Short videos – To do or not to do?

This article is the fourth part of a five part series outlining Momentum Academy’s In Focus: Marketing and Growth – Beyond Google and Facebook, which happened on 27 May. Here is the first part, second part, and third part. 

To find more about the event, email us at [email protected] and you can watch the recording here.

With TikTok’s rise in popularity, short videos have become a strategic marketing tool for brands to engage with their audience. 

Though different brands use different types of short videos, we can generally categorize them into two types:

1. Content short videos: These are created by influencers and is similar to sponsored videos on YouTube where brands contact influencers to create curated content. Since there’s a limited time frame, influencers usually introduce products directly by demonstrating the products in a strong and vivid way.

2. Storyboard short videos: Brands contact advertising agencies to create the content and publish them as advertisements on platforms. Storyboard short videos are more expensive but are more creative and interesting. They can also be more effective in terms of reaching out to a larger population.

However… A few storyboard short videos have also been embroiled in controversies. 

Do short videos always work?

In one of their short videos, an online lending company had publicized themselves as a lending product and an ewallet. Apparently, the ad gave the false impression that the loan amount was ewallet balance.  

In fact, in 2020, Beijing Administration for Market Regulation fined Kuaishou and Douyin for publishing this digital lending product’s ad because the content promoted excessive consumption. 

The brand apologized and claimed that it was produced by a third-party agency and they will terminate the cooperative relationship with the agency.

Effective if it isn’t misleading

On one hand, it actually shows that the video campaign was effective in promoting digital lending products with eye-catching content. However, with regulations coming in, marketing and publicity for financial products should be developed carefully such that it isn’t fraudulent or misleading for consumers.

When you have all these channels and marketing tools to access your audience, how do you control these materials? How do you want your message to be delivered such that it isn’t misleading to your audience?  

These are questions everyone should think about. I believe this goes beyond a simple review process, and requires the organizational culture to deliver the right message.