Exciting news! Our 360 video “See what your child sees” was nominated for a 2018 Webby Award in the social category for Experimental & Innovation. Afterglow partnered with Olson to create this video for their client, LensCrafters. This advertisement has already been recognized with 2 silver pins, 1 bronze pin, and Best in Social at AdFed’s 2017 The Show. The video has also received significant critical acclaim, including being highlighted as an “editor’s pick” in Creativity Magazine, and in a DMNews feature article. We are ecstatic to see our hard work and innovation appreciated by the web community. This nomination will add to our ever present urge to push the boundaries of video and the viewers experience. Keep up with Afterglow for more noteworthy work!
Together with Sundog we brought some character to the OtterTail campaign to help get the word out about energy saving devices for the home. With Sundog’s direction we brought to life the LED lights and the cold climate heat pump characters to talk about their use and savings in the home.
Steve Krug is a renowned consultant and is best known for his book, “Don’t Make Me Think,” which provides the reader with an in-depth look into digital interactions and usability.
One of the key points discussed in this book, is GOODWILL. Goodwill is a user’s attitude towards an application. It varies for each individual and is influenced by a number of varying, situational factors. But when writing a script, designing a website, or animating a video, Goodwill is a key component to keep in mind.
The question, “What are the three main things users want to do?” should always be kept in mind. For videos, this usually means properly expressing one or two main points, and then providing a call-to-action at the end. Far too many videos aren’t as successful as they could be, due to throwing too much information at the viewer. Often, the most effective videos are clear, concise, and simple.
1. To ensure that your video/script/design is at its most effective, the first thing you can do is to refer to your competitors. They’re already in the game, and they’re clearly doing something right, so use them as a launch pad for your own endeavors.
2. Make sure that your three main points (including CTA) are crystal clear. If at any point, your key points are muddled, then it’s time to simply. Omit needless words. Make sure your tagline isn’t generic, and thus, ambiguous. Remember that clarity trumps all things.
3. Don’t be afraid to lean on the expertise of your designer/writer/animator/producer/etc. These professionals possess a vast wealth of knowledge.
4. Goodwill diminishes when commonly sought-after information is hidden. Make sure to keep things like phone numbers and URLs presented in your CTA.
“A person of average (or even below average) ability and experience can figure out how to use the thing [learn-able] to accomplish something [effective] without it being more trouble than it’s worth [efficient].”