These days, simply using video isn’t enough to “get the job done”. The novelty of video has worn off, which means that if you really want to raise awareness, increase your reach and strike a genuine emotional chord with your audience, you need to take things one step further whenever you’re given the chance to do so.
So whether you’re interested in using video marketing on your social media channels or you’ve got your sights set on something larger like OTT service(opens in a new tab), there are seven key examples you’ll definitely want to learn from.
1. United Airlines and the Virtual Tour
One of the most powerful examples of a brand using video marketing to reach more people comes by way of United Airlines, who recently filmed a 360 degree virtual tour of their massively redesigned international business class accommodations. What makes this particularly impressive is that a simple spec sheet would have sufficed for United’s new “Polaris” plane. Talking about what a revamped lounge looks like or how new seat layouts work is something you easily could have done in pictures.
United took this one step further and distributed a full 360-degree tour across a variety of platforms (including on their own website and YouTube) to really showcase this advancement in an immersive, genuinely impressive way. If you didn’t want to take a ride on the Polaris before this video, you certainly will after:
2. Disney Parks’ Video Series
Another perfect example of using video content to highlight the genuine experience you get that you’re not going to be able to find anywhere else rather than a location’s features and amenities comes from the one and only Walt Disney Company. A series of videos that Disney distributed on YouTube (and on social media platforms using the hashtag #DisneyKids) aimed at parents highlighted how much fun their kids will have at the park and how to best navigate that experience as adults. It’s wonderfully compelling, making you want to immediately buy a ticket. Check it out for yourself:
3. First Quote Insurance Makes Car Rental Insurance Appealing
One of the great opportunities that we as marketers have with VoD(opens in a new tab) content has to do with the opportunity it presents to effectively educate our audience. That’s precisely the angle that First Quote Insurance took when they created a series of videos for their website (also hosted on YouTube) to help people better understand why car rental insurance is so important.
Nearly everyone opts out of the optional insurance when renting a car – First Quote knows this better than anyone. So, not only do they take care to explain why opting in is in your best interest, but they also go the extra mile to help people understand which plan is right for them. Clients are then able to make the most effective decision in a calm way.
4. Expedia’s Travel Guides
Another great strength of OTT content(opens in a new tab) comes by way of how “evergreen” videos become when you approach filming them properly. Take Expedia, for example. They know that you might not necessarily have a trip to Australia on the books at this very moment, but one day you might. When you want to really get a sense for what our friends down under have in store for you, you can turn to Expedia’s 360-degree travel guides that put you up close and personal with incredible landscapes, unbelievable oceans and a good, old-fashioned narrative that will have you researching flight prices and hotel accommodations before you know it.
These videos are on both YouTube and on Expedia’s own destination pages, and you can view a great example of one here:
5. GoPro Continues to Break New Ground
There is perhaps no brand better suited for leveraging video marketing than one that sells exclusively video content to the masses. That is the case with GoPro, who has always had a reputation for being the go-to camera for people who are looking to capture their next great adventure in stunning detail.
GoPro takes things one step further, however, by making user-generated video content a core part of its marketing strategy. Its website is filled with videos like the one below (also found on YouTube and Facebook) that show what the camera is capable of and what the users themselves can do with this device that just can’t be beat.
6. Lonely Planet’s Purely Visual Approach
A strong narrative is an essential part of most marketing campaigns, but there’s always more than one way to skin a cat and Lonely Planet presents a great alternative. They’ve released a series of YouTube videos that are each dedicated to a specific place, but they take a purely visual approach and champion the natural beauty of locales. You won’t find an omnipresent narrative in videos like the one linked below, but you will get a sense of how fascinating a particular area is – and why you’ll definitely want to make it a priority to visit.
7. Soho House
Last but not least, we have Soho House, a hospitality brand that recently took to Instagram to show off exactly what makes this private members’ club for film, media and creative industry professionals so appealing and worthy of your time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu87pOdHQKO/
Post after post like this one features images that highlight Solo House’s penchant for stunning designs, incredible features and customer service that is virtually unparalleled. It’s a mixture of both short video content and images, but one thing’s for sure: it’s clear that Soho House knows how to get people to sit up and pay attention.
Wrapping this up…
Travel is perhaps the best suited topic area suited for video marketing, since the very essence of travel lends itself perfectly to visual media. Before starting the journey, it’s important for most people to be able to see where they’ll be staying, how they’ll be transported and moreover what they’ll be able to experience. After the journey, they’ll want to remember their experiences in a visual way.
Given the high demand for video content, many travel brands are now at the frontline of video marketing revolution. By capitalising on this growing consumer demand, you can expand and supercharge your own social media strategies alongside boosting your visibility and capturing the attention of all demographics.
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