Video Advertising in the Age of COVID-19

With clear communication, resourcefulness, and creativity, brands can quickly produce relevant, high- quality digital ads that meet consumer needs.

With the majority of Americans sheltering-at-home as a result of this unprecedented pandemic, people are engaged online more than ever before, with time spent on apps up 10% and counting in the US, YoY. This creates new opportunities and challenges for direct-to-consumer brands – companies need to meet consumer needs by staying helpful, empathetic and relevant. By staying reliable and compassionate, and moving quickly to building performance creative, brands can meet the needs of their customers.

How does your product or service-use change as a result of this strange time? Sports companies like Nike and Underarmour pivoted to promote indoor, at-home workouts, adapting to customers’ newly-housebound lifestyles.

Facebook CPCs have decreased by 22% over the last two months ($0.099 to $0.077), allowing brands to advertise more cost-effectively on the platform. However, with overall ad spend shrinking, we need to reexamine how we’re producing creative. We must innovate to keep things timely and affordable and ensure direct-to-consumer companies can forge and maintain meaningful customer relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Repurpose Existing Assets

If your brand commissioned a photo or video shoot this past year, there’s likely still unused assets that can be cut into fresh creative with timely, relevant messaging (the messaging must make sense with the footage: encouraging people to work out at home, while showing footage of smiling models running on the beach is conflicting messaging). A little bit of footage can go a long way: a single product shot can be edited into an effective ad, with the appropriate copy.

Compelling copy, editing, and graphics are just as important to ad performance as captured imagery, if not more so. Comb through footage and identify material that can be leveraged into new content. Test different hooks, different messaging, different video lengths (6 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds).

In the event that you’ve used all your assets and your audience is quite fatigued with your existing content, don’t fret…

Utilize UGC: Look to Your Community

User-Generated Content (UGC) is a straightforward and often powerful way to build community and source creative. Incentivize customers and trustworthy influencers in the space by sending them product samples or offers in exchange for self-captured videos.

Or, look internally to your organization. Have key people in your organization share updates. This grounds you and makes your brand feel more relatable and human in the eyes of your audience.

Unboxing videos and product reviews are tried-and-true forms of UGC, but get creative and relevant to the times:

Beauty brands can get user content based around “my new morning routine”

Apparel brands can get user content based around “this is work from home attire”

Pet brands can encourage customers to share tips about how they keep their animals’ content.

Food/beverage D2C brands can encourage customers to share how they use the products as part of their scheduled meal-preps.

You get the idea.

Embrace Graphics and Animation

Animated videos are a dynamic and incredibly engaging way to convey information and drive sales. This is a great medium to highlight value propositions and communicate effectively.

Animated videos are an affordable solution for brands looking to market in the age of COVID-19. These videos are produced and edited remotely. Many voice-over artists can record and send files from the comfort of their homes.

Partner with a Remote Studio

Brands in need of high-quality, live-action creative will be pleased to hear that some turnkey production companies and independent producers are adapting to provide safe and remote production offerings.

With new production technology, video production can be leaner and more streamlined than ever before – broadcast-quality assets can be created by a remote director-shooter.

This production process is similar to standard production, with a few key differences.

In Preproduction, maintain clear communication and expectations. Align with the studio or creator on the budget, scope-of-work, aesthetic, deliverables and timeline. Ensure products are sent with ample lead time.

In Production, clients have the option to monitor the shoot and communicate via live stream video chat. Crew size is reduced to as few people as possible to abide by federal and local state guidelines. Talent (if necessary) provides their own hair-and-makeup, maintaining social distancing. Masks, sanitizers, hand washing stations, and disinfectants should be readily available.

Post-Production proceeds as normal, with emphasis on close communication to ensure that all expectations are met.

Bluebird Day is a performance creative company. We pride ourselves on our ability to produce excellent work for our clients that outperforms existing creative. If you’re interested in learning more, we’d love to chat.