How to Make a Brand Video That Captures the Essence of Your Business
When you hear the word “landlord,” what are the first words that spring to mind? No doubt they’re not words like empathy, human, personal, compassionate, community, or even vivacious. Landlords are overwhelmingly thought of as being in it for the money. It’s about profit. It’s about business, not people. In fact, people are just a means to an end. To make more of those Benjamins.
That’s an image that NewMark Merrill, a property management company with locations in Colorado, Chicago, and California, does not deserve. They’re not a typical property management company. The company prides itself on being empathetic, human, and compassionate. They’re about much, MUCH, more than rent checks and foot traffic as its employees are all about helping their assigned communities, the people in them, and the homeless who dwell in the areas they manage. As such, they recently undertook the endeavor of personalizing the idea of a NMM landlord to build trust between them and the community.
But how do you even start to change that perception of what a landlord actually is? But how did they tackle this challenge, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely impacted the filmmaking industry? The answer lies in leveraging User-Directed Content (UDC) to tell their story.
Changing the Narrative: Letting Your Employees Shine
The folks employed by NewMark Merrill are an ethnically diverse, vivacious, and compassionate group with deep ties to their communities. Who better to tell the story of the company, and spell out its brand essence, than employees themselves? That’s exactly what they did.
NewMark Merrill tapped Cinebody to help them create a project entitled “Who We Are.” The Cinebody software is ideal for this kind of project, allowing employees to download the app to their smartphones and start filming with just a simple link or code.
Once onboarded, participants were asked to film themselves responding to the shot list that featured a series of talking points. They included questions like:
“What in your life do you value the most?”
“What are your passions?”
“How do you involve yourself in your community?”
“How do you bring that to work with you?”
How they filmed that, and what personal spin they put on it, was entirely up to them. After all, the idea was to get authentic, honest answers from the people who make NewMark Merrill the extraordinary company it is. Filming themselves in their element, with the people they love, doing what they’re truly passionate about, would prove to be way more effective than any staged, professionally-shot footage.
And the outcome? Well, the result was astonishing, and visually proved that their landlords are also dedicated parents, spouses, charity volunteers, photographers, artists, competitive race car drivers, fishermen, gardeners, and so much more.
In fact, so much awesome footage was captured that NewMark Merrill was able to produce a second video focused on company culture. And that, too, helps shift the paradigm about landlords.
Using UGC to Reclaim Your Company's Reputation
It’s possible your own business is tarnished by the reputations of “typical” companies that give the industry a bad name. From law firms and car dealerships, to airlines, real estate, and insurance, there are some truly wonderful companies out there dealing with baggage from public misconceptions.
A brand video created by your employees can really show the world who you are, what you care about, and that you should not be seen in a negative light. With Cinebody the whole process is easy. You don’t need a script or crew. You don’t even need to be there and can provide real-time feedback from anywhere in the world. Plus, you can also predetermine FPS, resolution, and camera orientation to ensure all the footage cuts together seamlessly. And it’s also an incredible way to engage with your employees and even boost morale.
Your reputation and the way you are viewed is critical to your success. A simple brand video can make all the difference.
In conclusion, by embracing UGC and allowing your employees to share their stories, you can break free from stereotypes, build trust within your community, and highlight the values that set your business apart. Leverage the power of authentic storytelling to create a brand video that captivates audiences, leaving a lasting impression and propelling your company to new heights.
