Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. Brett Virmalo
The new marketing is all about transparency. Let’s examine how some smart brands are letting consumers take a look behind the curtain.
The old, reliable behind the scenes
Delivering behind-the-scenes footage has become a standard for content-savvy advertisers. Whether they’re providing insight into how a particular advertisement was produced (see Absolut, Sony Bravia, or Northwestern Mutual) or offering an additional opportunity to get a peek at a celebrity endorser (see Beyoncé for Nintendo), advertisers recognize that consumers eat this content up.
Quite honestly, this one is easy, and should be a no-brainer. The expectation for the production quality on behind-the-scenes content is low, which means the cost of execution can be low. Equip someone on your team with a photo or video camera and have them shoot away. Piece the best bits together and viola: you’ve got compelling content.
This thinking works beyond high-priced ad shoots. Press events, charity initiatives, photo shoots, and trade show appearances are all fodder for great behind-the-scenes content that will resonate with consumers.
New approaches to transparency
Releasing behind-the-scenes content from a manufactured marketing happening is one thing. Really pulling back the curtain is another story. It takes a little more effort and a lot more confidence, but in the long run, it’s worth it.
Nokia’s Conversations.Nokia.com is a blog all about letting consumers see inside the company. It’s hard not to become a fan of the brand after getting so much access to their thoughts on business, design, market research, etc.
GM has made lifting the curtain an integral part of the GM Flickr stream. They include design sketches, images of their production facilities, and even market research documentation.
Ford CEO Alan Mulally made headlines when he began to participate on Twitter. Why not post a video of him doing just that? Note that again, low production quality is not an issue.
So what’s the benefit?
Good question. If you’re sharing some basic behind-the-scenes footage from your latest marketing campaign or event, the benefit is additional content for cheap. You’re spending money on the event anyway, and a modest additional investment delivers the additional behind-the-scenes content.
The benefits of true transparency go way beyond cost control. Investors will value your innovative approach. Current employees who participate will relish the opportunity to let the world appreciate how they contribute. Potential future hires will be well informed about your culture and philosophy. Your audience will engage with content about your people. In the end, everyone involved will understand and relate to your brand in a far deeper way.
A better question might be “So, what’s the risk?” There really isn’t much, as long as your transparency is authentic and your team understands what you’re willing to share. Nokia’s design team shares quite a bit, but you can rest assured that there are things they won’t be sharing. These lines need to be clearly defined, and a good content-creation process will leave plenty of room for oversight and approval.
Takeaway
Consumers are curious, and their appetite for content is insatiable. Feed them more than just your most polished and practiced marketing communications. They want to get to know you. If you believe in your products, your people, and your processes, then you have nothing to hide. Pull back the curtain, open up, and let them in.
Leave a Comment 
This is an interesting point and one I’m going to consider. I’d not really thought about this kind of video before, but will definitely think about it. Thanks for highlighting this kind of opportunity.
Amelia,
So glad we could help expand the possibilities for content creation. Please let us know if you try it. We’d love to profile something you’ve done in one of our Success Out of The Spotlight posts!
Thanks,
Drew
We do social media programmes for local community organisations such as our music festival and Cansa.
I can start promoting them when they are still preparing. Also like the behind the scenes idea. I am going to use that with both our upcoming events.
If I read this earlier, I could have had videos up about a lot of interesting stuff.
Thanks again for sharing your ideas!
NicP,
Thanks so much for commenting on our blog! I think you raise a great point. The buzz leading up to an event can also be very powerful behind the scenes type content. I was recently asked to record a promotional video for a speaking engagement I’m doing in November. This fits into exactly what you’re talking about.
Glad to see that we’re reaching a South African audience! You’re the second person this week from SA to post. I’m really proud. I grew up in Johannesburg. Thanks so much for engaging!
- Andrew
love the ford video. Alan is giddy like a kid with a new toy. Personalizes the company and takes it from big faceless institution to a dude getting excited to talk about ford on twitter.
I had the same reaction, Greg. Apparently, he is a charismatic and gregarious guy – the vid goes a long way in genuinely communicating his character.
My favorite part of that video is at the very end… where he invites the typing guy to move in with him. This is a great way to make these high-powered executives seem human. I love it.
Greg and Brett thanks for talking more about this. I really like it.
Good stuff. This follows the DVD model – where the ‘Behind the Scenes’ is called the bonus features – and this is the content that audiences often want most. For the cost that is involved (which is minimal, other than the hours of editing and culling through footage), there really is tremendous value – and content that can be repurposed across different channels: Some footage to You Tube. Exclusives on your blog. Etc.
Communicating character. Bingo.
Chris,
Thanks for the comment. Saw your blog post this morning as well. Great perspective on the transparency and behind the scenes concepts!
For those of you reading this thread – here’s Chris’ post about Behind The Scenes transparency – great food for thought!
http://pimpyourmarketing.com/2009/08/28/the-fiction-behind-transparency/?dsq=15646229#comment-15646229
Thanks again Chris!
[...] a good post over at Tipping Point about transparency you guys should check out. Basically, it’s a primer on maximizing [...]