5 ways to communicate your message using visuals that embrace these times.
With both company staff and customers largely confined to home by the corona virus, short of a mass fax blast out (although this might well be an option in Japan!), digital communication tools are increasingly the only way to communicate.
As we are forced to physically keep our distance, we are more than ever receptive to messages that help connect us together socially. Here are 5 cost-effective ways to get your message out using visuals that are adapted to - no, embrace - the new normal we all find ourselves in.
not a good visual tool to communicate your message during the corona virus crisis
1 remote video production
If we can’t physically get to you to film because you are at home or there are restrictions on movement, you can do the filming under our guidance and we do the rest. No, this doesn't mean you are going to have sling a camera on your shoulder and get a technical lesson on white balance, all you need is your smartphone or the built in camera on your laptop.
As normal, we plan the shoot together, edit the visuals, fix up the sound and add graphics and apply our general magic touch. The only difference is the filming. This could be a scripted message/interview we record together on Zoom or similar, or you recording with your smartphone. Customer testimonials are even possible.
Nice visuals are, nice, but with a bit of advice from us on angles and lighting, we can make sure the story of your video overwhelms any technical limitations. In fact, we are all at home so visuals embracing this are going to feel more authentic.
2 webinar/ group panel discussions.
With no one person having a definite answer on how to respond to the current situation, instead of just one person from your organisation speaking to camera, a discussion panel on Zoom or similar with experts from within or outside your organisation can be edited down to create engaging content.
3 repurpose existing content.
Perhaps the most cost effective way to communicate your message is to repurpose exisiting video, photography, and graphics content you have already produced. Combined with stock footage this is going to look the most visually impressive. The downside is that it can be hard to adapt to the message you want to convey, particularly because that message is probably going to be a lot different pre-covid 19. Also, a visually polished video may well seem unauthentic and out of touch.
4 animate all or part of the video
The advantage of animation has always been that it allows for precise, lively, completely on-message visuals, although costs can be a lot more than video, especially if not planned out well beforehand. Of course the big advantage with animation in these Covid-19 times is that animation is not dependent on an actual video shoot
5 combination
It may well turn out to be that a mix and match of remote video production, webinar panel discussions, and repurposing existing content with some stock footage and animation elements might be the most effective way to get your message out.
Keep in mind that by adopting these communication methods, as well as getting your message out, it also shows both internally and externally that your organisation can be innovative, adaptive and is in touch with the enormous changes and challenges facing us all.
