Scene-Stealing Video From The Best Content Marketing Brands

Move over, Martin Scorsese. Marketers are taking their turn in the director’s chair, creating smart and engaging online video content for their brands.

It’s no wonder video content marketing has become a popular choice for companies. As of July 2014, 190.3 million Americans watched online videos. Expand that to a global scale, and brands are looking at huge potential audiences for their content marketing projects. No wonder 63% of B2B marketers consider video an effective medium!

With video content marketing unlikely to fall from its perch as a top tactic for engaging online audiences, let’s look at some examples from companies proving themselves in the field.

Several of Kapost’s top 50 content marketing brands have excellent video material, but each of the four companies below have mastered a key trait making this medium a success.

63% of B2B marketers consider video an effective medium.

Red Bull: Production Quality

Red Bull has made a name for itself with its savvy use of the latest Internet tools, and the brand’s approach to video is equally stellar. One of its video highlights for 2014 was the Miles Above series. This collection of web videos shared the aerial adventures of the Red Bull Air Force. In each episode, the group of extreme athletes prepares and executes a BASE jump, skydive, or wingsuit jump.

The death-defying subject of Miles Above obviously makes this Red Bull campaign stand out. But the applicable lesson for fellow marketers is focus on quality. The filming and editing are of the highest caliber, placing viewers alongside daredevils through each step of the stunt. These are clips you want to see in high-def. Putting time and planning into your content marketing videos will pay dividends in the impact they have on your audience.

Rosetta Stone: Video Volume

Rosetta Stone’s YouTube channel demonstrates another central trait of great video content marketing: consistency. If you have one wonderful video with no followup, your brand will never retain viewers. Rosetta Stone has a huge library of clips, and regularly updates the channel with new videos.

The company spent 2014 developing several different campaigns of online video content. One is the series of Learner Stories, which highlight the personal journeys of successful students, while another introduces viewers to the program’s language tutors. Rosetta Stone TV, which presents interesting stories about global travel and culture, is a third series focused on buyer-centric topics.

These video campaigns not only give a human and personal face to the brand, but they also make the YouTube channel a worthwhile destination. There’s always something new and inspiring to watch. Rosetta Stone demonstrates the importance of planning and scheduling in creating a holistic content marketing plan around video.

DS SolidWorks: Know Your Purpose

While globe-trotting and BASE jumping certainly make for eye-catching video content, brands that focus on more familiar services can still excel in this field. DS SolidWorks, which makes 3D software tools for product design, is a prime example.

The brand caters to engineers and has a large amount of technical expertise to share. Video plays a pivotal part in the company’s Resource Center, where a curious engineer will find recorded webinars walking through each of the big topics covered by SolidWorks’ programs. In addition, it maintains a thorough library of tutorials, tips, and other educational clips on its main YouTube channel.

Defining your goals and knowing your audience play a major part in how well your content will be received. SolidWorks nails both.

Allstate: Set The Tone

Financial planning doesn’t seem too likely as the subject for fun, light-hearted web videos. Yet Allstate Insurance makes the unexpected happen with deft writing and a clear understanding of tone.

In one standout series, the company finds a perfect balance by presenting serious financial questions in a fashion that younger audiences can enjoy. The clips show a twenty-something couple navigating the challenges of planning for marriage, children, home ownership, and retirement. Each video has just enough wacky humor and serious discussion to hook interest while staying informative.

This web-centric material complements Allstate’s TV ads. The company’s YouTube channel has playlists for its various TV campaigns. These reflect a similar tone, brilliantly balancing humor with smart branding and serious information.

By focusing on rock-solid strategies, these four brands have created videos that not only share interesting information, but also capture the spirit of a broader content marketing ethos. For more examples of stellar content marketing, from video to infographics to blogs, check out our list of the top 50 content marketing brands of 2014.

Scene-Stealing Video From The Best Content Marketing Brands