Video content: making the right choices
Determining the correct mix of ad lengths across multiple screens is no easy task. Amanda Phillips, head of marketing at Millward Brown UK, shares her tips to make it easier.
There is only so much choice that any individual can deal with. So it’s no wonder that today’s marketers are confused about how they should combine video options that range from six seconds to six minutes.
Add in the multitude of devices from TV to tablet and dayparts that can be targeted and this makes for probably one of the biggest media and creative planning challenges of our times.
The right answer clearly depends on the brand objectives, budget and how established the creative is in the minds of consumers; but our analysis of Millward Brown’s 132,000 strong advertising database combined with a detailed examination of the new digital opportunities can provide some useful learnings.
The two key areas where time-length makes a difference (assuming your creative is uniformly powerful and relevant) are message communication and involvement. Shorter ads are generally less effective at communicating complex ideas, while longer ads are more likely to be described as interesting, involving, unique, or distinctive.
On TV there is also a cost equation, so a shorter 15-second ad that’s slightly less effective than a 30-second edit might turn out to be more efficient. That restriction doesn’t apply on most digital platforms, where we see the longest messages.
The most popular videos on YouTube average two minutes and one in eight are more than five minutes long. The key question here is not how much does the media cost, but how long do we need to convey our message in an enjoyable, effective way. But we know, it can be tough to retain consumers’ attention for a long period of time.
At the shorter end of the digital scale, brands need to understand which platforms – Vines, Instagram and Tumblr – are most relevant for their target audience. Such micro-video formats offer the promise of higher brand engagement levels, with branded Vines four times more likely to be shared than traditional online video.
Vines also offer a way to become part of a vibrant social media community. Videos that celebrate what’s unique about this format will do well. Sainsbury’s Magazine shares its passion for food and popular recipes in six seconds chunks, for example.
It’s important to remember that great campaigns always have a brilliant creative idea at their heart. Today there’s the added challenge of developing a concept that can be easily flexed for different formats and that travels across screens.
However long the execution, the chances are that consumers are unlikely to take away more than two key messages and they are more likely to do this if the brand is integrated at the most interesting and memorable moments of the film.
At the shorter end of the scale, micro-videos need simple visual cues within the creative that identify the brand right from the start. Audi and Samsung, for example, place their products at the core of their micro-video, making them a key part of the action.
The complexity of choice is multiplied by the opportunities to combine screens and in particular the new second-screen sync technologies, allowing brands to amplify TV spend or to hijack that of competitors and to target viewers who use the TV ad breaks to go online.
Countless Millward Brown studies have shown the benefits of a well-planned, synergised integrated media plan, so maximising opportunities to hit consumers with advertising on multiple channels at the same point in time may also reap even greater rewards on brand measures.
This firmly puts the marketer and media agency back in control, with the sync technology essentially doing the meshing for the viewer.
If all that’s too complex, however, it’s worth remembering the following simple rules:
Vines and other microvideo formats are typically suitable for one simple, explicit message and creating resonance in new social communities. They work well when they are authentic rather than slick and involve the brand as part of the story.
Fifteen-second executions can be appropriate as a way of stretching budgets on TV, for simple messages or reinforcing more complex messages from longer, well-established executions. They are also most effective when communication needs are simple.
Longer, 30-second ads tend to be better at delivering more complex messages so are best for a new product launch, a new campaign or after a brand has been out of the spotlight for a long time.
Brands that invest in 60-second spots should aim to develop their story, attract a high degree of involvement and to generate ‘event status’ for their ad.
Longer-form content is for fans that can’t get enough of your brand or the entertainment you are delivering. It’s for inspiring stories that simply don’t fit into 60-seconds and it’s for immersion into your story. Essentially, it’s a reward for advocates and or potential advocates.
Brands need to test and learn what works best for their brand objectives across different lengths and placements.
The bottom line is that brands using a smart mix of ad lengths can remain culturally relevant in a more social and mobile world, while also maximising the impact of their media spend on all channels.