No Images? Click here

Flying High and Getting it Right

Hi there,

In every industry there are things we have to go over time and time again: induction information for new staff, product explainers for clients, OHS refreshers for the whole company ...

It could be explaining the company vision and direction. Outlining the structure of the business. Clarifying reporting lines. Giving a summary of a process or way of working. Showing how a product is made.

But in a changing world, there are some things that don’t change. For airlines it’s the pre-flight safety videos. We all know the language, almost off by heart.

“Keep your seatbelt done up low and tight.”

“Your life vest is under the seat.”

“This is a non-smoking flight.”

But we tune out. On my recent flight (and here’s a little article on how my adventure was a little more adventurous than anticipated) I couldn't help but notice that most people just weren't paying attention to the video message. Or even watching the in-flight demonstration right in front of them.

We’ve seen it before. We think we know it. But it doesn’t stop the airlines needing to articulate their safety procedures. So how to fulfil their obligations, whilst keeping your attention?

You do things differently—give it a twist whilst always maintaining focus.

Air New Zealand is brilliant at it.

From Hobbits in the Air, Betty White in a Retirement Village or the fabulous Men in Black musical number.

And check out the Virgin Atlantic animated Safety Clip

People loved these. They shared these. They listened and watch and retained these. And that’s all anyone can ask.

And if you’d like to get people thinking about the same thing differently with your business, we’d be happy to help.

Feature Video: Squirrel CRM Hub

We’ve proudly showcased the video we made for Squirrel CRM Hub before, but it’s got squirrels in it, so we thought it was worth talking to business owner Kylie Harker and find out how the Sketch Videos experience worked for her.

Kylie, what made you think of a sketch video for your CRM business?

We wanted a simple way to explain how Squirrel could help business owners and we wanted to reach out in an interesting way because 'business systems' can sound pretty boring! Our philosophy is keep it simple, find solutions and no jargon which I felt this style of video met that perfectly. 

What about the process?

I felt the process was really collaborative and we were given the guidance we needed in the right areas like the voice selection. There was a lot to choose from and this could have been overwhelming. The team incorporated our feedback well and weren't afraid to say 'perhaps that won't work' if necessary. 

And the important bit—what’s been the impact?

Response has been overwhelming positive. We use the video in our proposals and it's getting views on our website often. I've shown the video at networking presentations and it's really connected with business owners who can relate to the character's pain points. The response is often 'that's me!' which was exactly the outcome we were looking for. 

Thanks Kylie. We hope you’ve stored enough nuts for the winter!

 

Could your organisation benefit from a similar video? We'd love to help you get your message out there. Get in touch!

 

Are you set for a funky EOFY?

Spruce up your spreadsheets. Make your summary something special. Make your financial year look fabulous. Show rather than Tell.

Time's ticking down but we're eager to make your corporate document a little more creative. Ask us how.

 

Sketchy Stories From Istanbul

I recently had the good fortune of being invited to present at the UX Alive! conference in Istanbul, Turkey. It was a huge honour to talk to the crowd of 500+ people about careers in design and the process of growing Sketch Videos to the business it is today.

I made the brave (some would say foolhardy) decision to live sketch my slides, rather than rely on Powerpoint. I'd only tried this approach once before, and while there were a couple of minor hiccups (the camera kept changing focus on me) overall it worked well, and I received some positive feedback.

On that note, if you're looking for a conference presenter with a difference, get in touch. I'm really enjoying some of the public speaking opportunities that are coming my way lately (especially those in foreign countries!) 

 
 

Doodle A Day

Do I really do a doodle a day?

Not quite. I didn't miss a beat for the first few months. But life gets in the way. I do create a doodle fairly often, though. Here's a selection from this month:

Follow along for your daily sketch fix on Twitter or Facebook.

 
 

Until next time, keep warm ...