1. What is the role / objective of the video.
2. What’s our success measurement / KPI.
3. What longevity do we need.
4. Does our brand / service best suited by a funny creative.
5. What is our customers expectation of our brand message.

Most importantly to the question ‘does the video have to be funny?’.  My personal view is funny videos / viral videos are the exception, terrific when they come off, which is rare, but in most cases are risky ground for brands and business.

More interestingly is to review factual data on what actually makes video engaging.

Encouragingly the recent Emarketer/Nielsen survey re-enforced our thinking that interest and purchase desire is driven by video that is informative and emotionally pulling. For our customers their video can hit these drivers.

Reviewing the table above, you will see that the segment that reacts best to informative video is the under 20 age group. Another blow to those media commentators pedlling the story that the youth of today are dumbing down, though apparently this has been a view through-out the history of man-kind.  Unders 20s react well to all styles of video but over half are engaged by information and educational content.

As we approach our 2000th video at Silverlinemedia.tv results from our customers prove that good informative and passionate website video improves conversions and through online video distribution and marketing is attracting quality customers at a fraction of other marketing channels. We had a client today, Sportaloosa.com, which after one day has received enough response to pay for the video four times over. A really informative video about the Spotted Horse Breed. Fascinating.

Dynamic Logic has run a comprehensive and scientific survey to further support the obvious logic that filling an ‘ad space’ on a screen with dynamic and engaging content works, and offsets the banner blindness argument. Getting your content / message across using video is highly affordable, and I know that locally here in New Zealand the Silverlinemedia.tv video production and marketing cost is often cheaper than basic gif banner costs from certain suppliers.

This evidence is overwhelming video is becoming the most compelling and effective advertising medium online (and offline). Are you in the game?

IAB Canada encourages advertisers of all types who have been considering getting into either in-stream, rich media or over-the-page Audio and Video advertising, to take immediate action on these new pilot project rates, in order to benefit from Video ad effectiveness in 2009 and beyond.”

Further compelling evidence that using a display (banner) ad space and using compelling video within gains attention and drives a brand message. The message is simple for adverisers (agency or SME) good video ads work far better than other formats.