I spent years making “hero” videos to launch campaigns.

Here’s why that’s a bad idea and what to do instead.

Why you should stop making one big campaign launch video

❌ Betting on one video is a huge gamble

Our video Five Ways to Disrupt Racism got 35 million views but it was actually our backup idea, after our main video concept flopped. Why put all your eggs in one basket?

❌ You don’t have insights before launch

Posting lower cost social media content lets you understand what language and messages resonate with your audience.

❌ Timing is everything

A video does much better when it connects to public conversations instead of being uploaded on an arbitrary campaign launch date.

❌ Consistency is key

A hero video commissioned externally often doesn’t bear much similarity to other campaign content. Meaning the audience that loves the video may not convert to loyal supporters.

What you should do instead

✅ Explore creative approaches with low-cost formats

Start with text and image posts to quickly see what creative approaches cut through with your audience.

✅ Upcycling assets for social and video content

Successful Twitter threads can be turned into Instagram carousel posts and press releases can be adapted into video scripts

✅ Make more videos

Adopting simpler video styles like smart-phone presenter videos means you can create several videos for the cost of one higher budget video.

✅ Build internal capacity to respond rapidly

Building in-house skills will let you jump on current events and massively improve your performance.