STORIES & INSIGHTSJANUARY 12, 2023
We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna Boyter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna below.
So many things. Haha can that just be my answer? I’ll elaborate on video content and creative direction since that’s what we’re talking about here (email me later if you want to talk more about employee retention and workplace culture).
Alright, I’ll just say what we’re all thinking. They tend to miss the mark when it comes to connecting with consumers with video ad creative. This is why we live our lives anxiously waiting for the “skip ad” button to pop up. What’s happening here is rather than valuing customers as unique individuals and taking into account their feelings and life experiences, they simply reduce them down to a set of statistics—a mistake that can lead to ineffective campaigns. As artists whose very mission is successful storytelling which resonates on an emotional level with audiences, we strive for greater empathy in order maximize our chances of retention.
Video is often the first time a person is introduced to a brand, concept, or new product. It’s a moment a brand can either capitalize on and begin a conversation with the viewer that can lead to a lifelong relationship, or they can screw it up by throwing out a bunch of boring ads. Where’s the romance people?! Audiences want more than just information; they want an experience. Humans want a story. They want to giggle and be wide eyed. They want something to believe in. Video content should give off all the vibes – the nostalgia, the humor, the sense of becoming a part of something amazing, the rise and fall of a crescendo, and throw in something a little bizarre to keep ‘em guessing. It’s thinking on a deeper level and working a little harder but – this is what dreams (and good ROI) are made of. Sometimes you have to stop chasing people stats and truly learn about the humans that live in that brand’s target market. That’s what we do as video creators, we connect people to brands like little digital match maker elves (you know, the kind with cute wings).
At Bear Hands Media, we know businesses have to contend with competitors packing big advertising agencies. We may be a little boutique, Houston based firm, but we are fierce. We use psychological warfare-like, highly creative video designed to eternally capture the hearts of consumers; skyrocketing our clients through a competitive market. ‘Cause you know, it’s not the size of the advertising agency that matters, it’s how loud they roar (see what I did there).
My team and I have been crafting films and video ad content since 2014. We’re based in Houston TX with a satellite location in Dallas. That said, we happily travel all over the world. Some of our most recent favorite clients are in Denmark and the UK but we always have a soft spot in our hearts for our home state, Texas based brands. We are a misfit group of artists that love working on content that helps connect people with companies that are making the world a better, more interesting place. We really enjoy the layering of different emotional triggers. For example, something can be really funny and also motivating but with a wistful sense of nostalgia all while taking you for a ride through a story that highlights a product that you just have to have right now! We have blast helping companies grow their brands and we dance. a lot.
From the beginning of my career, I felt the creative industry was broken in many ways including how we treat our artists as a society. Artists aren’t widely known as being the most valued or respected. We think they’re “cool”, we admire them, but creative services were also the first to get cut from pretty much anyone’s budget. The term “starving artist” is real life. It’s always been my mission to create an environment where artists can profoundly thrive and grow and are well-compensated for their work. Happy, healthy creatives are the foundation for a strong and enlightened society. It’s our job at Bear Hands Media to connect brands that need ridiculously good creative video with our insightful creatives that can help them communicate with their consumers and increase revenue. I view Bear Hands Media as like it’s own little ecosystem. What I found along the way, are the many more ecosystems that exist doing the same thing, which is such a blast! It’s heartwarming to see the world for creatives changing for the better.
I had to unlearn that your competitors were the enemy. When I worked in LA at the start of my career it was very cut throat. Competition was fierce, and we were constantly reminded by leadership that there was a “them” and there was an “us”. The culture was, you didn’t talk to them because they are out to get you and everything you hold dear. What I found, though, when I started Bear Hands Media, was our competition wasn’t our competition at all. In fact, they were our closest friends and allies. Your competition is who you can depend on and commiserate with and share clients with if you’re too booked and you need a trusted partner to step in and help out. These are the people who know what you’re going through more than anyone else in the world. Healthy competition even makes the work more fun too. And you know what can be scary thing for most small to medium sized businesses? An industry with no competition. Because an industry with no competition means you’re in an industry with no market which translates to a business either dead or dying. So do me a favor, get out today and go hug a competitor. You need them and they need you.
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Image Credits
Anna’s Main Photo by Roshan Moayed
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