Walter Adamson

Is the perfect "social" business video?

One of the most common hesitations I see with businesses wishing to deploy more social techniques of engagement is their hang-up about making a video. This example from Google strikes me as the perfect example of a "social business" video i.e. the "casual" video for social engagement with an invisible professional touch.

I see this reticence whether the discussion is about making videos for internal use (for enterprise social networks) or for external consumption somewhere on the social web. The argument is usually polarised and runs like this:

• "We need to professionally present our business and have it professionally made and that will cost us $3,000 per video, I know that because I have just spoken to the video people we usually use".
• "No, everybody is used to Youtube and they even use those types of amateur videos on the daily news and even business programs - these days we are all able to get the content without fussing about the quality".

I actually favour the second view, just make it with your iPhone and do the best you can to hold things steady and get some good lighting and sound. People just want to hear what your customers or other employees are saying and if that is in their noisy office or factory that is ok.

OK I'll admit that my leaning towards the more casual approach does not usually solve the problem. Mostly I just think that in time those in the "professional" camp will become more relaxed, and until then they just miss out on the opportunity. 

But there is a middle ground, and the Google Deep Learning video shows it. Here's what struck me about this video (aside from the astounding content):

1. The setting is extremely casual;
2. The framing, angles, and lighting are professional.
3. It's extremely "business social".

I think that this is a perfect model for those companies concerned about conveying a professional image in a "social" video. I doubt very much that this cost $3,000 to make, but on the other hand it was carefully planned.

What do you think?

Walter Adamson

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McKinsey - social media critical issue for business leaders

With the announcement of the Neilsen McKinsey Joint Venture NM Incite, the global managing director of McKinsey, Dominic Barton, said: "Social media is an increasingly critical issue for business leaders and an area of untapped opportunity for many of our clients. This joint venture will equip institutions with real-time insights to help their leaders drive better results".

I guess that statement just might be the last nail in the coffin of the "passing fad" brigade of social media for business doubters!

So where in particular does McKinsey see social media providing insights? They mention three in the press release:

1. measuring and improving marketing effectiveness,
2. product-launch optimisation and
3. customer service experience.

It's interesting, and perhaps insightful given the access they have to the C-level of the world's leading corporations, that those are the areas of the highest initial priority. Well I guess we can't be certain that they are really the most important areas, they may just be the most saleable areas, but at least we can say that of all the choices available to McKinsey these are the areas which most interested them for their corporate clients right now.

Presumably, for we lesser mortals, we should take heed and shape some of our own social media expertise into these themes which McKinsey has kindly hummed for us?

To wrap up, the JV and the firmness of the proclamations about social media and big business surely represent some kind of a tipping point? Dominic Barton goes on to say:

Senior executives of global companies instinctively recognize the possibilities of incorporating social media insight and capability into their organizations. They simply need help to make it a reality.

Aside #1: I find it refreshing that "innovation" wasn't thrown up as the catch-all for solving the ills of a corporation in the new realm of social media.

Aside #2: Interestingly Dominic Barton has a very thin social web presence, from what my googling turned up, or didn't turn up as it happened.

Aside #3: Most amazingly @servantofchaos predicted this outcome 4 years ago!!!

http://xeesm.com/walter

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