- June 21, 2016
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Readers Get the Best of Both Worlds with Interactive Video Brochures
Integrated marketers know this perplexing paradigm: consumer attention spans are shrinking, while the number of channels vying for consideration is growing. Thus, breaking through the noise and out-marketing rivals requires doing something novel and unexpected that captures their imagination and takes it for a ride.
Some companies rely in part on promotional products. For others, it’s a video brochure.
Video-In-Print
Video brochures are one expression of an innovative marketing medium know as video-in-print, which debuted in 2009 as a microchip-embedded print ad jointly promoting CBS’s Big Bang Theory and PepsiCo’s Pepsi Max soda. Since then, marketers have used the irresistible combination of print and interactive video media in a range of creative executions, including shopper marketing, POS and of course, video brochures.
Small Screen, Big Impact
As the name implies, video brochures combine the layout, graphics and informative content of a traditional printed piece with the eye-grabbing effects of video, which plays on a small screen embedded into one of the pages. Pieces may be mailed to a targeted list, or distributed manually, during events, tradeshows, and sales calls.
The unique confluence of words, graphics, sound and moving images–what one company calls “TV in a card”– gives marketers and their teams a virtually unlimited number of creative possibilities; typical uses touted by video brochure suppliers include:
- Sales tools–to introduce your latest offering or explain some new innovation
- Company presentations–feature products, people, locations, company news–even annual reports or investor/shareholder materials
- Counter toppers–inform, educate or entertain customers who are browsing your store or waiting to check out
- Invitations–Draw traffic to grand openings, conferences and tradeshows, fundraisers and special events
- Instruction manuals–simplify the assembly, connection or use of certain types of products
User-Controlled, Multisensory Experience
Content in a video brochure can play automatically upon opening or be controlled by readers, using embedded play, pause and other buttons to control the viewing experience. Video playing time typically ranges from five to 45 minutes.
Marketers like the fact that there’s nothing between the customer and their content–no playback device, flaky internet connection or spam folder. Interested in A/B testing? Load different videos for different mail-drops and see which version garners the best response.
For smaller companies interested in video brochures–and video-in-print in general–the biggest barrier may be cost, though prices and minimum quantities seem to be coming down.
Still, marketplace noise shows no signs abating. So if you want get noticed, the powerful pairing of print and video could be worth exploring with your in-house team or creative services provider.
