Nick BuchheitWhile TV commercials are almost non-existent within B2B video marketing, there are many things B2B marketers can learn from them. Through decades, creators of TV commercials have successfully honed the craft of creating short, compelling, and story-driven ads that are not only informative but entertaining as well. Features that, unfortunately, are less common in corporate video and B2B video advertising.
An alarming number of B2B video ads are long, tedious, and product-centric monologues about the brilliance of the solution or product in question. This means companies are wasting time and resources on creating video material that most people will scroll past and that will yield minimal returns.
To avoid this, there are several cues that B2B marketers can take from television advertising. And while TV advertising may seem like a slowly vanishing phenomenon, there is still a lot to learn from successful TV ads. In this article, we’ll look closer at five things worth copying from TV commercials.
Related reading: Corporate Video – Dos and Don’ts
#1 Always Be 100% Customer-Centric in Your B2B Videos
One of the most common mistakes in B2B video marketing is being product-centric instead of customer-centric. This is way rarer in TV commercials. Think about it: in TV ads, the customer is always the protagonist.
The customer, in one way or the other, is the hero of the story. There is always a character for the customer to see themself in and to identify with. This is extremely powerful, and B2B brands who realize this and use it in their ads will immediately be way ahead of their competition.
Related reading: Creating Promotional Videos That Kick Ass
#2 Assume Your Audience Will Say “So What”?
Makers of TV ads know that the audience’s default setting is “disinterested.” They’re waiting for the ads to be done and over with; they’re not there for the ads. So you have to make them care.
Whether through witty copy, beautiful visuals, or an emotional angle, you need to make the viewer care before bringing your message. This is something many B2B marketers forget. It’s all too common to see B2B commercials that are just a pitch. But in reality, you need to “pitch your pitch” first. You can’t just assume people will listen to it; you need to capture their attention first.
#3 Leverage Great Storytelling in Your Corporate Videos
TV commercials tend to be highly well-written scripts. They have a clear storyline and short, direct sentences. Not one second is wasted; everything that is said or that happens is there for a reason. And it all leads up to a very clear call to action.
This is an approach that is just as useful in B2B marketing videos and ads. To capture people’s interest and to make them remember your message, you need to leverage efficient and compelling storytelling. Stories are how people understand the world, and make sense of new information.
Related reading: Creating a Story Arch For Corporate Storytelling
#4 Keep Your B2B Videos Short and Succinct
Most television commercials are very short. 15, 30, or maximum 60 seconds. They have to be brief, get to the point, and convey their message in just a few moments. In less than half a minute, a good TV commercial will communicate what the brand stands for, what the product is, emphasize the unique selling proposition, and somehow manage to entertain along the way.
This is a mindset B2B marketers would benefit from adopting. People scrolling through a social media feed are even less likely to give your ad attention than someone stuck under a bowl of popcorn in front of the TV. You have very few seconds to capture people’s attention, and it will take a lot to keep it. Still, a lot of B2B video commercials are wordy and filled with jargon.
Keeping your message short will force you to get straight to the point without getting caught up in the details. Distilling your message down to the very core will make it a lot more powerful – and easier to consume.
Related reading: 4 Tips on How To Avoid Information Overload In Your Videos
#5 Dare To Be Creative and Original
Another thing to keep in mind is that the writers of TV commercials are specialized in precisely that: writing scripts for TV commercials. Writing video script is an art form, and it’s not the same craft as writing sales emails, web copy, or blog posts. To get great video scripts for your corporate videos, consider hiring a professional who specializes in video ad copywriting.
If you think of the TV ads that stand out in your memory, chances are they show a high level of creativity and originality. This is the last cue to take from TV ads – dare to stand out and set your creative bar high. It’s an investment that will pay off.
Related reading: 10 Steps to Creating Authentic Video Content
Takeaways
Through the decades, makers of TV commercials have perfected the craft of creating video content that converts viewers into customers and even into loving fans and brand evangelists.
Therefore, when producing corporate video, B2B marketers can take several valuable cues from how TV ads are made. Here, we’ve listed five important learnings:
- Always Be 100% Customer-Centric
- Assume Your Audience Will Say “So What”?
- Leverage Great Storytelling
- Keep it short and succinct
- Dare To Be Creative and Original
At Covalent, we’re experts at creating original and engaging videos for B2B brands. Get in touch to explore how we can help your brand with B2B videos that drive conversions!