By now you have most likely heard through the grapevine (last “vine” pun I promise) about Twitter’s new Vine app and it’s many pros & cons. Many call Vine the Instagram of video as it goes beyond static images by allowing for 6 seconds of context tied to pictures, motion & sound in the form of looping videos optimized to be shared.
Twitter launched Vine on January 24th, 2013 and it has not left the top 20 in the app store since launch. Vine’s six second video loops are quick, lightweight pieces of content that are ideal for social sharing. Initially launched via a mobile app for iOS (Android app in development) this high-level version of an animated gif is quick & easy to capture. Just point your device, touch the screen and the app records up to 6 seconds allowing for starts & stops.
According to Tech Crunch, Vine (2.8% penetration) has taken an early lead over the likes of Viddy (0.5) & Socialcam (0.2). There is significant opportunity tied to short form video assets & social sharing as the same article referenced that 98% of overly active users shared photos whereas only 4% shared video.
With the recent changes announced by Facebook and the importance of visual content that drives engagement, having the opportunity to create short-form content may be a powerful tool for brands to consider.
Vines can be a powerful addition to a solid content strategy. Whether it’s showcasing supplementary branded content or simply finding a relevant extension of your brand to highlight, Vine can provide yet another option to keep users attention.
Here are 12 examples of Vine in Action:
1) Drive awareness to an experiential event
BeatsByDre teased the opening of it’s SXSW Pill Clinic with this Vine.
2) Share Unique Branded Experiences
Urban Outfitter’s SXSW alien teased via Vine
3) Highlight Brand Advocates
Kid Robot highlighted a user’s Vine
4) Pop-Culture Co-Creation in Action
Houston Texans merge their fans & brand with pop culture relevance
5) Preview Products
Intel is leveraging Vine to preview technology
6) Highlight a Cause
OKC Thunder highlighting a social cause via Vine
7) Extend the Brand Persona
Trident is using Vine to extend the core attributes of their brand
8) Preview with visual context
Warner Bros. promoting a movie with relevant context
9) Share Important News
Kickstarter announces a record
10) Drive promotional awareness
Sacramento Kings showcasing promotional items
11) Leverage Vine for promotion
Regal Cinemas leveraged Vine as part of a promotional announcement
12) Fan Appreciation
Chick-Fil-A show fans appreciation via Vine
Be aware when leveraging Vine that there are issues with quality control, as the current version does not allow moderation. The focus should be less on community building & aggregation and more focused on creating content that is then distributed through owned channels.
Also note that it is important to determine the message that is to be conveyed and ensure that it ladders back to the core attributes and persona of the brand prior to just filming.
Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360
