Our summer intern series continues, this time starring Malik B. Salahuddin who will enter his senior year this fall at Wesleyan where he has a double major in Film and English. Through the 4A’s MAIP internship program, he is working at Ogilvy’s NY hub. Here, he reflects on what he has learned during the agency’s 2nd annual Advanced Video Week. Take it away, Malik.
Before starting my internship at Ogilvy & Mather, I knew next to nothing about advertising beyond watching Don Draper chug whiskey and reading David Ogilvy’s many musings. Nonetheless, my time at Ogilvy has been an exciting, new adventure.
I came to Ogilvy through the 4A’s Multicultural Advertising Internship Program (MAIP), which provides students with ad agency internships. In addition to the 10-week internship cycle, MAIPers collaborate on a summer project and attend weekly seminars at various agencies after work. As a result of MAIP, I’ve had a rich variety of ad industry experiences.
One event in particular helped shape my experience and understanding of the industry.
On June 25th, Ogilvy’s Advanced Video Practice launched its second annual Advanced Video Week during which video and digital gurus from companies, including Unruly, Google, and YouTube, gathered at the agency’s headquarters on Manhattan’s West Side to discuss the value and intricacies of digital video. Having heard about the event through my manager, I took the initiative and talked my way into photographing the goings-on for the Advanced Video Practice, giving me an excuse to freely attend every presentation.
Throughout the week, I tried to absorb as much as possible. From presentations on using digital video effectively to a full panel that discussed YouTube’s effect on the digital landscape, I saw and heard it all.
Of all the great presenters, Ogilvy’s own Rob Davis [ed: Davis heads Ogilvy’s Interactive Video practice] impressed me the most. He talked about “the viral video myth”—that what most clients think of as “viral video” is not a magic trick, but a result of precise planning and strategy. I actually missed this presentation during the week but MAIP enabled me to see it later because Rob was scheduled to present this topic again during a MAIP seminar.
According to Rob, the right mix of paid, owned, and earned media helps a campaign gain the “second click,” which occurs after a consumer watches a video. This interaction is crucial to a video’s success because it can combine interactivity with the power of social media in relation to reaching consumers.
Other ideas that became large themes of the week included:
Digital video won’t kill TV, but TV will be irrelevant without it. Every presenter stressed that digital video and traditional TV were not mutually exclusive. The advent of smart TV’s means digital video is becoming integrated across all media and devices. Any campaign should be informed by an understanding of digital video and its place in consumer’s daily lives.
Marketers can use digital video to pinpoint consumer segments and measure levels of interactivity. YouTube and YouTube Analytics are powerful forces in determining the success of digital content. Any campaign that uses digital video should be measurable in terms of views and interactions.
The collective knowledge and analysis of video that week blew my mind. Ultimately, my journey to understanding digital video and its place within the industry has been enlightening, and it will serve me well as I continue to learn.