Will Instagram-like Apps for Videos Become the Next Big Thing for Brands?
Visual communication is a much-discussed topic here on the blog. A couple of weeks ago I talked about how brands can use the photo sharing app Instagram to create visual engagement. Today I’ll take a look at how brands are using video sharing apps to strengthen their brand identity.
Video sharing apps
Photo sharing apps have been popular for quite some time now – both for individuals and brands. Lately, we’ve seen a large number of video sharing apps exploding in popularity for individuals, and notably the apps SocialCam and Viddy have been labelled the “Instagram for video”.
Brands, however, have only just started seeing the potential of using these motion picture platforms to engage with their fans.
The two before-mentioned apps share some similarities: Both apps allow you to shoot and edit your videos, to add filters to them like on Instagram as well other effects such as music. But most importantly they allow you to share your videos instantly with your fan base – and the social experience of the apps is certainly what makes them so popular to brands and individuals. However, there is one major difference the two apps between: the length of the video.
Branding through video sharing
With the Viddy app you can shoot and upload a 15-second video clip, whereas there are no limits to the length of the videos shot with SocialCam.
This difference implies two different branding possibilities. The short videos allow brands to showcase the core of their brand. Though the short length of the video limits how much you can unfold a message, it also forces you to come up with witty and innovative ideas to quickly make your message come across and to communicate it very concisely. The short format consequently makes the message more clear in the minds of your target audience.
The videos on SocialCam often require users to invest more time, as they usually are longer, but this also makes it possible to create more elaborated stories. SocialCam is a very powerful promotional tool, as is opens up for more detailed storytelling possibilities and allows brands to use this free advertising channel to distribute videos to their target audiences.
An example of a brand that has jumped on the trend is General Electric, who is using both Viddy and Social Cam. Thereby they are telling the brand’s story both through 15-second long videos giving the user peeks of e.g. behind-the-scenes clips as well as creating more detailed videos with artistic narratives about the brand’s performance, such as the video you see below showing the analogue representation of the technique.
So there is a great potential of showcasing small stories of your brand world that will give your fans a glimpse of what your values, vision and brand identity are through video sharing apps – whether it’s through a very short clip that shows the core of your message or a longer and more elaborated story.Similar Posts:
Personally, I’m a big fan of SocialCam and its likely these video apps are the next big thing.
[...] will have noticed that visual communication is a much-discussed topic here on the blog: Instagram, video sharing apps, visual storytelling and much more. The reason why we post so much about this subject is that we [...]