The 5 Videos Uncubed Studios Will Never Make
So, you want to make a video that captures your unique company culture? That’s a great idea. But all videos aren’t created equal. And what your team might think is a good idea in principle might do more harm than good once the resumes roll in (that’s IF they roll in).
There’s a few options that come to mind. Apologies in advance if the following bring back painful memories.
You place your budget in the hands of a big time ad agency, though their work in talent marketing is limited.
You rely on an internal creative team that has the ability to create employer branded content...just as soon as they finish the requests they get on a daily basis.
Great videos have a reputation for engaging audiences in an honest way. Bad ones have a reputation for ruining things - your budget being one of them. How do you know what to look out for?
Here’s 5 types of videos Uncubed Studios refuse to make because they are in fact, terrible to watch.
1. The Best Place to Work in the World is Right Here at My Office Video
We are just so amazing but can’t even really explain what it is we do here, but we will cover our tracks by smiling!
We’ve all seen these videos taking up valuable digital real estate, haven’t we? A well mannered employee just can’t stop talking about how happy they are, moving from desk to desk while smiling, laughing, and nodding politely while in a meeting.
Your Careers section deserves better. Face it, NO ONE is buying into the idea that an employee is THAT happy. Videos that highlight an employee shouting hyperbole give off the impression your company is hiding something, which would be useful information that would actually help candidates get a real sense of what an actual day is like working there.
Interested in making an employer brand video for your company?
2. The All Talk But No Actual Real Life Examples Video
If you’ve learned nothing from watching one of these, you aren’t alone
So, you want to feature your energetic Director of Product in a video to address all that innovation going on? You’re on the right track. You take the time to film, getting what you think are epic sound bites but in reality they’re vague quotes about how cool it is to be working on such meaningful challenges. You then spend a majority of your budget licensing The Weeknd’s latest single, hoping his delightful sound will melt candidates’ hearts.
Sounds like a video lots of people will enjoy watching? Maybe. But will they learn anything useful? Will it make them want to work for your company? From our experience, no. When looking to reach specific candidates, videos featuring talking heads that aren’t based around specific challenges being solved aren’t helpful. Prospective talent wants you to spill the tea on what exactly they could be working on and what type of environment they should expect. That’s what they really care about.
Also, according to a 2019 survey of U.S. consumers by Verizon and Publicis Media, 92% view videos with the sound off on mobile while 83% watch with the sound off. Just so you know.
3. The Keg of Cold Brew and Board Games No One Actually Has Time to Play Video
If you talk about office perks, which are much less relevant these days, at least show them
Remember when quirky in-office perks were a major focus of talent attraction? The solution isn’t a video showcasing virtual team lunches and a snazzy home office. How employees relax in a professional environment is an afterthought now that we’ve embraced commuting to our couch.
Demonstrating what employees truly value, like the challenges they’re trying to solve, goes a much longer way with candidates when deciding where to bring their skillsets.
4. The traditional talking head video
When you practice innovation…except when it comes to making a video
Humans, we love to talk don’t we? Unfortunately, watching us talk nonstop on camera isn’t that exciting anymore. In fact, when it comes to employer branding, it’s often downright painful. Today’s videos require constant visual stimulation. While that might sound like a challenge, it’s a lot easier to accomplish than what you might be envisioning.
How can you make an intriguing video people can’t look away from? Use a combination of the following: motion graphics, illustrations, typography, employee footage, professional footage, UGC, and audio.
Videos that incorporate interest like they could be, and relying on employees reading rehearsed lines isn’t the most efficient strategy considering how quickly people switch jobs these days.
5. A video that isn’t authentic to what your brand is actually accomplishing
When the actors you hired are on the verge of laughter when delivering lines, it’s not a good look.
We’re content creators that obsess over authentic employer branded content. Our backgrounds in recruiting, events, and journalism provide us a low tolerance for BS, aka the story you think you should tell vs. what’s actually taking place. We make no apologies about our commitment to finding an honest story that showcases how your culture embraces the world of talent that awaits such awesome opportunities.
Talent is your most critical asset. The videos we create that attract, engage, and retain them honor this statement.
To learn more about Uncubed Studios and the work we do, jump into our Calendly for a live demo.
ABOUT UNCUBED STUDIOS
Launched in 2016, Uncubed Studios is a full-service creative agency with a client list representing the most influential employers on earth along with the high growth tech companies.
The team that brings the work of Uncubed Studios to life is made up of award-winning experts in cinematography, journalism, production, recruitment, employee engagement, employer branding and more.
Uncubed Studios is part of the Uncubed Group, which also includes Mediabistro, the leading talent & professional community in the media sector, and Finalist, the curated sourcing platform for early professional tech talent.
Interested in speaking with Uncubed Studios for a media opportunity? For inquiries, contact studios@uncubed.com
