The Video Playbook For the Marketer in the Mobile Age

EE News Desk Dec 11, 2019

Mobile is the most engaged-with device today. People consume as well as recall content faster on mobile phones. Mobiles also provide an ease for video viewing - it can be on-the-go and viewed even with sound-off. This has contributed tremendously to video becoming the most popular format for content consumption. It takes just a few seconds for people to decide whether they want to watch a video or scroll on to something else. This dramatic and rapid shift in consumer behaviour has pushed brands and marketers to reimagine video storytelling. But what’s the secret sauce to creating video content and Ads that can strike an instant chord with the consumer, and get the brand message across in a few seconds.

Here is a list that can help the marketer in the mobile age create video ads for the new-age consumer.

1) Short stories, Big Impact: People need just a fraction of a second to engage with mobile advertising which means that short stories can result in a large impact. Ten seconds are often sufficient to get the message across effectively. Instead of crunching a long script in a few seconds, the key is to showcase a reaction, a visual, or a moment that defines the story and conveys the message.

2) Cut to the chase: While the norm is to show the branding towards the end of the ad, it is important to show the brand’s communication and key message right at the beginning. Showcasing the logo, products, brand colours right at the beginning helps in conveying the brand message quickly before the consumer drops out.

3) Striking visuals: Smart use of visuals with colors, striking designs, illustrations and craft can help brands stand out in a sea of sameness. It’s important to leverage the memory structures around a brand to reinforce the message for the people. Visuals that can help people identify it as your brand such as colours, imagery, and products can help inspire the desired action faster.

4) Design for sound-off: Mobile content is often viewed with sound-off, which means that video Ads need to have strong visuals that can be seamlessly comprehended without audio while being a delight to watch with the sound on. While using subtitles and graphics is a simple way to convey the message with sound-off, there could be many innovative ways to tell a story in a lucid manner without audio. The choice of having the sound either on or off gives marketers a whole new creative playground.

5) Open with a bang: A comprehensive neuroscience-based study by Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) found that people take less than half-a-second to engage with mobile advertising and trigger a reaction, positive or negative. This means that it’s important to make your first few visuals count by putting your most compelling message, visual, or frame upfront to grab attention and get the viewer hooked.

As shared by Facebook India. Based on the white paper ‘From a Blink to a HeartBeat’ by Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and Facebook.