Brainstorm Session: Using Videos for the Business. (online)
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Tags: american apparel, chapeau!, the french laundry, videos

I am a big fan of the L.A. clothing company American Apparel. I live for french cuisine. Chapeau! in San Francisco on Clement Street in particular. I appreciate the architectural works of Gensler, that design firm giant Downtown. The following are my ideas on how my favorite businesses might be able to use online videos. I will explore the caveats and unique aspects of each.

I will publish them over the course of this week.

These Case Studies Will Illustrate the Ideas that Follow

• American Apparel - Controversial usage of media. (Tues. July 1 2008)
• Chapeau! - a gem of a neighborhood French restaurant. (Wed. July 2 2008)
• Gensler- the design firm downtown. (Thur. July 3 2008)

Using Videos to Sustain the Business.

I’m all for survival. Establishing partnerships is always a plus. Planning for the long term is vital, Marissa Mayer will vouch for me on that. Communication too is key. Trust is key. Authority and legitimacy are all keys and one of the ways to make use of these keys, is available through the use of media. Photos, publications, websites and in particular, online videos. Online moving pictures.

Online content can allow an individual or business to confirm and or establish their authority. The different ways to establish authority on a particular product or service through videos will vary from industry to industry. One of the best ways to depict the value that our products and services hold, lie through the creation, use and implementation of online videos.

Before jumping on the bandwagon, there are some things to take heed. General principles to keep in mind. Explanations to come in the case studies.

• What applies to user interface design can apply to the design of videos (read: Jakob Neilson ): do not direct the user’s intention away to god knows where. Be recursive in the intent of the video.
• Aim for clear, unspoiled communication. Communicate the culture and the value of the product or service.
• Partner up and associate with businesses and individuals you support and genuinely believe in.
• Avoid becoming the next Jerry Springer, or tract model homes out in Pleasanton, CA. Aim for uniqueness. Gain respect and legitimacy. Think like the homes found in San Francisco. Their designs are all unique. They’ve been around forever. They are the legacies of the residents.

A couple more things to consider.

• The costs of creating and distributing the videos. Who are to be involved? How much are costs? How much time is going to be spent on?
• Goals via the use of online videos. What value will the videos bring?(This is in respect to both the creator of the video, and the viewers of the video) Aiming for a win-win situation is always good. The videos are assets. Create value through these assets.
• Establish and be ready to measure the successes of the use of videos.
• What are the tools? At the end of my case studies, there will be links to video editing tools, as well as analytical tools.
• The state of usage online videos right now in the revelant industry

The nitty gritty. The content of the videos. A checklist. Components of a well-executed video. The creation of content.

• Consider your audience. What interests do they follow. What entertains them? What is the culture of the audience? Tendencies, beliefs?
• Models. Actors. Or just someone you know. American Apparel follows this line of philosophy apparently.
• Brings out emotions, appeals to certain personality traits. Entertains. Perhaps in the fashion of Kill Bill, if applicable. Entertaining themes.
• Excellent quality - good to excellent use of cinematographic techniques, again, relevant to the industry.
• Keep it short. Attention spans are short.
• Use of relevant tools that are currently available online. (List available after the case studies)
• Make good use of relevant sound/music tracks
• The storyline. Users must be able to relate, grasp, conceptualize. Be entertained. Jyri Engerstrom framed the idea in terms of games. Cannot stress this point enough.

After all’s said and done, distribution of and analyzing the content. Even more things to consider.

• Explore and partcipate on video social networking websites, industry relevant social networking websites.
• Consider. Are the channels (websites) appropriate? Do they further the aims and goals of the business? Can you create your own channel? At what stage of the plan?
• How to measure success? (Google Analytics, Links on social networking sites. Views and hits. )
• Strategies on general social networking sites.

Note: luxury brands and social networking sites. The two just do no go together very well. For example. French Laundry and MySpace. The French Laundry brand would SUFFER immensely. Need there be an explanation? There needs to be a game or a divertissement appropriate to the position of the brand.

Getting ready for the next step.

• Abstracting the general strategies for getting the resources needed. Abstract the implementing the resources. Abstract the distribution channels. Then modify the plan/strategy.
• Consider the accessible media. The prevalent media? Prepare for mobile.
• Examples: American Apparel, Gensler and Chapeau! to come.