Why Use Only Half?
Would you consider producing a TV spot or internet video ad with no images — just an audio track over blank screen? Of course not.
Then why would you produce one with ONLY images, and no copy?
I’ve always found the practice more than a little frustrating. When there’s no V/O or dialogue as part of your video, and the viewer turns his head, or looks at her smartphone, or is otherwise distracted away from the screen, the ad becomes worthless. If the viewer HAS to be engaged — HAS to be looking at the message to receive and process it — then I think you’re passing up an opportunity to make a stronger connection with your audience.
Meantime, when I’m watching TV, and a commercial break comes and I get up and head to the kitchen for my beverage of choice, from over my shoulder, I’m still able to hear…
And the advertiser STILL has a chance to make an impression on my thirsty and impressionable little mind. Because here’s the thing: While video doesn’t permeate consciousness unless you’re actually watching, sound still works, even if you’re not actively listening. Add a catchy jingle like in the above example, and a high-frequency broadcast schedule, and now you’ve got a formula for an effective ad campaign.
To put it another way: In your TV ad, you have the opportunity to both say something AND show something. Why wouldn’t you do both if you have the chance?
I find that the hardest part of making a video is choosing a good soundtrack. For short videos I can spend days to find the perfect tune, a good arrangement of sound fx, and the right mix of audio/video to engage the viewer. What you write in this article is true also on the internet. With tabbed browsing users are likely to play a video in a tab while watching some pictures in another one. Once you get the message, it doesn’t matter if you don’t watch some bits of the video, as long as you can hear it!
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