Keeping your content engaging and bang-on-trend is more important than ever, but navigating a rapidly-evolving and overly-saturated video landscape is easier said than done.
As marketers it can be difficult to identify which video production industry trends are actually effective, and which will miss the mark with potential customers. With this in mind, here are some of the standout video production techniques currently being successfully used by top brands, and an overview of the campaigns that have successfully utilised them.
Video produced specifically for social media
This is by far the biggest video production trend in the industry, and for good reason too. When done right, social media videos can be extremely effective at generating hype around a brand, and increasing sales of a product or service. Social media is (surprise!) inherently “social” and provides numerous opportunities for brands to engage directly with their audience, build relationships, and foster a wider sense of community with their customers.
However, the way people consume social media content is always changing. Because of this, optimising brand videos for this type of marketing is reactionary, and to be executed successfully it’s important to consider how people are currently interacting with content on social media.
For example, studies have shown that more and more people are watching videos without sound, opting for closed captions instead. If your brand is looking to create a short form social media video that has high engagement, it’s worth producing it with this in mind. Try to incorporate eye-catching visuals, text descriptions, and subtitles so that it can be fully understood on mute. This also increases the accessibility of your video, especially for those with hearing impairments or auditory processing disorders — which is always a big plus.
For best practice, take a look at the way Red Bull uses social media. Almost all of their posts are videos that don’t rely on audio at all, each as visually engaging as the last. They’ve managed to create an extremely strong online presence due to their savvy social media optimisation, with many following their account not just thanks to brand loyalty, but with a genuine interest in the content they produce.
Shoppable video
If you’re looking to create a video for an e-commerce business, shoppable video might just be the production trend you didn’t know you needed. 70% of shoppers say that online videos help them to decide which product to buy — shoppable video leverages this by incorporating interactive features that allow a customer to purchase a product directly from its advert. They streamline the purchasing journey for consumers, seamlessly transitioning from inspiration to information and ultimately to purchase.
The interactive features of shoppable videos, which allow viewers to click and engage with the content, are highly effective for driving engagement. Studies indicate that interactive videos boast a click-through rate that is ten times higher compared to passive videos.
Swarovski has consistently incorporated shoppable videos into their content strategy. In a recent campaign, they featured a shoppable video experience integrated into a dedicated landing page on their website. By redirecting traffic from their Instagram story onto this page, visitors could watch the video within their Instagram browsers and interact with clickable products featured in the video. From there, viewers could seamlessly add products to their cart directly from the video, streamlining the purchasing process.
Animated video
This video production trend is often used by business-to-business (B2B) brands, but when done correctly can also be incredibly effective for business-to-consumer (B2C) sales too. Animation has the potential to leave a lasting impression compared to other advertising mediums due to its ability to stir emotions and establish a rapport with audiences.
Through the utilisation of characters, vibrant colours, and various visual elements, animated video can assist brands in crafting a distinct identity within a competitive field, as well as increase engagement from consumers. Plus, animated videos are often much more affordable than traditional video production. Considering all of this, it’s not surprising that animation in social media marketing is expected to increase by 40% by 2027.
Cross-communication tool Slack has effectively utilised animated videos in their marketing strategy. Using the power of 2D and 3D animation, Slack’s marketing videos manage to convey their product in a slick, visually stimulating way. They incorporate their brand colours and fonts consistently throughout their videos, so users come away with a real feel of the brand’s identity and are more likely to engage with their product.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) has massively expanded the capabilities of marketing videos. With VR headsets readily accessible on the market, users can immerse themselves entirely in exciting digital realms and brands can create marketing videos that fit seamlessly into them.
Using VR for marketing is a relatively new trend in video production. However, the unparalleled immersion it offers presents exciting opportunities for enhancing user engagement and personalisation in marketing campaigns. It also allows your production team to be extremely creative, offering the possibility of creating new and exciting content for your brand. The global VR advertising market is projected to achieve revenue of $174 million by the end of 2024, so this production trend is most definitely one to watch.
Adidas leveraged emerging VR technologies in their campaign “The Adidas Football VR Experience”. In select Adidas stores, customers stepped into the game and immersed themselves in a virtual football experience like never before. Kitted out with a headset and foot sensors, participants tested their skills with real-ball free kicks and penalties. Participants had the opportunity to capture video clips of their virtual football experience, and share them on social media platforms which inadvertently promoted the Adidas campaign. This drew crowds into Adidas stores while garnering significant attention on social media.
How Pitch can help
With a deep understanding of consumer behaviour and a keen eye for emerging trends, Pitch empowers brands to bring their videos to life in ways that resonate deeply with their target audiences.
Don’t believe us? Take a look at some of our case studies here. Through collaboration with Pitch, you can navigate the evolving landscape of video production trends with confidence, ensuring that your content remains relevant, impactful, and ahead of the curve in the dynamic world of digital marketing.
