Part I: Cause + Video: Cause Marketers Effectively “Showing, not Telling” through Video

When I pen a piece or give a talk on cause or CSR marketing trends, I always ground it in the same concept: cause marketing simply follows overall marketing. And, these days, when you talk about brand marketing, you are likely talking about content marketing. 78% of CMOs believe the creation of custom content is the future of marketing. And – as any marketer will tell you – video is one of the hottest types of content brands are focused on right now, for good reason. Studies show internet users interact with video content at twice the rate of other digital content. The vast majority of brands are responding by  increasing video ad spend in 2014.

The Evolution of Video + Cause

So, it is no surprise that we are seeing an uptick in video usage within cause marketing campaigns. Video is not new to cause or CSR; what is evolving is the explosion of formats from short-form TV spots, viral videos or infographic style “explainer” videos, to long-form documentaries or series, all the way to the 6 second Vine. Plus, there is so much strategic promotion being done across traditional and nontraditional channels that helps maximize your storytelling reach, ensuring more bang for your buck.

Halo Award Video Finalists 

In anticipation of our breakout on cause + video at CMF 2014 exploring both the style and promotion of cause video content, I took a look at the Halo Award video finalists, announced several weeks ago. One of my favorite opportunities with video is the potential to “show, not tell.” Video has a way of invoking emotion that the written word can’t come close to. Two examples of this are CIBC’s “The Moment” and Harley Davidson’s “Stories of Hope and Freedom.” Both campaigns are breast cancer-focused, though they have a very different approach, feeling and end goal.

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Original source: Cause Update