Help, I only have $20K for video!
Let’s be honest: Creating high quality branded video content is not cheap, and as much as you might love the new Apple commercial that just dropped, chances are that their production team ate the equivalent of your entire budget in snacks. Don’t fret, because you’re not alone in having big ambitions on a small budget, and we’re here to help with a few tips for making the most of your limited resources. With any luck, you’ll even have enough left over to feed the crew.
Our clients often tell us that professional video is out of reach, and that ‘I’ll just send my cousin’s daughter out with her iphone and she can do it for us’. Don’t get us wrong, there is a time and place for that type of content, but for most brands, it’s also important to deliver professional content that’s strategically sound, creatively strong, and meets high production standards. For those lacking a pile of cash, it sounds daunting, but the good news is that there are numerous ways to maximize a tight budget. Here are some of the levers you can pull to ensure you get the most bang for your buck, whether you’re producing in house, or working with an agency.
Utilizing your asset libraries
If you already have a bank of assets, stills and/or video, we’d love to take a look. A quick asset audit can help inform us and get an idea of what’s possible. We can often leverage your existing assets and b-roll, either in full or in part, to come up with a new concept that ties it all together in a strategic, goal-oriented fashion. You will be surprised how dynamic existing assets can look when they’re put into a fresh creative context and run through a professional editing process and treatment. That’s exactly what we did for Tourism Vernon, and the client was thrilled with the outcome. eg: Tourism Vernon
Good if you have a digital asset library and need a strategic and attention-grabbing concept to stand out from the crowd.
“Concept light”
Go concept-light and invest in getting your best assets covered with high quality footage. With this approach, we won’t linger on any strategic questions or creative concept; instead, we’ll dive straight into organizing a nimble team to capture your best side, so you can let the visuals do the talking in the final edits.
Good if you are looking to build a high-quality digital asset library for website(s), print and digital without big media buys.
Social specific
While big lights and humming trucks are good at giving film set vibes, for some brands, that might be overkill, particularly if their goal is to create content for their social channels. This is one of those cases where your cousin’s daughter’s iPhone might actually suffice, though of course it’s still important that this “lo-fi” approach is rooted in sound strategy, with clearly defined goals in mind.
Good if you have clear targets for social buys.
Examples:
Tourism Whistler: Cafe’s
Tourism Whistler: Scandinave Spa
Coghlan’s: Solo Camping Trip
Coghlan’s: Breakfast Sandwich
Coghlan’s: Fire Making
Share your knowledge
By working with our team to provide key insights, provide scouting photos and location information, make local talent recommendations and collaborate on other production considerations, you’ll enable us to allocate the lionshare of your budget to concepting and production. This helps maximize our output throughout these phases, which will give you the most visible value.
Good if you have an internal marketing team that understands your needs and has the time to assist us.
We work with your content specialists
Sure, we can do it all, but we don’t need to. Maybe you’ve got great photographers or videographers on your staff that we can work with, allowing us to contribute the strategy, concept, and direction, while collaborating with your inhouse talent to create the finished product.
Good if you have a robust content team that just needs assistance with strategic concepting and storytelling.
There you have it: Our top tips for making the most of your modest video budget. Still not sure how to move forward? Please feel free to reach out; we’re always here to help find solutions that work for you and your brand.
