Communications Examples
Effective communication is an essential piece of any planning process. A compelling narrative, told through an integrated, multi-media approach, can help move your project from vision to success. Increasingly, our clients are adding audio-visual communication techniques to their toolkits.
This page provides an overview of 3 different visual communication approaches. Video examples of each are provided to help you identify which approach is best suited to your project communication needs. When exploring the options, keep in mind the following questions:
- What are your communication goals?
- Who are you trying to reach?
- At what point during the project do you intend to release the video?
- What are your final project deliverables and how do they relate to intermediate deliverables?
Please contact us for more information about how we can help you produce a multi-media communication strategy. e.
Section 1: Explainer Videos, Advocacy & Animated Infographics - Simplifying the complex
The purpose of an explainer video is to convey a concept in the quickest, simplest way possible. Think of these as an elevator speech. Animation is often the best approach for explainer videos, as it helps convey information to the visual learner while the voiceover explains the concept backing up what you are seeing while supporting the auditory learner. Following are several explainer video examples that illustrate how this style can be used to educate stakeholders, constituents, or the general public.
Deloitte - M&A Trends
This simple animation summarizes a dense technical report. It's designed to give a top-line overview and act as a "teaser," enticing people to find out more about the report.
Deloitte - Analytics Symposium
Designed as a meeting opener video, this explainer videos is a fun, animated infographic. The Deloitte Analytics Symposium brought together people who work with data and encouraged them to think about the big picture and craft stories from that data.
AASHTO - Transportation Future
Aimed at congressional representatives, this video draws attention to the nation's deteriorating transportation infrastructure and highlights the dire need for future investment to repair and expand it. The video exemplifies using a story to lay out a point of view and advocating for action. It is also an example of effective use of two dimensional animation.
Duke Energy - Net Metering
This explainer video presents a complex issue - solar net metering - in a way that's understandable. This video takes a definitive viewpoint on the issue and the illustrated stop-motion whiteboard technique lends itself well to this video format.
Section 2: People, Places, Testimonials - Exploring the human element
The stories we connect with the most are inevitably human ones. Watching a crane operator work, hearing a tale of trial or sorrow, or experiencing uplifting stories of people overcoming the odds; we can picture ourselves in their shoes and feel what they feel. This is why testimonials and documentary-style storytelling is powerful. The following videos are examples of organizations getting their message across utilizing the human element.
North Carolina Ports - "We Keep This Port Running"
People are at the heart of the North Carolina Ports system. Their service, dedication, and knowledge set the NC Ports apart from their competitors. This video was produced to showcase the people who keep the ports running. It puts you in their shoes so you can see the pride they feel in their work. The viewer gets a real sense of what it's like to work and the port and its important role in the state's economy. This video has multiple audiences including potential clients, employees, legislators, and the surrounding communities. It was captured over the course of two shoot days.
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance - Building Operators Certificate
This is a good example of a testimonial. This videos is one of a three-part series that have completed NEEA's Building Operator's Certificate. The viewer hears directly from an individual about how they've learned by taking the NEEA course to gain efficiency and save money. This was done in a one shoot day, which included sit-down interviews with the subject(s) and several hours of filming them in the course of their daily work.
Tobacco Reality Unfiltered - "Justin"
One in a series of six spots for North Carolina's anti-smoking program, this campaign focuses on powerful stories from those adversely affected by tobacco use. A short story, powerfully told in Justin's own words.
Section 3: Presentations - Impressing the audience
This section contains several ideas on how to take presentations to the next level using animation and video.
University of North Carolina - Strategic Framework
This is an example of an animated presentation placed inside of PowerPoint. The beginning of each slide is the exact same as the end frame of the last slide so it appears seamless. While the presenter talks, the animation illustrates the points, coming to a resting point so that the presenter can continue or take questions. Then the next sequence is triggered by the presenter advancing to the next slide. (For ease of viewing, the videos are in a YouTube playlist here rather than inside the PowerPoint.)
University of Florida - College of Medicine
This examples shows several slides from a large presentation that included both text and video profiles. There are animated section headers, some infographics, and a video. (Videos have no sound. This is a playlist, so keep watching after the first video ends.)
UNC Health Care - live presentation
Although this short clip does not convey the full scope of the projct, the idea behind this presentation was an "Inconvenient Truth" style speech. As the presenter reads from a prepared script, animated infographics appear on the screen behind him perfectly timed with the script. This is a very simple animated infographic style that works well for presentations.
We welcome your questions and comments. Please contact us, and together we can scope a multi-media communications approach for your next project.