Documentary Style Corporate Videos

10 Reasons Why Documentary Style Corporate Videos Are So Effective

Josh Rockman Video Production Leave a Comment

At Rockmans Creative Media we love producing doco-style content for our clients as we love the creative process, but here are ten reasons why documentary-style corporate videos are so effective for our clients.

Businesses need to showcase themselves like never before in order to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. When you really want to make a difference between your business and your competitors, a documentary-style corporate video can be the answer you are looking for.

1. They offer authenticity

Documentary-style videos are filmed in your workplace and feature interviews with real staff members. This gives them an authentic edge over a video that uses actors. It is this authenticity that creates trust with your audience and convinces people to choose you over your competitors.
Camera Operator getting ready to film from light plane

2. They showcase your workforce and clients

Your workers and clients can be your best asset when it comes to showcasing your business to the public. People want to be able to see the people behind the product or service you’re selling. This is why documentary-style videos are so effective – they give your employees and clients the chance to give honest opinions about your product or service, as you can see in the below video we produced for Oxford Aviation Academy.

3. They provide the viewer with more information

Documentary-style videos are designed to be as engaging as possible. They enable your workforce and management to tell the story of your brand through interviews, supported by footage and photographs. They also tend to run to a longer length than other types of promotional video, so they can offer more information to the viewer. This makes them an ideal format for communicating your brand message as you would never be able to convey all this information in written form. People remember on average 95 per cent of the information they see in a video, compared to just 10 per cent of the information they read.

Camera Operator in plane with camera

4. They provide a human touch

Every product or service is only as good as the people behind it. Consumers feel reassured when they can see the workforce that produces the goods or services they are thinking of purchasing. They also want to hear testimonials from clients who have already bought into the product or service. This is a great way of boosting your sales – interviews with real people will convince more people to buy your product or service. It is worth remembering that 84 per cent of people now trust online reviews and testimonials as much as recommendations from friends and family when making purchase decisions. It’s always a good idea to feature testimonials from 2 or 3 clients within your doco-style video.

5. They can be more informal

A documentary-style video can be more relaxed than a scripted video as the narrative is driven by real people in real situations. For example, in the below video we co-created for Walter and Eliza Hall Medical Research, you can see the workers talking and laughing together, as well as doing experiments with visiting school children. This brings the story to life in an informal and relaxed way, demonstrating that the organisation really cares about its workforce and is a great place to work. This builds consumer confidence.

6. They can cover many topics quickly

Documentary-style videos are excellent for communicating large volumes of information in a concise way. Being conversational a lot can be covered in a single spoken sentence…take the following as a hypothetical example: “My Grandfather established the business over 40 years ago with his brothers, back then it had 3 employees, now we have over 2,000.” In that one sort sentence of 23 words, four messages were given. 1. How long the business has been operational. 2. It was and remains a family run business. 3. It has grown dramatically, and 4. It is now a major employer. Great information delivered fast and in a way that is relatable.

7. They are trusted more than scripted videos

Scripted videos have their place when it comes to selling your products or services. However, the advantage of a documentary-style video is that it is more believable. They are shot in a real workplace and offer interviews with real people rather than actors. The information is provided without scripts in a natural and authentic way. This encourages consumers to trust your business as you are prepared to show them how your company actually works.

8. They display real knowledge of the product or service

With more and more consumers now turning to online videos as a way of helping them to make purchase decisions, it is more important than ever that your videos convey as much expert information about what you’re selling as possible. Documentary-style videos are ideal for this as they enable you to hear from the people involved in the day-to-day production and delivery of the product or service. It is no coincidence that 97 per cent of marketers say that video has helped their audiences gain a better understanding of their products or services.

9. Overlay vision can be heavily used, or not at all

A documentary-style video typically shows a person being interviewed, then cuts to supporting vision (overlay, or B Roll). But what if your business is service based or does not have appropriate things to capture and show as video? Well with a doco-style video you can use a lot of overlay vision of practically none at all. Providing you have multiple interviewees the production company can cut between people to keep the video engaging.

Jimmy jib filming plane on the ground

10. They can take the audience behind the scenes

Businesses are more interesting when we can see how they work. Everyone loves the idea of a behind-the-scenes tour of a business they are interested in – this is why many companies offer them in real life. A documentary-style video enables you to show your customers round your premises. This creates trust and enthusiasm as they will feel as if they know and understand your brand better and have a deeper connection with you.

Find out more about documentary-style corporate videos

Here at Rockmans Creative Media, we have worked on documentary-style corporate videos for numerous clients across a wide variety of industries. Please contact us if you would like to find out more about how we can help you.

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