Stories
News, project launches and thoughts from our team.
Illuminating the Road Ahead for Deloitte
This week we went international! Thrilled to announce that both Deloitte Global (Deloitte.com) and Deloitte Canada have officially launched the commercial series we produced.
These bite-sized overviews of Deloitte’s accounting services are used as an introduction to new and current clients, helping CEO’s & CFO’s get the most out of their bottom line.
Check em all out here : https://doublebarrel.wpengine.com/projects/deloitte-canada-commercial-series/
While the subject manner is dense – audit & assurance – we kept the tone light using humourous intros to pull the viewer in, and high production values to keep them there. Utilizing animation, VFX overlays, actors, props, a snappy soundtrack and professional voice over, these pieces stand above the crowd and entice the audience to learn more about everything Deloitte has to offer.
We had a blast producing this series and are thrilled to add Deloitte to our happy list of clients!
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ANNOUNCING OUR SECOND ACT
We’ve refreshed our brand!
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CREATIVE DIRECTOR:
From my early days working for CBC Radio in Kelowna, BC to the very first day of Double Barrel Studio’s existence and now in our 6th year of business, my work has always been in service of the story.
To use whatever medium was available to convey something honest and interesting, and do it in an unexpected way. I saw too many good stories not get their chance with their audiences because they couldn’t capture their attention for long enough. I believed video production needed a renegade, and I would be that shooter.
And that’s what my team did. For years Double Barrel has become known for creating big narratives out of our clients’ needs and doing so in unexpected ways.
This became our brand. A bit rebellious, and a bit of shooting from the hip to get the best creative out of any project. Our creative spirit was embodied in our logo; red, rugged and with cross-hairs focused on the prize. Our identity served us well; we worked with great clients, attracted a passionate crew, and we made great video.
But every story needs it’s second act, and this is ours.
Introducing our shiny new Double Barrel brand and >website! We’ve cleaned up around the edges, replaced the renegade’s crosshairs with the artist’s viewfinder, but our essence is still there in distinctive typography and a bold colour palette. Our website has been updated to include all 250 videos from the past 6 years sorted by industry and style for easier browsing. The biggest change though is our tagline, which speaks to the work we’ve done since day one and how we are taking our clients into the future.
Expand Your Story represents our strategy in two ways; first, how we’ve always considered every element of video production such as sound, lighting, script, editing, and colour as an opportunity to add more richness to the narrative. That’s nothing new to us and that’s not changing. But remember that noisy, messy content generating world out there? The second part of Expand Your Story is what cuts through that nonsense and gets our clients heard.
Brands are not only a reflection of their companies but of their clients too. So in sharing this exciting news with you, I also have you to thank. Every narrative we’ve told together has helped shape Double Barrel into what you see today. When I look at that logo, I don’t just see the business that I’ve built – I see my crew, my partner and you. It’s been a great story so far, and I can’t wait for us to write what’s next!
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5 Reasons Video Is Essential For Your Marketing Strategy
By Keith Jolie
This past weekend I was busy volunteering with the annual Polar Bear Dip for Habitat for Humanity in Toronto. Amid all the interviews, media interactions and watching around 700 people run into icy cold water, I was struck by the prevalence of video at the event.
One of my interviews with a larger news media company was via Facebook Live, and many of the dippers had GoPros strapped to them as they ran into the water. Those videos, shared by a significant percentage of the participants, have allowed the event organizers to market the excitement of the event to a very large audience and to grow the event year after year.
Video has grown to become in many cases, the linchpin of a successful content marketing strategy. While content marketing is a bit of an overused buzzword, the concept is sound. Marketing your business or organization involves engaging several channels in order to attract customers and as with traditional advertising, mediums like search engine marketing ( SEM ), social media marketing, and email marketing all rely on quality content to entice the customer to engage with the medium and for you to meet your marketing objectives.
If you’re not already using video as part of your content marketing strategy, here are five reasons why you should give it a second look:
1 – Critical Mass
Recent statistics gathered by Google pointed out that 53% of consumers on mobile feel more favorable towards companies whose websites feature video content. Video more than ever has reached a critical mass. It is expected by your customers, and much like a business or organization that doesn’t have a website, not having video content will soon be seen as a sign that your business or organization isn’t professional.
2 – Distribution Options Abound
There has never been a better time for businesses to embrace video as part of their content marketing efforts, and with both free and paid distribution options it also has never been easier. Any business can easily (and for free) create a YouTube channel to feature video content and videos can easily be embedded in your website, sales presentations and used as part of conference displays. About 100 million hours of video are watched every day on Facebook. With both Facebook and YouTube (Google Adwords) offering complex targeted distribution through their paid advertising models, more than ever you are able to direct your video content to the most appropriate audience and measure the results.
3 – High Definition and High Speed is Everywhere
In 2017, high speed data is a reality on even the most basic of mobile networks and most newer mobile phones now feature high definition displays and sound that would have been unimaginable even a few years ago. This advancement has caused the global audience for video to grow exponentially. While high quality video looks best on the big screen, it is superbly suited for mobile consumption because it requires no user interaction and it can be shared easily. Video allows a mobile user to take in a large amount of information without having to scroll through lots of text or click through from page to page and the audience is definitely there. On mobile alone in an average week, YouTube reaches more 18+ year-olds during prime time TV hours than any cable TV network. (Google Think, 2016)
4 – It’s a Supercharger for your SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a constantly moving target with search algorithm updates being released frequently. Recent observations by SEO professionals agree that the inclusion of video on your website continues to have a very positive impact on how frequently your website appears in related search engine results pages. The benefits come from a few specific traits of video. First – multimedia content, and graphical (picture) content has for a long time had a positive impact on page SEO. Second, video content is sharable and social media shares are metrics that feed back positive SEO signals for your page. And third – properly embedded and encoded videos with script information expand the relevant keyword possibilities for any page that includes them.
5 – Buying Decisions Are Heavily Influenced By Video
The buying decision process in both the consumer and business to business markets has undergone a massive shift in recent years. Product and service information that was once only available from sales staff can now be readily accessed from a wide variety of sources including review sites, best of lists, and industry publications. For businesses and organizations, ensuring that your content is front and centre during that critical research stage of the buying process is more and more important. With 68% of YouTube users (70% in Canada) indicating that they watched YouTube content to help them make a purchasing decision, the importance of ensuring that it is your message that they receive in that video becomes even more magnified.
While video isn’t the only element of a content marketing solution a business needs to employ, there is a strong argument to be made that most businesses should be prioritizing video as part of their marketing strategy. To find out more you should also check out our video called “Why Video”.
Double Barrel Studios can offer your organization guidance as you consider video – give us a call, and let’s get talking.
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PROJECT LAUNCH: DeGroote School of Business
Another week, another launch!
For the past few months, Double Barrel has been working alongside the DeGroote School of Business – McMaster University~ helping them add some video to their fantastic new brand campaign, ‘Education With Purpose.’
Our resulting piece ~ this 1:40 cinematic trailer ~ premiered at their Accolades event last week in Toronto, before an audience of distinguished partners and alumni.
Shot by Tyler Tekatch & Christoph Benfey, music composed by Sasha Szlafarski, script by Kitestring’s Holly Gibson, edited by Taylor Heres, audio mixing & mastering by Hive Studios, cameo by Kristel Bulthuis. Proof that it really does take a village to make something great.
Thanks everyone!
