Good creative, specifically good video ad creative, is challenging for some DTC brands.
Consistently pumping out new creative prospects into new audiences, in a way that doesn't get exhaustive, is truly an art. It requires creativity, tons of styles of shots, new angles, proper analysis, and lots of understanding for why customers should give a fork about what you're putting on the table.
In addition, each format needs to be native or contextual to the platform it is published on.
In this post, I'll share with you my approach to video marketing and how I look at the various types of video creative that brands need. These are the types of videos that we try to crank out almost immediately with each brand we partner with.
1. Studio shot videos
Take your studio shot photographs and b-roll footage to create a beautiful, fast-paced video about what you're selling. Don't be shy to include copy overlays, reviews, or value props that you've found people to love.
These polished assets can play on your viewers' emotions and serve as effective video ads that can be used in various new product marketing campaigns.
2. UGC videos
These are the most basic, yet most effective videos. UGC, or user-generated content, puts your customers in front of the camera. These types of video variations show an enthused customer unboxing or using your product in a native, relatable way.
You cannot fake these. Consumers are going to know. Find someone who genuinely loves the product or brand, and give them a very rough outline. Don't give them any scripts.
Approximately 90% of the video content should come unscripted, and it's okay to ramble. The editor will chop it up, add overlays, product shots, and more to make it into a cohesive video ad that will perform well on social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.
3. Creator and influencer videos
If you feel like a studio-shot video is too expensive, find a handful of creators that you'd rather work with to create videos. Creators are great for many reasons. One of the best reasons is because they do everything from scratch including writing, storyboarding, shooting, editing, and delivering the final product.
Think of creators and influencers as creative partners. Just keep in mind, if you try to put boundaries on the creative elements in the video, you'll never get a creator’s true potential back as the final deliverable. Let them create. They might look at your product in a new way or try some different tactics that you can incorporate in future video advertising campaigns.
4. NowThis or Cheddar videos
Have you ever gotten a video in your feed explaining something super complex from NowThis or Cheddar? Create a similarly styled video for the product and brand you're aiming to push.
These types of videos have all the ingredients needed for a successful ad. They are informative, involve quick transitions to new imagery to engage the viewer, and can also be a form of entertainment that doubles as an effective form of creative advertising for your brand.
5. Promo-focused videos
The most boring, but most effective for your retargeting or lower-funnel ads. These are as simple as flashing product shots with value props and offers.
These types of videos are straightforward pieces of content that often include a call-to-action (CTA) and drive viewers to a specific landing page on your website.
6. Unboxing videos
These are just as simple as they sound. Show the process of ordering, the box arriving, opening the box, the goodies, and you're set. You can package these into vertical videos to play natively on Snapchat and in Instagram Stories and integrate them into a larger, comprehensive brand video ad campaign.
Making your video ad creative count
You can also easily go to iSpot.tv and browse TV spots and commercials from brands you admire. Do the same with Facebook and Instagram with the Facebook Ads Library. When you see a brand running 80% of a similar thing, that's because it's their bread and butter, and that format works.
People underestimate how easy it can be to shoot a lot of the footage on your own—even with your iPhone. Most of the ads I used to run were all shot on iPhone and then edited by a professional editor or a freelance editor.
By incorporating these six types of videos into your ad strategy and optimizing your videos for the correct aspect ratios on mobile devices, you will see higher engagement and improve your campaign performance.
P.S. If you're looking for a video editor, fill this form out and we'll try to connect you with a freelancer or creator who's looking for some brand work: Click here to fill out the form