Top 10 Universities Making Branded Video

By Megen Musegades |  Executive Producer, Branded Filmworks

Most universities have a ways to go to break into the viral video age.  Perspective students are going to be relying on social media more and more to help make their higher education decisions.

Recent research shows that online video users are expected to double to 1.5 billion in 2016, (Cisco) and 92 percent of mobile video viewers share videos with others (Invodo).

Universities are going to want to hop on board the video train. We were happy to see these early adapters putting so much creative and thoughtful attention to their videos.  This list is based on YouTube and Facebook subscribers, as well as interaction with subscribers and the variety and creativity of their videos that offer a sense of what their university community is about.

1. HARVARD UNIVERSITY 

Harvard is very good with diversifying their content.  There seems to be a little bit of everything on their YouTube and Facebook pages, offering a good sense of "college life" at this prestigious East Coast University. For each post on Facebook, there are many shares, likes and comments, helping to make this University number one on this viral video list.




2. STANDFORD UNIVERSITY 

Standford's viral video strength lies on their facebook page, their facebook fans love to comment and share their videos.  However their YouTube page is also chock-full of great content, including videos of campus life and news from the work of their professors and students. 



3. FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY

Full Sail University is an art, music and film school.  With that said, it is one of the best sites in this group for really showcasing their students work.  Due to the fact that many of their students work involves video, that may make it easier to do.  The whole online community Full Sail creates, shows perspective students what they can expect.



4. UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX

The University of Phoenix is an online university and is doing very well.  As an online school, it would make sense that it's students look to social media for school information.  It's YouTube subscribers aren't nearly as large as some of the other universities on this list, but their social interaction is strong.  Also, many of their videos have had views in the hundreds of thousands and even some in the millions. U of Phoenix partnered with NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and are making a series of his time there.

5.  MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT)  

MIT puts all of their courses online for people all over the world to view free of charge.  They also have a separate, easy-to-use site to help you find everything you need to know and more about MIT.

6.  ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY 

Arizona State University captures student life very well on both their YouTube Channel and Facebook page.  They have a wide variety of video programming.



7. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

The University of Michigan's YouTube channel is probably the most organized and easy to use of all the ten listed here.  They've combined their landing page to include all their channels into one.  It really looks like you've tuned in to the UM station.




8. TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

While the majority of facebook posts are sports based and their most popular youtube channel with over 10,000 subscribers is their athletic department, Texas A&M knows what their subscribers want and get a lot of interaction on both sites.




9. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

The University of Pennsylvania does a great job with their youtube page.  Their videos are well-rounded and offer a good sense of what the University has to offer.  There's also lots of feedback on their posts.



10. LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Louisiana State University's YouTube page shows the schools sports pride, but it also has a nice section featuring different events happening.  Including the first ever open house of the libraries special collection section, showcasing some of the rarest historical artifacts and literature.

Sprint hits it out of the park with Jones & McDowell

Ever since I was little, I would get excited for certain commercials.  Sprint has a new series called "At Sprint, Everything's Important" that makes me un-mute the commercials when I see James Earl Jones and Malcolm McDowell appear.

My favorite one so far is titled Totes McGotes.  This is a great campaign, there is something for everyone.  There are renditions of a couple texting while trying to find each other in a store, a girl checking her facebook page, to another person checking emails.  AdAge talks about the launch in this article, if you're looking for more information.

A Cat's Guide to Advertising

This video from Tidy Cat, is smart.  Previously Sad Cat Diary.  It's a funny little video that you want to share with all your cat-loving friends.  The voice-over has a Ron Burgundy feel to him.

"Besides that cute little tuft on their heads, humans are for the most part, sadly, hairless.  During the day they cover themselves with little body blankets. You must donate your fur to these articles whenever possible. Each night you must curl up on their faces or they will freeze to death."

Enjoy.

Top 10 Hotels Making Branded Video

By Megen Musegades | Branded Filmworks

Most hotels have a long way to go, but these top ten are setting a good example. There are some unique and charming web series online.

This list is based on YouTube and Facebook subscribers, as well as interaction with subscribers and the variety and creativity of their videos that offer a sense of their company life and mission.

1. JUMEIRAH HOTEL & RESORTS

Jumeirah Hotels are luxury hotels based in Europe, the Middle East and Far East.  One quick look at their youtube channel and you will see they're not joking around with luxury.  Each hotel looks like a fantasy.

In their latest video, they partner with Red Bull.  "To celebrate, Infiniti Red Bull Racing's 750bhp Formula One car became the first to run and do donuts on the Burj Al Arab helipad.

Burj Al Arab's distinctive sail shape makes it an icon of modern Dubai. Its duplex suite-only accommodation, host of private butlers, chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, Mercedes and helicopter airport transfer service cause it to be constantly voted as the world's most luxurious hotel."




2. HYATT

The Hyatt is good about adding videos often and giving viewers a solid idea of what is important to their company.  One of their campaigns is called #InAHyattWorld.  The campaign centers on mini documentaries of Hyatt employees helping out strangers with little things to help make their day more pleasant.  In this video, they hand out umbrellas during a rainstorm.  They also have a video where employees open doors for people all over the city, and another where they offer free juice refreshments on a warm day.




3. FOUR SEASONS

The Four Seasons looks like they encourage their staff to participate in their social media efforts by adding a variety of helpful tips and information on the cities each hotel is in.  This keeps their youtube page up to date and full of useful information.  They have a nice series called "Concierge Recommends" and while I wish the quality of the sound was better, the concept is good.

Another nice web series they have is the wedding series.  They film different couples' weddings that take place at their hotels and turn them into mini documentaries that help showcase the hotel, but also share the couples story, which is ultimately what makes viewers keep watching.





4. HAMPTON INN

Hampton has made up a new word, "Hamptonality", to show off their special type of hospitality.  The latest videos posted on their youtube pages are stories of football and football fan give-aways.  Searching a little further back you can find videos on how they're helping improve their communities, Hampton staff volunteering to help at the Boys & Girls club in Atlanta, or the story of how they opened their doors to people displaced by Hurricane Sandy.  However, my favorite video from Hampton is this sweet documentary about TJElevatorFan and what they did to make this child feel important.




5. HOLIDAY INN

The Holiday Inn recently put in lots and lots of benjamins to improve their hotels.  Along with the renovations, they've added a musical web series to show off the improvements.  They took real customer reviews and turned them into song.  Some of the videos are as short as 16 seconds, which can be used for Instagram, and others are a bit longer, like this one showing their new, almost sound-proof, rooms.





6. BEST WESTERN

Best Western has a variety of web series, including one with Cesar Milan offering tips on traveling with pets to showcase their pet-friendly hotels, but my favorite series is their Best Western Indie Films.  Best Western is a franchise, so they decided to showcase the different individuals and/or families that run some of the hotels.  It's a great way to showcase the care and attention that goes into even an economically priced hotel chain.




7. W HOTEL

The W likes to push their music and fashion interests in many of their videos, but my favorite is their Four Stories series.  It is clear from their videos and facebook presence that they're looking to attract the "cool crowd" or at least those who want to be part of it.  They know their target demographic and they execute their strategy well.

For the Four Stories web series, the W Hotel partnered with Intel and chose four short screenplays out of almost 1000 submissions.  Four Stories was created  "to identify and support rising visionaries in filmmaking, and provide them with a platform to share their talent with audiences around the world."  Of course the films were shot in various W locations.  The one below is directed by Actress/Writer/Director, Lake Bell.




8. KIMPTON HOTEL

Anyone who's stayed in a Kimpton hotel knows they have a unique, fun touch they put on things.

Their videos do a good job of showcasing who they are as a company and what's important to them.  I hope they keep building their page with more "how to" videos.  Also, their "Meet Mat" commercial with the Ron Swanson-like mustache yoga mat is adorable.  More of that please!



9. HILTON HOTELS

Most of Hilton's videos are more or less beautiful tours of their different hotels.  They have the most facebook fans of any of the hotels we've included in this top ten list.  Their last video was posted about three months ago.  They helped kick off Market Days as part of their "Stay Hilton. Go Out" campaign in Chicago and had a concert featuring Steve Grand.

Hilton has so many subscribers, they will hopefully keep adding more videos like the concert and maybe take note of the personal videos that Best Western and Hampton are making that they can add to their mix.





10. SOFITEL

Sofitel has been good about adding videos often, showcasing a different hotel every time.  They were also one of the few hotels listed that had a link to their youtube page on their facebook page.

While it's great that they keep adding new videos, they are a bit boring and more like moving slideshows.  Hopefully they're working on adding a more personal touch to up-coming videos.

Old Spice Guy Goes to the U.K.

Old Spice is creating a new series with their "Old Spice Guy", Isaiah Mustafa.  This time he is on the search across the pond, to find "Gentlemanliness".   According to AdAge, "Old Spice will release a number of its trademark social-media videos, where Mustafa will share his views on the quirky regional differences in gentlemanly behavior across Britain's biggest regions and cities."

Here is the launch video.

The Growth of Branded Video According to Unruly

RIP Nelson Mandela

Thank you Nelson Mandela. Your light touched the whole world. May we take that light and continue what you have taught us; equality, forgiveness and compassion for all.

I read a recent comment on this video I'm posting that summed things up well for me.  The comment says, "He was among the last and least I know whom humanity can trust with closed eyes. I am sad to learn such a good and great person is no more."

"Yeah bitch, Meteorites!"

Aaron Paul has teamed up with Bushmills Irish Whiskey again.  The latest short is called "The Sting - Cooking up Meteors".  This is fun content, it had me hooked from beginning to end.  Basically it opens with Paul sitting around a table with his buddies, drinking Bushmills and telling stories.  The story we come in on is about a prank (whether it's real or fiction doesn't matter) Paul and his buddy played on another friend.

Paul is a good storyteller and the animation provided fits perfectly with the story.  Bushmills does a great job of creating an atmosphere people want to see themselves in.  I hope there's more to come.

Top 10 Clothing Retailers Making Branded Video

By Megen Musegades |  Branded Filmworks

Many clothing retailers are hopping on board the branded video community.  Most retailers feature videos of models showcasing their clothes. We went in search of retailers that offered a more thorough look at their company culture and also those who had an easy communication with their subscribers, making everyone feel like they're part of the same community.

This list is based on YouTube and Facebook subscribers, as well as interaction with subscribers. We also looked at the variety and creativity of their videos.


1. LEVI'S

Levi's has a good amount of YouTube subscribers with strong interaction.  Their page is organized well, offering videos on Levi's Culture, Women's Style, Men's Style, Collaborations and Events Videos.  Levi's videos do a great job of making you want to be a part of their cool club.



2.  MR PORTER 

As an online store, Mr Porter has got it down.  The culture they share on their youtube page alone makes you want to order everything on their site.  The epitomy of cool, their videos make you feel like if you follow their rules, you will be a successful artist/banker/writer/you name it.







3. PRADA

Prada's latest short is directed by Wes Anderson (director of such quirky films as Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums,  Fantastic Mr. Fox). Need I say more?  Their videos show a classy brand that doesn't take itself too seriously.  At least it shows that they like to have fun, serious fun, and their subscribers and fans love it.





4. MODCLOTH

Modcloth knows their fans well.  It shows in their youtube and instagram videos.  Their videos are not just models wearing their clothes. There are Make-up tutorials, DIY crafty videos and of course styling tips for every decade.  They are also doing a great job of keeping the videos coming every week, making you come back for more.




5. H&M

H&M has a lot of subscribers to both their youtube and facebook pages, however they've disabled the comments section on their youtube videos which makes it easier for the company to manage, but it takes away the community it's trying to create.  This is one of the reasons that, although they have the most subscribers of the ten listed, they're fifth on the list.  H&M does a good job of keeping the videos rolling out with interviews and events and fashion shows.




6. HUGO BOSS

Hugo Boss' youtube homepage is nicely organized and easy to use.  You get a clear idea of the fashion shows and the videos do a good job of connecting elegance with the brand.  They also have a webseries of a "behind the scenes" fictional love story called "Shanghai Affairs".  You can shop the outfits from the "movie".





7. J. CREW

J. Crew calls their youtube page jcrewinsider.  It makes you feel like you get to be part of the jcrew club.  They have a great variety of films.  They seem to post a series of films in waves.  Hopefully they'll start adding videos more frequently because they're fun to watch and offer a good glimpse of what it means to be a part of the J. Crew community.



8. GAP

GAP is another company that is starting to offer a more well-rounded youtube channel.  You can get style advice from costume designer Jenn Rogien, listen to musicians in their Back to Blue series and watch their latest documentary short series with Tony Bennett and a group of NYC students, supporting Arts Education.





9. ANTHROPOLOGIE

Anthropologie is doing a great job of creating a variety of videos that show the vibe their brand wants to create.  The videos make you want to leave your regular life behind and start cooking everything from scratch and live in a beautiful old farm house where you spend your time writing your novel.  Their latest video features window designer Ashley Nardone showing all the care and detailed attention she's put into her latest installation.




10. STYLEMINT

StyleMint has slowed down making videos unfortunately, but the ones they have made are fun. They have videos showing a variety of outfits for individual pieces, style advice from different people in the fashion industry, or my favorite, funny short and sometimes interactive videos staring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson.  Maybe StyleMint could take some advice from Mr Porter and start shooting mini documentaries of fashion-forward individuals wearing their items.





What are your favorite clothing channels and/or videos?

Unilever Project Sunlight

Unilever has launched a new campaign and the video has generated over 2 million views already on youtube, it has the makings to be quite successful.  It's called Project Sunlight.  Here's the info from their website:

"We believe there has never been a better time to create a better future for our children; a world where everyone has enough food to eat and no child goes to bed hungry.
Where every child lives to their fifth birthday and has the right to a happy childhood.
Where every home has enough water to drink and to wash, cook and clean.
And where everybody can enjoy life today while protecting the planet for future generations.
Project Sunlight is a movement that has already started.
It’s made up of a growing community of people who believe it is possible to build a world where everyone lives well and lives sustainably.
Who recognise we can only achieve this if we all work together to do small actions every day that make a real difference.
And who inspire others to join us in making this the way everyone chooses to live."

In this short documentary, Unilever interviews prospective parents about their fears for their child and then shows them a short film about what they hope to achieve with Project Sunlight.  The strength of this video lies in the words and actions of the parents.  It's beautifully done, if I could make one critique it would be to include more of the parents, their thoughts, hopes and fears and less of the video.