On both my professional and personal lives, I come across and consume a lot of online video. Memes, news stories, sports and so on. As a marketer I sit in dozens of brainstorms each month with companies on varying ends of the video spectrum. Many have barely dipped a wary toe in the water while a small few are testing, learning and refining in exciting ways.
This week came across on old AdWeek interview with video guru David Droga that caught my attention. Having moved from traditional TV spots to a digital focus, Droga speaks the language of marketing/PR (i.e., obsessed with telling a compelling narrative) but has the creative expertise of how to break down the differences between each medium. He poses strong questions, serving as direction for creatives who are embarking on the digital video journey. When it comes to digital video content, Droga asks “Why would [consumers] share it?” and “What is the content asking, instead of telling?”
Droga’s commentary undoubtedly elicits some smirks around marketers and creatives as well, driving home the point that “There isn’t a client in the world who doesn’t want to create something that goes viral. But going viral is not a strategy, so you have to look beyond that…the idea of emulation, particularly online, is a flawed strategy.”
I strongly encourage you to carve out a few minutes this week to read the full length Q&A with Droga. There are points throughout that will resonate with PR, marketing and creative teams currently assessing and navigating the ever-evolving landscape of digital video.
