten before people even know who you are.

When you think about Nike, do you think about what kind of rubber they use on their soles or how cool their laces are? Does Nike have to convince you that they are quality by listing their manufacturing process? No, you feel something that has been faithfully added to and built upon for decades; they have created trust by the very “weight” of their brand.

3. Branding uses association

Nike associates its products with the biggest names in sports. Milk associates itself with obsessive desire. By the time they get to their slogan, “Got Milk,” the idea of living without it is unthinkable.

Unlike Nike, most businesses can’t afford even one minute of LeBron’s time, but with some skillfully-crafted creativity, they can create other powerful associations that are cheap or free. If you make quality knives, for example, then you can spend your advertising dollars associating your brand with the types of gourmet foods that your clients want to cook. If you make custom dog collars, then associate your brand with the special bonding that happens between dogs and their loving owners.

The most powerful branding moves the viewer to think, “I want to be that person; I want to live that life”

(By way of full disclosure, we were not associated with the above commercials in any way.)

Which sports fan doesn’t fantasize about being at the front of the pack, or the top of the key, making the winning slam dunk and having the fans go wild? Nike ads strongly associate its brand with some of the most powerful images known to sports fans.

The stronger the associations, the more powerful the emotions; the more powerful the emotions, the deeper your ads will impact the soul.

4. Branding lasts longer

Since association and emotion are functions of the subconscious mind, they stay with the viewer for much longer than mere facts and figures (which reside in the intellect).

5. Few things can impact the soul like video

SO here it is…the shameless sales pitch. (Not really.)

While strongly crafted words or a beautiful image can affect the soul, the medium of video is uniquely poised to impact the emotions of the viewer and help them temporarily suspend their filters. This is something I strongly believe.

Take your cues from how the big brands concept their ads, and focus on building brand loyalty through emotional connections, rather than going in for the kill with less effective informational ads. As marketing legend, David Ogilvy said, “Don’t bunt; aim out of the park. Aim for the company of immortals.”

Paul Powers videographer

 

 

Paul Powers is a producer at WK Studios and currently resides in Bend OR with his beautiful wife and daughter.

paul@wkstudios.com

 

 

 

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Local Business TV Commercial Uncategorized

Why Pay More for Professional Video?

We all know you can get cheap video. From the kid on the corner who is “really into” that video stuff, to the TV station that will produce your commercial for free in exchange for selling air time, to the cookie-cutter production house online, cheap video is not that hard to find.

So the question arises, “Why should I pay more for a professional production company?” Here are a couple of our thoughts:

1.  Experience Matters:
I was once a young film student with a video camera and a laptop out selling my video services to anyone willing to pay me.  These days, I hide those projects from everyone, secretly hoping that the Internet has lost that work forever. While it was pretty good for where I was, I sincerely hope my former clients have upgraded their videos.

2. You may need to access/ modify/ find that footage later.
It costs money to back up projects and keep footage safe and organized for future access.  The fly by night production service may not be there next month, let alone next year.

3.  Video is more than moving pixels, it’s a relationship.
Good video is communication.  A well-planned video will communicate with the words, the music, the set dressing, the wardrobe, the graphics, the talents movement, the camera’s movement, and more.

Moving pixels may be enough to look good, but only a relationship with our clients allows us to really understand and communicate your brand.

4.  Your brand is Important.
This is the big one. Everything you release to the public enhances or denigrates your brand.  Video is especially powerful and should be handled with extra care.  You spend a lot of money on your logo, your website, your copywriting and your print.  Do you really want to come across as the bargain place with the cheesy videos?

Yes, professional video is an investment, but like most investments, you get out of it what you put into it… with interest.

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Local Business Uncategorized

Think Deeply…

When WK started, we had very few jobs, but tons of time, energy, and passion.  We wanted to create amazing video and an awesomely successful company.  As such, we spent countless hours strategizing around a giant whiteboard in the spare bedroom of my house.   We had plans to get new clients and increase our equipment.  We had revenue models, market analysis and a 5-year plan that would put MGM to shame.

Two years later we had real clients…. lots of them.  The editing bay was occupied day and night, but the whiteboard sat conspicuously empty.  We used it to write notes to each other or draw pictures.  When we moved into a studio the whiteboard didn’t even get hung up.   We were busy.  Too busy to sit around and strategize.

One day, during a company meeting, we sipped our mate’ and looked at each other.  “What happened to our five-year plan? Are we any closer to reaching it?” That’s when it hit us that we were no longer driving the company.  We were no longer in control.

We had become slaves to the tyranny of the now.

This is one of the chief dangers of being busy: The failure to think deeply; to strategize; to be in charge. If you are not driving your company, who is?  Don’t lose control. Make sure you are going where you want to go.  Take the time to think deeply. This may mean carving a day out of your busy schedule, going on a retreat with your core team or just getting alone in the woods for a couple of hours. Whatever it is… do it.  If you don’t, one day you will look around and realize you’ve arrived someplace you never intended to go.

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Brewery Filmmaking Local Business TV Commercial Uncategorized

Gary Gruner’s Sock Puppets, Aircraft Instruments and Deschutes 25th

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again.  One of the great parts of our job is the amazing amount of variety we experience in the day-to-day.  One day we are literally hanging out of airplanes as they narrowly escape hitting a rocky, mountain ridge, and the next day we are filming sock puppets in our studio. Then on Saturday, we get sent out to film Deschutes Brewery’s 25th-anniversary mountain bike ride and party in the park.

Hope you enjoy checking out our videos as much as we enjoyed making them.

Electronics International wanted a video to highlight one of its high-end airplane instruments.   We needed to show the functionality but also wanted to make it a little more exciting.  We worked together with Michael Roberts to shoot takeoffs, landings, in-flight shots and chase scenes.

Gary Gruner wanted something out of the box, and Anne Marie Daggett of The Marketing Department delivered. Collaborating with a creative from Texas, and a bunch of our amazing friends (Duane and Liz, Kecia Kubota, Anne Marie, and more) we filmed these toys against our studio green screen, composited in After Effects and edited in Premiere Pro CC.  The original music came from Freddie Gateley.

Deschutes Brewery is a landmark in Bend Oregon and the Craft Brewing world.  Established in 1988, they have literally grown from a little pub downtown to a nationwide distributor.  All that growth deserves a little celebrating. WK was there to record their anniversary ride and party in the park.

Another part of Deschutes’ 25th-anniversary celebration was a collaboration between Deschutes Brewery and Great Lakes Brewing Co. We were privileged to make this video highlighting this collaboration brew (Imperial Smoked Porter).

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Filmmaking Local Business Volunteer

Guatemala Habitat for Humanity and Family Access Network

This is one of the most epic projects we have ever had the privilege of working on: The ten days in Guatemala were made more awesome by the incredible Habitat staff, the first-class team from First Presbyterian Church in Bend, OR and of course, the amazing fun film crew that came with us.  Special thanks to so many people, but especially Jenny Warner, Anne Marie Daggett, Judy and David Osgood, Benjamin Mincho Swenson and Melissa Hassler.

Another great organization we recently made a video for is Family Access Network. They have an incredible mission of helping youth and families living in poverty with youth in local schools to have basic necessities.  Did I mention that we love our jobs?

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Local Business Uncategorized

“Angry Cat Mob” TV Commercial

We just finished this fun commercial for Sublime Creative Agency and The Marketing Department of Bend Oregon. The goal was to promote ABC Coating Solution’s Ugly Bathroom Contest.

Anne Marie Dagget of The Marketing Department wrote the script. She sent it over to Russell Nute at the local radio station to magically transform it into a jingle. Once we received the jingle director Marshall Burgtorf broke it down into a shot list. We transformed our Studio Bathroom (already an ugly bathroom) into an ugly bathroom that looks like it belongs in a home (thank you, Goodwill).

On the day of shooting, we lit it, and then super PA/ Gaffer/ Grip/… was willing to be a stand (er… sit) in for our talent.

Once we got to Marshall’s house we had 5 kitties. Unfortunately, only 2 decided to cooperate. It became clear that the shot of our “angry cat mob” outside in the front yard was not going to happen. What do we do now? If only one kitty will cooperate then one kitty it is… We changed the headgear of our one kitty multiple times and filmed him over and over again. The other shots went pretty much the way we figured they would. Here’s a little bit of the process we went through in post.

All in all, we think it turned out really well. The client loves it and it effectively communicates their message in a very creative way.

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Filmmaking Local Business Uncategorized

Northwest Quality Roofing

WK offers a service that we call “Facebook Videos” which are shorter videos at an affordable price. Companies can buy these individually, in a four-pack or in an eight-pack.

Here’s a four-pack that we produced for Northwest Quality Roofing in Bend OR.

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Filmmaking Local Business

Cleaners, Marketers and Prayer People

Here’s a few of the most recent projects from the world of WK Studios.

We were approached by Cathy’s Cleaners to create an ad highlighting the fact that they had complimentary pickup and delivery.

A fast turn around project to advertise a marketing firms series of workshops.

A fun video for the Central Oregon House of prayer.  Thanks to all the brave people that came out on a very cold spring day.

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Filmmaking Local Business Uncategorized

Ideas are the new Currency

As creative professionals, we’re constantly trying to figure out what the market is doing? What kind of creative work is reaching people?

Sure there’s the obvious stuff like “that’s a cool camera angle”, or “that’s a great use of that effect”,  but what really catches our eye, (and I believe the eyes of clients and viewers) is a well communicated, original idea… in classical terms:  a good concept.

The de-facto video is: A. Show up. B. Get an interview with one or two people C. Get some really pretty B-roll. D. Edit it to music.

It’s easy, it’s quick, and it doesn’t require a script, a storyboard, a shot list… you get the idea. No concept. And let’s face it, there are a ton of people out there who can capture good interviews and b-roll. Some are worse than us, others are better.

So what can set your work apart from the competition? Yes, you could capture prettier b-roll than they do (sometimes)…. or you could consistently come up with original ways to “Show and not tell”.

I’m convinced that there is a sea of amazing videographers and editors out there, but in this new digital landscape, “Ideas are the new currency.”

Do you think this is true?  Head over to our Facebook page to join the conversation.

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Filmmaking Local Business Uncategorized

Opportunities and Challenges of the New Video Landscape

 

The landscape of video production is changing at an alarming rate. The digital revolution rolls on as standards change from HD to 2, 4, 6, and even 8K.  Sub $5,000 cameras (especially DSLRs) allow the kid down the street to take shots that would have required a full crew less than a decade ago. Video sites are flooded with masterpieces.

So how do we find our places in this new digital landscape?

It’s simple really…  The best storytellers will emerge. Those who push their craft, hone their skills, don’t rest on their laurels and don’t let the camera define their style will begin to stand out.  Good business practices;  good work ethics;  Good customer relations:  These are the timeless principles that will always remain.

A good camera is a beginning… a good shot is a building block… a good story will stand out… good storytelling will excel… and good businesses will remain.