The video creation industry has experienced various developments and disruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring industry players to step up their game or risk being left behind, according to Isaiah Saw, Head of Nuffnang Malaysia’s RTV division (pic above). RTV is the video marketing arm of Nuffnang Malaysia, a subsidiary of ASX-listed Netccentric Ltd., which specialises in influencer marketing solutions.
“Videography is not what it used to be, and will remain a disruptive industry in the foreseeable future. Livestreaming or live videos, motion graphics, and animation have all seen an increase of demand,” he explained.
“Meanwhile, ‘remote shooting’ – where the client directs the shooting process at a different location from where the shoot takes place – is becoming more popular, albeit with the possible caveat of reduced ‘quality’, as such a setup could be more basic.
“Given the constraints that COVID-19 has imposed on a local and global scale, RTV has also pivoted with clients’ needs and demands, by proposing and supporting the appropriate video marketing strategies in the current pandemic climate,” added Isaiah.
Nuffnang Malaysia’s comprehensive influencer ecosystem enables the company to offer a range of services to its clients, including brand campaigns, CSR, and live commerce, amongst others. RTV’s capabilities lie in online video production, social media content management and communication strategy research.
One area which Isaiah has noticed gaining more traction recently is in the production of live videos, or livestreaming.
“Livestreaming is not just about brand launches or videogames any more. Live video productions have been developing tremendously over the past years, and they come in various different forms: live selling, live chats, live make up, and so on.”
Given RTV’s experience in working on an increasing number of live video projects, Isaiah noted that there were several key success factors that streamers/influencers and clients should take note of.
“Firstly, clients and influencers shouldn’t treat live videos as 60-minute ads, but rather, as 60-minute conversations with their viewers. A shift in mindset is needed to take this as opportunities to build better relationships with our consumers. Live videos are interactive and authentic by nature, and they should remain that way, so that viewers get that we care for them.
“Secondly, like all content, consistency is key. Live videos can be produced in a simple way with high frequency – on a daily basis or throughout the week, depending on the need. With a high frequency and consistency, we are able to generate more ‘face time’ with the viewers. Facebook in particular, rewards consistency with results, by putting the videos we created in the recommended tab. This brings in new viewers to come to know the brand.
“Thirdly, influencers – especially the right ones – are pivotal for any live video campaign. Having a very recognisable face can help to grow the numbers and metrics. Given the right matching of products and influencers, we are able to pull in their followers to come to know the brands. Viewers are generally thrilled to be able to ‘speak’ to their idols. This is the closest we can get to a meet-the-fans session.”
Isaiah reiterated that RTV’s goal was to ensure that its clients get creative yet pragmatic video marketing solutions.
“We understand videos can be a high-cost investment, and seek to make the experience worthwhile for our clients.
“We recently launched an initiative called RTV Lab to run qualitative studies for clients who want to understand and explore their content, with the backing of data and insights from the field.
“Our team of experienced video producers, designers, and performing artists, combined with Nuffnang’s other influencer marketing solutions, makes us the ideal choice to build brand visibility and credibility during this time.”
RTV’s customers include Guardian Malaysia, Royal Canin, Abbott, NIVEA and Hasbro.
Guardian Malaysia was certainly full of praises for RTV.
“The pandemic has been disruptive and forced us to be agile. With the help of RTV, we explored remote shooting and live streaming and we were still able to push out content on a regular basis despite various hurdles, said Siti Sara Ain, Digital Marketing Senior Executive of Guardian Malaysia.
“The efforts certainly went a long way in helping us maintain a certain level of visibility in the market and capitalise on increasing traffic on social media platforms.”