Jeremy Peppers of POP! PR fame nicely summarizes online video’s impact on communication in the social mediasphere. It’s a breathless, optimistic view of the future, with links galore. But Peppers cautions marketers about using video wisely.
Rule No. 1: keep it away from the ad people.
How should video be used? First, most importantly, it should be used when appropriate. In this social media rush, firms and corporations rush out to put everything together in one campaign. It does not make sense, though. Video is a great way to get your message across, but companies need to remember to have an honest voice, not messaging [emphasis mine]. It’s one of my lines about social media – hand it over to PR rather than advertising, because PR is used to talking TO people, not like advertising that just talks AT people.
Well put. Also this: “[O]nly use video if it makes sense. New demo to showcase? Video it and post it in the newsroom and on YouTube. Just don’t try too hard, and it should be fine.”
Andy writes! 
Thanks. It’s really, really important to have that honest voice, and I don’t think that can be stressed enough.
Giving a speech tomorrow at Cal. Maybe I’ll scream at them about it. :)
I hope the speech went well, and that it wasn’t a screech of a speech.
I find that screaming doesn’t help. I remember my dad, the reformed smoker, screaming at the cocky 18-year-old that was me to quit smoking. Did I quit because he screamed? No way. It just made me dig in my heels even more.
Andrew