Who would have ever thought that the most buzz-worthy brand commercials would have been shot on an iPhone? How do you know if your customer would be interested in a six second video? Ask Lowe’s. The home improvement giant has been dabbling with short form videos since late 2013. They are creating these mini how-to films on Vine and Instagram to reach their customer in a more meaningful way. And it is working.
Vine is a Twitter platform that loops six second videos created on mobile devices. A new Tap Thru function allows the viewer to pause these videos. “Fix In Six,” which was introduced in 2013, and “Tap Thru How To,” which was introduced this month, are allowing Lowe’s to brand themselves as a helpful home improvement resource, instead of a straight up nuts and bolts retailer. The “Fix In Six” series featured household tips, which included using a rubber band to remove a stripped screw or using a hairdryer to remove stickers. This prompted such engagement with fans that they continued the concept by asking customers to share their own tips. “Tap Thru How To” illustrates seemingly complex projects broken down into 10 easy steps. The videos can be paused via Vine’s new Tap Thru function. Instagram’s Hyperlapse platform allows users to easily create time-lapse videos. Lowe’s created a third series via the social media outlet called “HyperMade” which shows people creating household items with traditional home improvement supplies in fast-forward.
Through all of this, Lowe’s is telling customers “Yes, you can build a fire pit, install a backsplash, or build and hang an industrial shelving unit.
Oh, and by the way, we can teach you how to do these things in six seconds.”
So, what is the value of these videos for Lowes? Exposure is definitely on the list. Collectively, the videos have 13,645 views and 845 shares. The Vines alone have been looped over 537,000 times. Lowe’s now owns 41% of the home improvement market and has seen a positive increase in 2014 sales. Perhaps the most important aspect of this campaign is that Lowe’s is setting itself up to be the approachable authority on DIY projects. Their brand image is growing in popularity due to the fact that they are willing to embrace new media and reposition themselves as a project-based company and not a product-based company.
Tom Lamb, Chief Marketing Officer at Lowe’s, explained that listening to their customers not only indicated what they wanted, but how they wanted it. “What consumer behavior is forcing us to do is learn to be incredibly concise,” Lamb explained. (Please note two elements of Lamb’s statement: consumer behavior + learn to be.) BBDO, Lowe’s marketing agency, felt the short videos were the way to do this. Will Boudreau, BBDO’s Executive Creative Director, explained that sharing DIY tips via short videos was the “perfect vehicle to bring them to life and make them shareable and fun to watch.”
If you take away one thing from this post, it is not that short videos are the way to boost your social media presence. (Although in some instances that may be true.) Ultimately Lowe’s is listening and reacting to their customer in a way that is relevant to their interests and lifestyles. They are willing to take the leap and try new things in order to relate to a broader market.
Lessons to be learned from Lowe’s:
- Listen to your customer. What you think they need is not always what they want.
- Be willing to try new things. What you’ve always done is not what will always work. New forms of contact are introduced every day. Explore new options.
- Just because something is easily done doesn’t mean it is done well. Lowe’s used an agency and a film professional for iPhone videos. You don’t need to go that far, but we are here to help with creative and technical direction for all of your marketing.
Your company has every opportunity to gather customer feedback and act upon it. While your company is customer facing, you must be willing to let us, as your marketing firm, guide you in the direction of the most lucrative means of connection. Whether it is a six second Vine, a 16 page sales brochure, or a 60 second radio ad, we will ultimately provide you with the direction your company needs via research, design, and marketing execution. While things like Vine and Instagram are easily enough created with an iPhone, that doesn’t mean that they are done well without direction. Let us provide that direction for you and keep your brand cohesive so your customer can relate and build a relationship that is valuable and sustaining.
Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jstar/129150613 via Creative Commons
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