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Author: Jerry Bader
The 120 Second Solution
By Jerry Bader (c) 2007 Like it or not, the Web is turning into an environment that will
be dominated by audio and video presentations. And as we have
already seen, the democratic nature of the Web has allowed the
best and worst to stand side-by-side. On one side, you have the whacky viral videos that serve little
commercial purpose other than to enhance the reputations of
their creators; and on the other side, you have deadly boring
corporate videos that lack any of the qualities that make
Web-video the best sales tool a business will ever have. In the middle are a few innovative companies that know how to
deliver a marketing message by telling a business story with
style and panache so that an audience will remember the message
and act upon it. And yes, even a few know how, and are willing,
to do it with a reasonable budget. Pay for Content-Production Not Airtime The non-time sensitive nature of the Web differs from the
corporate world of broadcast television where the cost of
airtime has seen commercial formats gradually decrease from
sixty, to thirty, to fifteen seconds. I imagine the day is not too far off when we will have a new
five-second commercial format all while the broadcast regulators
are allowing more commercials per half hour of programming.
According to Answers.com, "a typical 30-minute block of time
includes 22 minutes of programming with 6 minutes of national
advertising and 2 minutes of local (although some half-hour
blocks may have as much as 12 minutes of advertisements)." We've all had the distinct displeasure of having to sit through
the same mind-numbing commercial as many as three times in the
same commercial break. At that rate even good commercials we
want to watch become exercises in Guantonamo-style torture
tactics. It's unlikely that the independent mentality that governs the
Web will ever accept a uniform presentation standard to take
hold; the idea is just too conventional for an environment that
thrives on breaking the rules. That said an argument could be made for the discipline of a
Web-based video presentation format that tells an effective
marketing story in the most efficient and memorable manner. Form, Function, and Discipline Effective marketing communication is about telling your story,
whether it's a fifteen-second television commercial or a
thirty-minute infomercial. If you don't tell a story you
aren't communicating your message effectively. Because the Web doesn't require you to purchase airtime, your
video presentation once uploaded, is available 24/7 for all to
see, anytime they wish, as often as they want. Since you have this freedom of expression, you need to ask
yourself, what is the best way to implement this independence?
Do you follow the standard television format based on a
cost-per-second basis, when in fact the length of the
presentation is mostly irrelevant, or do you drone on for
half-an-hour boring your viewers to tears? There must be a standard format for Web video that makes sense
both technically from a time-to-download perspective, and from
an effectiveness standpoint, delivering the message in an
unforgettable way. Like with most things in life, discipline is very important,
video production requires the producer to be focused; it helps
keep budgets in line; and it delivers results because there just
isn't any room for extraneous self-indulgence. In addition,
following a standard format provides viewers with an
expectation, a promise that you will say what needs to be said,
and what they want to hear, in a reasonable and efficient amount
of time. The 120 Second Solution: The 3 Act Web Presentation Unlike cost-per-time formats, you have the freedom to fudge the
timing to meet your needs. On the Web, there is no sense in
cutting a presentation because it runs fifteen seconds long, or
adding superfluous material because it runs fifteen seconds
short. That said, it is a good idea to start with a structure
that allows you to build a presentation that works; a
presentation that has a beginning, middle, and end; a
presentation that tells a story viewers will sit through and pay
attention to. What we have come up with is "The 120 Second
Solution: The 3 Act Web Presentation." We arrived at this format by analyzing how the best storytellers
spin their yarns, the Hollywood moviemakers. Your standard
Hollywood movie contains forty scenes, three acts, and runs
approximately 120 minutes; yes, some movies run only ninety
minutes, and others run as much as three hours, but 120 minutes
is the optimum. If you accept the premise that commercial Web videos are all
about telling your story, then perhaps the best solution is to
take the standard, three act, one hundred and twenty minute
movie, and scale it down to a three act, one hundred and twenty
second movie. A Web Marketing Campaign Our recent thought-piece the "18 Web-Marketing Concepts That
Make A Difference (http://mrpwebmedia.com/ads/BradTapes/
18MktConcepts.html)" was introduced by six entertaining videos
comprising 'The Lost Brad Tapes (http://mrpwebmedia.com/ads/
BradTapes/),' that loosely follow the 120 Second, 3 Act
Web-Presentation Solution. Act One: The Setup Your first act is the setup:
(1) A proper setup needs to introduce your hero (every story,
even commercials, need a hero);
(2) It must contain an Inciting Incident that triggers action on
the part of the hero, and;
(3) It must also create an object of desire and define the
nature of success. By incorporating these elements in your first act, you attract
viewer interest, hold viewer attention, create viewer
expectation, and provide vicarious, virtual-viewer participation
through the actions of the surrogate hero. In the case of The Lost Brad Tapes, the inciting incident is our
hero, Brad's, failure to find the answer to the question, "How
do you become a website success?" Our hero searches the world
and endures countless hardships just to find 'The Man' with
'The Answer.' And who in business hasn't searched high and
low for some expert who could provide a simple solution to a
complex problem. Act one also establishes the object of desire, the knowledge
needed to become a website success, and it defines the nature of
success, finding the answer. Act Two: The Conflict Act two is about establishing conflict and building tension by
creating an obstacle that provides the motivational impetus to
act to resolve the problem. With each successive chapter (video) of The Lost Brad Tapes, our
hero runs into a roadblock in the guise of a supposed authority
who has other things on his mind, and who is ultimately of no
help, but who builds the dramatic tension that holds the
viewer's interest. Will our boy Brad, find the answer and will
he share it with you, the viewer? Act Three: The Payoff Act three provides the resolution: the object of desire is
secured and the need is gratified. The audience is satisfied
with the knowledge gained and the investment in time. Act three of the Lost Brad videos presents an attractive host
who interrupts the video and talks directly to the audience,
providing a teaser of one of the '18 Web-Marketing Concepts
That Make A Difference,' and points the viewer to the complete
article with the entire list of eighteen things to think about
along with a complete explanation of each. Conclusion The Lost Brad Tapes initiative is an example of how to produce a
marketing campaign that delivers a business message by telling a
story by following an organizational and development structure,
proven to be effective. It is not a sales pitch; it asks for
nothing from the viewer other their time; and it delivers sound
business advice that establishes expertise. If Web video is on your 'to do' list, but you're not sure how
to go about telling your story, then the 120 Second, 3 Act
Web-Video Solution is a good place to start.
Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design
firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit
http://www.mrpwebmedia.com/ads,
http://www.136words.com, and http://www.sonicpersonality.com. Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com
or telephone (905) 764-1246.
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