February 18, 2013 by mudhut

Video the CEO

Regular, personal messages from a company’s top executive aren’t just more popular, they’ve become imperative. Unflattering media portrayals of CEO’s are commonplace and these short, informal videos can go a long way toward improving executive image.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to do many video interviews with CEO’s. Whether you’re producing a short message from your own small company’s president, or an interview with the skipper of a Fortune 500 company, here are some suggestions.

People who run corporations are usually very smart. They’ve made careers out of breaking down complex, gray-area issues into elementary components. Decisions are made in an almost binary way. They rarely like surprises, and usually rely heavily on their administrative assistant (AA).

Briefing the AA:

Treat the assistant as you would a VP or divisional president. Be warm, cordial, and extremely professional. If they tell their boss that you seemed like a jerk, you will have a bad day.
Provide a clear, one-page briefing regarding the purpose of the shoot well in advance. Bulletize and generalize the message unless the delivery requires a recited script (then be very clear whether it will be memorized or prompted).
Confirm details with the assistant five business days in advance. While the CEO may know the event is calendared, they probably haven’t read the briefing sheet. Tell the AA that you are available at any time if there are questions.
Discuss, conceptually, your desired locations and let them know what time you’ll arrive for load-in and set-up.
Provide the names of your crew to ensure that building security is ready for you and your equipment. Even so, arrive early in case the security team decides to do visual inspections.
Will they need to see the final version before it’s public? Some companies insist on it.

A few years ago I did a two-camera, three-person-crew shoot with the CEO at a top-ten Fortune 500 company. We arrived well in advance to set up in the office while a meeting finished on another floor. As we completed the set-up, two of us sat down and rehashed the objectives of the shoot. When I looked up, I realized that the third person (a recent college film graduate) was sitting in the CEO’s chair playing with the puzzles and knick-knacks at the desk. I could only muster two words, “What?” and “No!” Had the executive walked in at that moment, we correctly should have been marched up one flight of stairs to the roof and thrown off.

The Crew:

Don’t have one. Unless you absolutely have to have a two camera shoot, do it yourself. Today’s technology allows you to trim your kit so that you can carry all of the equipment in one trip. Be efficient.
Dress appropriately. Khaki’s with a logo-embroidered golf shirt is an absolute minimum. A suit may be overkill, but you must at least consider it. The valet staff at the country club probably wears khaki’s and embroidered golf shirts.
Meet for coffee and brief the crew ahead of time. They shouldn’t sit at the CEO’s desk, for example. Dear God, what is wrong with me?!

The best thing about getting to know CEO’s is that they are almost always awe-inspiring people. While their job requires decorum, they are generally wonderfully passionate, and quick witted individuals. In spite (or because) of this, they fall roughly into two categories as it relates to filming; those with experience and confidence in their media chops and those that detest it. You are as likely to find a nervous subject as you would with any other shoot. While you may not think this is unusual, the CEO does. Entire companies shrink in their presence, but that stupid camera changes them into a seven year old being bullied by a fifth grader. This is not business as usual for them or you.

The Subject:

All CEO’s have some media experience. You will have no way of knowing whether it has been pleasant or not.
Be prepared to take them off-topic if needed. Chat about something they might be comfortable discussing. A corporate acquisition, recent press coverage, future industry directions, or their daughter’s wedding. Meaningful prior research is imperative.
The tricky part is understanding that you are in the presence of the boss. Giving direction is what you usually do. They are not used to it. Don’t apologize, but be apologetic.
Be prepared for a “one and done” take. Don’t ever assume you can take a mulligan. I had a CEO do one take and then look me straight in the eye and ask “Are we done?”. Which, in this case, meant that we were.
Make them look presidential. Set up that kicker or extra hard light to give them some separation from the practicals. Don’t forget your gels. Corporate offices are notoriously surrounded by giant windows. You will have mixed lighting.
If they are comfortable, I sometimes ask for a second take with the camera/shot at a different position allowing cuts if necessary.

Executives are my favorite subjects, and it has nothing to do with video. There tends to be more laughter and meaningful conversation than I have in the rest of my day. Have fun!

January 18, 2013 by mudhut

Mining Content

Content Mining

It’s like a gold rush initially. Everywhere you turn there’s a yet-unpublished nugget in full view to pick up and post. Eventually though, you’re going to have to dig. And just like mining, you’ll need structure. By the way, social media platforms are simply the vehicles that bring materials out of the mine. What content will you put in these vehicles and why? Separating substance from slag is key; if you don’t do it, your readers will. That… won’t last long.

There is a method to finding, producing and distributing content about your company.

Don’t let your posts turn into the company newsletter. Nobody wants to hear about the new computers in the engineering department. We want to know what you’re going to do with them. We want to hear about the new alloy that you’ve considered using for a part that you might make. It doesn’t matter whether you use it or not. It doesn’t even matter if you win the contract for said part… The information is shiny and it’s in demand.

We can help. Call (or click) before you dig.

June 4, 2012 by mudhut

Ripping the Phone Book in Half

So many changes in just a few years! I have to shake my head in wonder at some of this. I know businesses that were paying over $1000 a month for yellow page ads. Now let’s be clear, people traditionally USED yellow page ads and this expenditure was probably justified. Ironically, some of the last consistent advertisers were pizza shops… many people still used the phone book to order pizza… now we can basically text and pay for orders from our phone. So, how does a company reach people that no longer use phone books? Is there a way to spend money on marketing that has a chance on reaching an audience? What does $12k buy you these days?

As I stated in my article, Digital Dog Years, the world is split into two categories; things you can do on your handheld device and then… everything else. Are there things that your firm can put online that could provide consistent information to your potential clients/partners? After all, normal business hours don’t apply if we’re all connected to each other all the time. Website FAQ’s, Articles, and YouTube videos can answer most of the same questions your staff normally answers during the day. We might even argue that it can be more effective. People are used to media telling them why they should buy from the advertiser. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on TV or YouTube. It takes pressure off your sales rep too.

And, by the way, $12k buys you alot of media production these days. I have clients who’ve committed to putting their entire product line in short Impact Media clips on YouTube. Not only will they save money this year, they won’t have to update the media for some time. AND instead of a marketing expense, these clips become company assets.

RIP!

July 15, 2011 by mudhut

Developing a Marketing Script

Mining Content

Mud-Hut Studios is often called upon to help describe an organization’s competitive advantage (See our other articles about Content Mining). Script writing is important, but delivering the message in an accessible manner is often challenging. Over the years, I’ve come to utilize the following concepts

Begin by listing one or two features of your product(s) that sets you apart from your competition. Define what advantage(s) the audience should see as a result. Ex. “Our product’s simple design makes your busy day less complicated”

If you feel that your organization has special advantages for your customers, list these as well. Many companies have large and diverse product lines. Features like “manufacturing quality” apply to the entire catalog. Maybe your company’s organization and structure translates into better customer service for your clients.

These cross product advantages are called distinctive competence and should probably be broken into their own chapter(s).

The entire script is written around these feature/advantage points. Of course, you may feel that your product(s) have many strong suits, but your target audience will appreciate your brevity. Break your script outline into chapters like the following.

Concepts for the Introduction

Who is the spokesperson, and why are they qualified to speak?

Acknowledge your audience and thank them for taking the time to listen.

Who are you and what do you produce?

What are you planning to present to the audience?

Body

Our product features and advantages are…

Our company’s distinctive competence is…

Keep the information simple, and clear. Could graphics help? Could a customer testimonial help? How about photos or other visuals?

Closing

What has the client learned today?

What can they do to take immediate advantage of your offerings?

Other

Consider maintaining consistent branding throughout the campaign.

Some companies like to keep their logo or a message in the lower third.

Intro and/or outro graphics or slogan splash can be used as book ends to your message.

Rather than a long production, do three or four short messages, put them on YouTube and link them to another platform like Facebook or your website.

By the way, it is my experience that asking subjects to recite a script is often counter productive. It sounds too rehearsed and comes off as forced. Let your speakers ad lib the high points of an outline. The more natural the read seems; the more honesty it portrays.

Check out examples of our work on our YouTube Channel.