BEYOND ADVERTISING SPECIFIC products and services, a well-made video can give your branding cohesion and edge. Your customers are already liking and sharing that staff karaoke-night video, but sometimes it pays to call in the pros. One of the best videos we’ve encountered of late graces the website and social media of Georgetown Optician, a family-run business with four locations in the DC area.
THE IDEA
Telling a Creative Tale
According to general manager Pierce Voorthuis, Georgetown Opticians were looking for a branding and advertising boost, and reached out to Design Army, who set about redefining the brand. Central to this has been a series of videos designed to boost its online presence. “From the first few meetings Design Army came up with a great concept that allowed us to explore a creative tale showcasing our love of independent eyewear. This latest video is our third.”
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The video was always intended for online consumption, rather than TV. “The goal was to make a video so instantly fresh and exciting [it’d be] shared, and to create a whole campaign around the video shoot so we could utilize the content in store as well.” Watch the video at: georgetownoptician.com
THE EXECUTION
Invite to a Revolution
The video, “Join the Silent Revolution,” imagines “the quietest library on Earth,” in which a fearsome “Quiet Guard” maintains a silence so oppressive even the turning of a page draws nasty looks. But a cast of irrepressible characters with stunning taste in eyewear devise ways of communicating with each other using only their eyes, in the process showing off some very cool frames from the likes of Jacques Marie Mage, Kirk and Kirk, Kuburaum and Res Rei.
“The ‘Eyes Say More Than Words’ campaign speaks to the expressiveness of eyes and eyewear as a way of conveying emotion,” says Voorthuis. The video has a Wes Anderson-ish look and vibe, managing to feel both hip and inclusive. It’s clearly a quality production—and showcases the eyewear with style and humor. According to Design Army chief creative officer Pum Lefebure, ”We took visual cues from high school yearbook pics from the late ’70s: lots of plaid, bellbottom-inspired style, big hair — and of course, big glasses.” She recalled that Design Army’s approach was “to shock, entertain, and go bold with creativity to help this small brand make a big impact.”
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From concept development to post-production the video took about six months to make, at a total cost of between $70,000-$100,000, Voorthuis estimates.
Across its locations, Georgetown Optician’s brand identity was updated with imagery from the campaign, including in-store posters and window displays, custom cleaning cloths and more.
THE REWARDS
Overwhelming Feedback
Voorthuis says the team at Georgetown Optician enjoys hearing from customers who have discovered the video and loved the story. “We’ve had overwhelmingly positive feedback … we’re happy this ambitious project came together with a truly beautiful film.”
He says it’s hard to quantify the true value of a production like “Join the Silent Revolution,” as “the main motivation has been focused on branding. We’re in this business for the long haul.”
Do It Yourself: Create a Video for Your Practice
- KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Voorthuis advises ECPs looking to embark on any ambitious marketing campaign to first think about what they are trying to convey to their market.
- STORY TIME. The best videos tell a story. “To tell a story that stands on its own, can be consumed in various formats, and is instantly sharable, that’s the true goal of our campaign.”
- JUST THE start. Once the video itself is complete, says Voorthuis, “It’s about fully capitalizing on every component from your film or photo shoot and using it to help brand and support your store.”
- COME ON IN! Videos can have a practical use. Ziegler Leffingwell Eyecare in New Berlin, WI, hired a pro photographer to use a drone to record a flight through the office, to welcome potential patients.
- OFFLINE. As long as you’re splashing out to bring high-quality video to your website or social media, maximize your spend and get the vid running on screens in your store window as well.
