Since its inception, We Know Video has always had its feet rooted in these two things:

• Business growth as a whole and
• Video marketing.

I (Jack) didn’t just start another video agency because that’s where the trends led me. 

Initially, I went to a  business school at university to understand the intricacies of marketing, business management, growth, and leadership. But my passion was filming and video making. 

Our interest in video was inspired by a digital transformation in the business world where we saw video was becoming all the rage. 

Using video for digital marketing was becoming more commonplace than just seeing it on television.  

Before that, it was very unattainable for businesses to use video. 

I was always interested in the commercial aspects of video, using video to tell brand stories and grow an audience to facilitate customer engagement and acquisition. 

Long story short, we decided to launch We Know Video, a video production agency for modern-day businesses that want high-quality, creative, and cost-effective video content.  

Fast forward to +10 years after today, We Know Video has grown into an agency that works with brands like Canva, Uber, Adobe, and more. 

So far, our business roots and passion for video have helped us keep high standards and serve the best experience to our clients.
Over time, as I reflect on the current state of the video industry, it makes sense that things need to change.

Not just because some business nerd from Australia wants so but because most companies that come to us have the same feelings and pain points about working with other agencies and the type of video results they get versus what they expected.  

In this article, we highlight what’s wrong with most video agencies and why you, as an innovative brand, are struggling with making video work for you. We also share our perspectives on how to change things.  

Note: Want to work with an agency that has a fresh perspective on video? We Know Video has been producing creative videos for Canva, Adobe, Uber, and more for years and can do the same for you. Book a free consultation now.  

Why Most Video Agencies Fail Their Clients (From Our Experience And Clients Complaints)

As a marketing executive, you’ve probably, not once or twice, shared Steve Jobs’ marketing videos with your team, encouraging them to be as bold and creative as possible.

You probably even went to a video production company to make them produce a similar video. 

But up to now, your team members and the agencies have yet to succeed in producing such a video. 

Was it because Steve Jobs is smarter than all these people or because your company lacks Apple’s budget?

 Well, maybe. But the main reason most videos fail to engage and entertain people is because:

• Video as a marketing asset has been commoditised.
• Most agencies don’t have enough industry expertise.
• Companies struggle to integrate agencies into their operations as they are just execution machines, not creative partners.

So, we’ve decided to update our processes, systems, and production process to address these challenges — and as time went on, our agency stood out and aimed to be the best in the industry.

Here are some gaps and problems that most companies struggle with when they partner with video marketing companies.

Gap 1: Video as a marketing asset has been commoditised, making most brands reluctant as to whether they should work with video agencies anymore 

The biggest issue paining the industry is that video has become a commodity. Log in on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, and you can see for yourself. Creating video is now like shooting fish at a barrel; everybody is doing it.  

In an era where 99% of brands are searching for uniqueness, most video marketing agencies, especially in B2B and B2C, have become cookie cutters. 

In an attempt to keep up with trends and embrace opportunities stemming from the “It’s the era of video content” movement, these agencies are pushing brands to question whether video is a creative asset anymore.

To put this into perspective, more than 500 hours of video content are uploaded every minute on YouTube alone.  

Most of these agencies swear by the following:

• “We’ll create “N” videos a month.”
• “Each video will have a minimum duration of “N” minutes.”
• “You can post each video on social media.”
• “We’ll write the script, then produce, and then after comes the post production stage.”

Don’t get me wrong; it’s every video agency owner’s dream to be overwhelmed with client work and produce tons of content daily. 

We only take issue with the fact that video has gone from being a creative collateral to becoming just another type of content.

I remember back when video was still a thing of TV; producers used to be creative and mindful of every component of their campaigns. 

These campaigns, be it cereal campaigns or shampoo commercials, reflected the day-to-day of the viewers, and back from the sofa, when watching, we felt, “That’s spot on. So accurate.”

With video being commoditised now, the term “video marketing” becomes pointless because you can’t even measure the impact of your video on your audience. 

Fun fact, a Statista survey in the U.S. has revealed that 48% of companies that actively produce videos feel their organisation wasn’t using video to its full potential.

Most agencies would just say, “Well, over time, you should start to see an increase in views.” And now, brands are reluctant and wondering, is it true that video only has one purpose: to generate views?

In a creative world, video can be used for multiple purposes, from recruitment to increasing loyalty to acquisition. 

More importantly, just like how you feel every time you’re watching a Steve Jobs-led commercial, video should be able to differentiate a brand — and win them loyal fans. 

Gap 2: Most video marketing agencies only focus on execution and video output when they should be versatile and dynamic in the way they work with clients

Since the inception of our video marketing company, we’ve worked with hundreds of brands, from small fishes to sharks to the big whales, and from our experience, they’re only three types of companies:

1.  The Nike, Uber Eats, and Amex of the world who get video marketing and go to production agencies knowing exactly what type of video they need and why they need it.
2. Small companies who want to explore video marketing and need a partner to guide them through every step of the process.
3. Innovative startup companies that go to video production companies with bold ideas and want the agency to make it happen most efficiently.

To be fair, most companies, if not the average, fall somewhere between 2 and 3. They don’t just want to partner with an agency that excels at execution.

In fact, most of the time, video production services don’t even know what needs to be done or executed. They want the agency to walk them through each stage and guide them. 

Yet, most video production companies are just good at, well, producing what you ask them to. 

Why is this a big issue? 

Well, there are too many pathways to warming up and converting prospects in today’s online world. You or your target video production need to question what makes your audience buy, what they care about in a brand, and how to present your brand through visuals so that the audience identifies with it. 

For instance, some prospects care about environmental factors, some want to see the product in action, some want you to sell them the dream before they buy, and others just want to hear and see what other users think of it before they make up their minds.

More and more video production agencies struggle to factor those in and therefore fail when it comes to being trusted advisors to their clients. 

As a result, you only get flat videos that create no emotions whatsoever on the prospect side. 

Gap 3: Most video agencies are generalists who struggle to produce industry-specific or expert content

Picture this… 

You’re Nike. You produce shoes and fashion wear with the same attributes and features, like Under Armour, Adidas, and Balenciaga. 

How in the world will you position your shoes in a video commercial without making it sound and look like just another fashion brand video commercial?

Do you lean on your product’s eco-friendliness and material-resistant side, or do you go beyond commonalities and get witty, punchy, creative, and provocative in your video?
If that’s hard to envision, think about how Pepsi makes their commercials and how they stand out from Coca-Cola or how McDonald’s sets themselves apart from Wendy’s.

Now, watch a video from Zoho CRM, Hubspot, and Salesforce — and think about what makes these products different. At 98%, the information you heard in one of these videos gets recited in the other videos.

My point? A lack of a unique branding angle leads to content oversaturation and information overload.

In simpler words, most video production agencies haven’t really dipped their toes enough in the industries where they’re practitioning to the point it reflects in their output.

If you’re a B2B company looking for a video production partner, chances are your “so-called” partner is a video production generalist auto-proclaimed “B2B video specialist.”
Not all the time, but in most cases, most agencies are generalists. That, coupled with video commoditisation, isn’t improving things. 

When you’re a B2C brand, you should definitely work with an agency that gets direct-to-consumer marketing, how today’s consumers think, and how their emotions lead their behaviour. 

Most importantly, your agency should understand that what differentiates a brand from its competitors is not necessarily its product feature but the uniqueness and personality of the brand. 

Our Approach to Providing a Whole Different Perspective to Our Clients — And Positioning Ourselves As the Best Video Marketing Agency

When we started WKV, we weren’t this perfect about processes. Our positioning was not the best, either. 

But over time, we evolved and learned; we let ourselves be guided by client satisfaction and complaints and eventually became our clients’ dream agency.

We were able to devise an approach to video production and marketing that helps us create unique videos that are representative of our client’s brand and entice the target audience to take action or engage with our content.

That’s how we are able to address each of the gaps we find and produce stellar videos. Here is a breakdown of how we address those and our workflow to produce videos for our clients.  

Solution 1: We don’t productise our videos because we believe creativity cannot and should not be commoditised. That means each of our videos is unique, even when they’re from the same brands or similar brands. 

Here are some examples of videos we’ve recently produced:

• UberEats x KFC: The Bird Has Landed

• AACO x We Are Example: Modernising The Oldest Company in Australia

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Back to School

These are videos produced for industries and audiences that require you to:

• Push the boundaries of creativity and make the most complex and mundane things, like “KFC being now on UberEats” or “Cattle Station Lifestyle,” interesting, entertaining, and fun.
• Go beyond the corporate script and induce emotions and eagerness in the scenarios so the viewers can feel immersed in the content.
• Be original and evergreen in the way scenes are filmed and edited.

Notice the main element across the above requirements? 

No? 

Try again.

Eureka, you’ve got it.

It’s the almighty, elusive, and ever-so-fickle beast: creativity.

And objectively, when watching each of these videos, you feel the difference and how it’s not just another “me too” marketing messaging. 

As simple as they may look, these videos are:

• Impossible to replicate by competitors: If they do, it can be spotted and flagged immediately.
• Can be binge-watched: The Adobe video, for instance, never gets old and still is funny.
• To the point and drive the message home without audio: The psychological tricks and creativity poured into these videos speak volumes. 

This applies for every single of our videos. We take a unique process where we learn everything about your brand, product, and customers and how you use it to portray it. 

We believe every video should reflect your brand, tailored to your audience and goals. So, each of our videos is created with a unique perspective. 

We approach every project with a fresh set of eyes, considering your specific needs and objectives. Customising each video ensures your brand stands out and resonates with your audience.  

Creating a unique video takes time, effort, and expertise. We will work closely with you to understand your vision and objectives fully. We will then develop a custom concept and script that aligns with your brand, messaging, and marketing goals.

Indeed, we work on video output, the strategy and psych behind every image we include in the video, which takes us to the next solution. 

Solution 2: “Camera, light, action” is just one part of our work. We’re also a creative bunch that holds our partners’ hands and guides them through every phase — from ideation to post-production. Think of us as the video marketing department of your company. 

I’ve talked to many VP of Marketing, and every one of them has mentioned firsthand how crucial it is to have a video agency that can deliver on both creative and strategic aspects, ensuring that every piece of content aligns with their goals, resonates with their target audience, and drives results across the buyer’s journey.

Addressing the issue head-on, we use a full-service partnership model. 

Our creative experts and marketing strategists work closely with you to identify and understand your unique business needs, objectives, and target audience. 

By doing so, we can craft tailored video content that evokes emotion, aligns with your brand identity, and caters to your prospects’ diverse interests and preferences.

For example, we recognise the importance of addressing environmental concerns for some customers. To that end, we can develop content that showcases your company’s sustainability efforts, green initiatives, or eco-friendly products. 

But how on earth do you know what language style, tone of voice, and video type works with an audience if you don’t work with the brand hands in hands?

A mere engagement request such as, “We just launched and we need a video that showcases our product’s capabilities and uniqueness. Here’s our script.” is just not enough to guide a production agency’s effort.

Instead, we start from the drawing board and try to see the full spectrum of the project.

• What problem is your product or service solving?
• How does it solve the problem?
• What are other products or services that solve the same problem?
• What’s unique about how your product or service solves the problem?
• What three emotions would you like your audience to feel after watching your video?
• What type of audience do you serve?
• Is your audience the half-empty glass type or the half-full glass type?
• What emotions do people feel when they fail to solve the pain points above?
• What could be the potential consequences of not solving the problems? How does that impact their lives?

We then use these insights to craft scripts and scenarios that reflect your brand, your audience, and their pain points. More importantly, we heavily infuse personality into each asset in the video. 

Personality is a great catalyst between brands and their audience. It’s what makes people say after watching a video, “Love it! So funny and to the point.” The Adobe video is an excellent example of this.

As a full-service partner, we also understand the value of providing guidance throughout the entire buyer’s journey. 

That’s why we work with you to develop a comprehensive video marketing strategy that incorporates content for every stage — from raising awareness and nurturing leads to closing deals and fostering customer loyalty.

Solution 3: We take pride in being good at one and only one thing. That means we know our industry in and out — and if we can’t help you, we’ll be transparent about it. 

At WKV, we take immense pride in our ability to excel at one thing: producing exceptional videos that elevate your brand’s message and hook your individual consumers. 

We are experts in our field and know the B2C industry inside and out, enabling us to deliver the highest quality work aligned with your needs.

We know your company is facing an audience of many individuals, and you must reach each one with your marketing message. 

This requires creating a highly targeted and personalised approach because consumers have different needs, preferences, and behaviours.

We know how you feel.

Our team has a deep understanding of the direct consumer audience. We have the talent and logistics to create compelling video content and experiences that resonate with them. Here is an example of a video campaign we assembled for NRMA.

We have gained an in-depth understanding of our industry through 10+ years of experience. These videos are the product of a highly efficient and streamlined process for creating and delivering video materials to direct consumers.

Even if you’re facing intense competition and need to be able to respond quickly to changing market conditions, we got you covered. 

Our creative team can monitor and analyse market trends and conceptualise a unique, flexible approach to video marketing that can demarcate your brand from other companies and create videos that live through the years. 

Here is an example of an evergreen video we produced for Microsoft. 

Our team combined animation and live-action footage to beautifully illustrate how Microsoft’s e-learning software helps educators prepare kids from school ages K-12 to be future-ready.

So, partnering with us means you can expect exceptional videos that showcase your brand’s message in the best possible way. 

Our team comprises experienced videographers, editors, and marketers who work collaboratively to produce videos that meet and exceed your expectations.

As well, we believe in transparency and honesty in everything we do. If we cannot assist you with a specific project, we will inform you. 

We understand that every project is unique and requires a different set of skills and expertise, and we always strive to provide our clients with the best possible service.

Let We Know Video work on a video project for your business.

Our talented videographers and marketers are dedicated to producing high-quality, stunning videos that will tell your stories and help you connect with your audience like never before. 

We understand that you have a unique story to tell and a specific audience to tell it to. That’s why we take the time to get to know your brand, vision, and target audience. We ensure that every video we produce is tailored to your specific needs. 

So, if you like what we do and are tired of video marketing services that don’t understand your target audience or can’t create video ads or video marketing campaigns that help you stand out, let’s work together. More importantly, if you want a partner that:

• Has experience in your direct customer/B2C industry
• Has expertise in creating both animated video and live action video materials
• Can produce videos that are representative of your brand and target audience
• Makes every video unique and true to your vision and business goals
• Understands your unique branding angle and has the creative team to create evergreen videos that outperform your competitors’ 
• Works on both not just the execution but also helps you with the strategies and concepts
• Uses psychological data to determine audience behaviours and produce videos accordingly

Then you can reach out to us now. We are hands-down one of the best video marketing agencies and you can collaborate with us if you need:

• brand videos
• explainer videos
• case study videos
• social media videos
• animated videos
• video strategy
• corporate videos
• educational videos
• etc.

Note: Want to work with an agency that has a fresh perspective on video? We Know Video has been producing creative videos for Canva, Adobe, Uber, and more for years and can do the same for you. Book a free consultation now.