I’d like to ask a small favor from you, if I may. Please take a look at the following video:
(if you can’t see the video, then please go here).
It’s designed to be a 36,000ft overview of our Qarto translation management portal. The aim of the video is to give an idea of what Qarto is about, and (if your company does a lot of translation work) whether the information would make you to look at Qarto in more depth.
The reason that I’m asking for your help is that I’d like your opinion on how to improve the video. Here are my thoughts:
1. At a shade over three-and-a-half minutes long, I may be asking a LOT for an online viewer to watch the whole video. When we produce such material for our clients, we generally advise that the final video should be no longer than two-and-a-half to three minutes maximum – and that’s only if we all agree that the video content is compelling enough for the target audience to want to sit through.
Clearly, I’m breaking my own rule here. However, everyone that I’ve shown the video to all say that it doesn’t feel that long when you’re watching it. Maybe they’re just being nice. What do you think?
2. The voiceover narrative (thanks so much for your help, Dawn!) is delivered in a light-hearted style so as to be more conversational. I didn’t want to appear that we’re taking ourselves too seriously (none of that “global leader”, “innovative, disruptive technology” corporate mumbo-jumbo that so many companies revert to). However, the business of translating content – whether words, artwork files, websites, slide presentations or what-have-you – is a serious business. One localization slip-up could mean disaster. So should I give the video a more serious tone?
3. I deliberately kept the pace of the piece fast, but not too fast that you couldn’t get the message. The graphics are meant to be a combination of informative and humorous – and designed so as to make you want to keep watching until the end. One person I asked said that the graphics were too fast-paced and made him feel dizzy (!). What’s your opinion?
At the end of the day, I’ve tried to put into practice some of the thoughts and ideas that I advise KEXINO’s clients to think about for their next marketing piece.
- Collateral doesn’t have to be liked by you, since you’re not the one buying the product/service. It has to be liked by your ideal customer.
- Adopt a tone where you’re talking with your audience, rather than to you audience.
- It’s about providing a solution to your customers problem. It’s not about what you have to sell – but what the customer wants to buy.