Project Spotlight – June 2021 Posted by John Assalian on July 15, 2021 VIDEO Emerge – Agent Sizzle Video Emerge is reinventing freight procurement. Their Digital Freight Marketplace provides access to benchmarked rates and thousands of trusted partners to maximize cost savings. A key user persona for this marketplace is the Freight Agent. Viewstream was selected to produce a high-energy sizzle video showcasing the innovation of this technology and the unfair advantage it provides to the Agents that use the platform. “We do a lot of explainer videos for tech companies here at Viewstream, but every once in a while we get our hands on a truly exciting innovation. Emerge is doing some really disruptive stuff in an industry full of stale solutions. Putting together this aggressive, energetic piece was a real treat. The in-house marketing team was a joy to collaborate with and bounce ideas off, and the end result was something we were all proud of.” Aiden FishbeinAccount Directorafishbein@viewstream.com DOCUMENT DESIGN Cortex® Xpanse™ – Asset Rebranding PROJECT DELIVERABLES: White Papers, Case Studies, PowerPoint Presentations, Datasheets, Landing Pages, Email Templates, Infographics, Video Titles, Video Lower 3rds, Banner Ad Design With Palo Alto Network’s December 2020 acquisition of Expanse Inc. (a leader in attack surface management), the Expanse brand was primed and ready for a fresh make-over. With an in-house agency overseeing the transition to a new brand name (Cortex® Xpanse™), logo creation, and template development, the Viewstream team was tapped with a massive digital asset creation and rebranding initiative, including the development of over (30+) brand resources including White Papers, Case Studies, Datasheets and more to support and promote the all-new Cortex Xpanse product offering. “The security industry is fast-paced and extremely demanding of marketers — not all agencies can keep up. The Viewstream team is always ready and produces exceptional quality work. They fit in perfectly with our work processes and are a natural part of our team.”Alex Yakubov | Director, Demand Generation, Cortex “The 90-day rebranding initiative was an all-hands-on-deck project that tested Viewstream’s talented resource capacity, and we were able to meet the challenge head-on. In the end, the Viewstream team was able to successfully deliver 100% of the Cortex Xpanse assets on time and on budget. It was truly a huge win for everyone involved.” Jeff CarterAccount Managerjcarter@viewstream.com DID YOU KNOW? Viewstream does Remote Video Production How do you produce a documentary in the age of COVID-19? Using the Viewstream Virtual Studio, of course! The pandemic has made video production, from Hollywood features to corporate video content, difficult to produce. While we haven’t found a solution (yet) for contactless blockbusters, you CAN keep the conversation about your product alive, with the Viewstream Virtual Studio. Best regards,The Team @ Viewstream
Project Spotlight – May 2021 Posted by John Assalian on June 8, 2021 VIDEO Lexus Collision Assistance Lexus wanted an ultra-modern video to show off the collision assistance feature in its new app. Viewstream created a semi-futuristic 3D environment and made a complete 3D model of a Lexus vehicle to show viewers how the collision assistance feature works. “The middle section of this video features an interactive sequence where the phone user is performing a number of tasks in the workflow. To make this human-phone interaction sequence look true to life, Viewstream filmed a hand model in our production studio to make sure we get each swipe, each tap, and each gesture. In post-production, we accurately sync the hand movements to the pre-recorded app workflow.” Andrew AssalianSVP Accountsaassalian@viewstream.com WEBSITE Prosimo.io Launch Package Prosimo has come up with a radical new way to empower a true multi-cloud infrastructure strategy that allows users to deliver apps that are fast, secure and cost-optimized. As part of the full launch package production, and in addition to being tapped to design and develop the Prosimo.io website , Viewstream was tasked with distilling their technical offering into infographics that could transmit their value proposition cleanly, quickly, and beautifully. Deliverables: Infographic strategy and design, diagram design, presentation deck design, eBook design, website information architecture, design and development, video and motion graphic production, interactive infographic design and development, interactive assessment design and development, banner ad design. “It’s always a thrill to work with early-stage technology companies, but the Prosimo launch was particularly engaging. Conceiving of visuals and interactive experiences that communicate complex concepts such as “Application Experience Infrastructure”, was certainly a challenge, but we are incredibly proud of the end result. This project touched almost everyone at Viewstream at one stage or another. It was a full team affair and is a great example of the wide production skillset we offer.” Aiden FishbeinAccount Directorafishbein@viewstream.com Best regards,The Team @ Viewstream
A No-Fluff Guide To Branding Posted by John Assalian on April 8, 2021 If you’ve sat through a branding meeting recently, you’ve probably seen it: the slide deck filled with fuzzy, all-caps words like “authentic” and “caring,” fancy slides labeling your company as the “feisty underdog challenger” and all sorts of other fluff. (“Fluff” is the polite term for this type of thing; I can think of another word.) This isn’t branding. Or, at least, it’s not what branding should be. At its heart, a brand isn’t about a series of pretty words, but rather owning a favorable position in the customer’s consciousness. Do that and you’ve won the branding game. Here’s how: 1. Start With The Customer And Competitive Landscape Customers typically want to know what they can get from you, and why they should get it from your company instead of from someone else. Cut through the color schemes and fonts and lists of core values and ask yourself the following: What are people looking for from your company? And what are you already delivering? The answers to these questions are far more important than any buzzword or cliché. Think for a moment about the world’s best-known brands and you’ll see just how clear the customer value proposition is in your mind. For instance, I can’t list Apple’s core values off the top of my head, but I can tell you the company is known for creating beautiful, user-friendly devices. I can’t tell you anything about Nintendo’s latest branding deck, but I can tell you that it’s one of the world’s leading companies for family-friendly gaming. That’s what effective branding looks like. Remember that brands exist in a larger ecosystem. This is the real reason that design decisions like color schemes are so important — they set your company apart from the competition. I’ve seen branding decks that include a competitive landscape matrix where nearly every box next to the company’s name is checked off. This is a major red flag. If a branding agency is trying to convince you that your company can be all things to all people, it’s time to go elsewhere for your advice. 2. Prioritize Substance Over Style Many people think of branding largely in terms of logos, websites and other design elements. But you can have a sleek, modern design and customers still might not have any idea what your company does or why they should care. That’s why it’s important to start with strategy and then let that drive your design decisions. Another common mistake: People get bogged down with lengthy conversations about things like purpose, promise, tone and core values. Yes, these are important, but the leader of a company should be able to articulate these four things fairly quickly. This should be the easy part. The branding team should spend the bulk of its time and effort on more tangible things like competitive landscape, brand architecture, customer value proposition, customer pain points and go-to-market messaging. Even more importantly, these branding decisions must be backed up by action. Look at a company like Southwest Airlines. The brand is anchored by the idea that it takes care of its customers, but this lofty ideal doesn’t live solely in a branding deck. Instead, the airline takes concrete steps, such as allowing customers to change their flights without paying a fee. Any other airline can claim to be caring, but when customers get charged an extra $100 to switch to an earlier flight, they’ll instantly see through the branding nonsense. 3. Embrace Simplicity Beware of branding bloat. A client recently asked us to do specialized branding for their human resources department, but we turned down the project. “You already have a brand,” we told them. “Use the strength of that brand to recruit new employees.” Also, it’s usually a mistake to include a very large group of stakeholders in brand meetings. It’s great that branding is no longer just a marketing function, but conversations can quickly become muddled when branding teams are trying to please people from sales, human resources, corporate social responsibility and other departments. Make branding a strategic function that starts at the top. Finally, be incredibly skeptical when an agency rolls out an overly complicated branding methodology. Branding may not be “easy,” but when it’s done right, it tends to be fairly simple and straightforward. If a branding agency’s approach seems complex or tedious, cast a wary eye. And if they ask you to define 25 different terms before you even get started, run away. By taking a pragmatic, business-focused approach to branding, you can connect with your customers, set yourself apart from competitors and cut out the fluff — or whatever you want to call it. Read the full trends article here.
Project Spotlight – March 2021 Posted by John Assalian on April 8, 2021 VIDEO Verimatrix App Shield Viewstream partnered with Verimatrix to rename and re-brand their popular app security offering now known as App Shield. Changing the name from ProtectMyApp to App Shield provided the opportunity to create an explainer video for this SaaS product and assist to re-brand and modernize the brand identity and messaging. Verimatrix App Shield is doing something that no other company in the world is doing — offering professional-grade mobile app protection in a SaaS model. The App Shield video by Viewstream tells this story. “Communicating about cybersecurity offerings and data obfuscation in a succinct and attention sustaining video required advanced storytelling abilities. The Viewstream creative approach blended 2D and 3D animation, motion-graphics and iconography to reflect concepts like protecting devices across the stack and making available the highest level cryptographic shielding to everyday app developers. Nuanced VoiceOver and a custom audio backing tracks set the mood and kept the pace lively.” Andrew AssalianSVP Accountsaassalian@viewstream.com MOTION GRAPHICS Scholastic Pre K Scholastic has created a complete educational program that is suitable for both the traditional and the virtual classroom. With a bright and colorful brand, our team had the opportunity to create a fun yet educative video showcasing some of their most famous characters. What a treat! We really wanted to highlight some of the best features the program offers, as well as the variety of solutions available to get your little ones ready for their next scholastic adventure. “As a father of young children, having the opportunity to work on a video for Scholastic Pre-K program was truly a gift! It was a great opportunity for our team to break away from the more typical work we do for high-tech or medical companies. Our team of designers and animators really embraced this opportunity, and ultimately, delivered a fantastic video we are all very proud of!” Ben LopataDirector of Productionblopata@viewstream.com VIRTUAL EVENT Global TouchPartner Profit Journey Calculator Global Touch helps their clients grow through partners and building new capabilities, so when asked to help on something that plays a key factor in that, Viewstream couldn’t resist. To play a role in an important part of a clients business is what gets us excited over here at Viewstream, so developing and making consistent updates to the Partner Profit Journey Calculator has been a great experience. “Working with our developers to execute the Calculator and ensure Global Touch is getting the exact information they need has proven to be a smooth process with great results!” Tarah Kraft Account Managertkraft@viewstream.com Best regards,The Team @ Viewstream
Project Spotlight – January 2021 Posted by John Assalian on February 2, 2021 VIDEO Celsius Energy Drink Celsius asked Viewstream to showcase the growth of their line of energy drinks in a way that matched the energy and zeal of their consumers. Our creative team developed a look and tone that speaks to both the lifestyle and fitness sides of their brand, using fast-paced editing and type animation to tell their story in a bold and exciting way. “Working with new clients is always exciting, especially when it’s a fresh project like this. Nailing the right tone and visual look for the video was quite challenging, but after breaking through those initial challenges it was a joy to take it to the finish line. I’m really proud of what our team accomplished!” Travis DixonCreative Directortdixon@viewstream.com MOTION GRAPHICS Adobe Captivate Prime Launch Adobe Captivate Prime is Adobe’s award-winning enterprise Learning Management System (LMS) to train employees, partners, and customers. Adobe Captivate Prime integrates seamlessly with popular martech platforms such as Adobe Experience Manager Sites and Marketo Engage. For its launch, the Viewstream creative team came up with a treatment that the client loved. We went through an extensive storyboarding process and our animation team brought the video to life. “We were tasked with creating a bold and exciting launch video for the new release of Adobe Captivate Prime. We’ve won Telly Awards for each of the previous Captivate Prime launch videos, so we knew we had to knock this one out of the park. We assembled our A-team of creatives who came up with a treatment that both exceeded the clients vision and expectations.” Don SparksDirector of Account Strategydsparks@viewstream.com VIRTUAL EVENT MEZ Creative Virtual Event In an ever-changing world, more and more events have been transitioning to immersive virtual experiences. For this year’s annual National Sales Meeting, MEZ Creative’s client Intersect ENT decided to do the same – for the first time in their history. There are dynamic elements that had to work in unison including multiple agendas per day, concurrent streaming, world-wide attendees, and coordinating our IBM Watson Platform to work at scale – which we were able to execute securely and seamlessly. “I love the idea of being able to bring people from across the globe together in our digital age with virtual events.” John HackettSoftware Engineer DID YOU KNOW? Viewstream does Virtual Events Whether it’s for an audience of millions or a small sales conference, Viewstream creates lasting impressions with our Virtual Events practice. Our practice has grown significantly for clients like Adobe, Deloitte Digital, CDW, ESRI and a lot more. Recently we partnered with MEZ Creative and Intersect ENT to deliver the best experience for all viewers for their annual sales conference, now done online. Event featured thirty plus video presentations, live moderated chat, zoom conferences, and a lot more. Connect with us for a private demonstration and learn how we change businesses with our virtual event practice. Email john@viewstream.com to schedule a demo. Best regards,The Team @ Viewstream
Project Spotlight – December 2020 Posted by John Assalian on December 22, 2020 VIDEO Adobe Connect When Adobe Connect came to Viewstream to tell the story of Las Vegas EMS Training center, we were very excited. But with COVID-19 shutting down education all over the country, the Las Vegas EMT training center was faced with a new challenge: How to educate first responders when classes cannot be held in a traditional way? Viewstream interviewed all of the stakeholders to develop a story that would both relate the urgency of the need for classes, as well as demonstrating the power of adobe connect. Once we knew the full story, we sent the stakeholders the Viewstream Virtual Studio (VVS). The VVS allowed us to record the subject’s on-camera interviews remotely without the need to send a crew. For the subjects, the experience is similar to a zoom meeting, with very little setup required. “It was an honor to create a documentary about the training of front-line workers in the midst of a global pandemic. And when a client has a great success story to tell about their product, it makes our job a lot easier! We are not working the front line, but at Viewstream we are trying to do our part by empowering brands to create content in the safest way possible.” Tom JaggerVP of Onsite & Virtual Productiontjagger@viewstream.com WEB & BRAND Framed & Matted Back in 2013, Framed & Matted pioneered the online custom farming category and they continue to make it better every day. They are devoted to helping their customers build their dream frame by offering just the right amount of customization and curation backed by high-quality materials. Inspired curation. Easy customization. Attention to detail. Framed & Matted – Inspiration Captured. “Working with Framed & Matted to uplevel and strengthen their visual identity as well as sharpen and refresh their overall brand strategy and messaging, was extremely rewarding. Key to reshaping this brand was looking closely at not only the Framed & Matted core customer base but also the competitive landscape in order to fully understand how the category had evolved since they first launched this pioneering service.” Maureen Serrao ColeVP of Accountsmcole@viewstream.com DID YOU KNOW? Viewstream does Remote Video Production How do you produce live production videos in the age of COVID-19? Using the Viewstream Virtual Studio, of course! The pandemic has made videoproduction, from Hollywood, features to corporate video content, challenging to produce safely. While we haven’t found a solution (yet) for contactless blockbusters, you CAN keep the conversation about your product alive, with the Viewstream Virtual Studio. Best regards,The Team @ Viewstream
Project Spotlight – November 2020 Posted by John Assalian on November 30, 2020 VIDEO Intel Geospatial Explainer Video AI-powered visualizations. Geospatial data. Game-changing insights. Welcome to Intel Geospatial! Now, create a video that communicates a complex platform in a simple and eye-catching way. Hello Viewstream. We created a simple, engaging and eye-candy like video that shows how Intel Geospatial changes the Geospatial game. “Collaborating with the Intel Geospatial team was a creative joy as they combine both art and science to tackle real-world problems like fire risks and other visual inspections. Check out the video to see how we merged high tech with human touch.” Rob McLayVP of Creativermclay@viewstream.com DIGITAL MARKETING Deloitte Digital + Adobe This marketing initiative was a cobranded campaign (Deloitte Digital + Adobe) around the Experience Management as a Service offering, using an account-based marketing approach. We employed TAL (Target Account List) based on awareness of both Deloitte Digital’s customers and potential prospects targeted to industry later. We set up tests, observed results, and made decisions based on data to optimize conversion rates. Using this methodology allowed maximum agility to adjust the campaign cadence as needed. “The Nat Geo campaign by Deloitte Digital and Adobe took a lot of collaboration on the back end from setting up the event’s webpage and linking to the lead collection and follow-up. By working alongside the client’s media and development team we were able to create a seamless experience for guests who registered for the virtual event.” Kaelyn TanakaOperationsktanaka@viewstream.com VIDEO Viewstream 2021 Reel In the world of video storytelling, a “reel” is a visual statement of who you are and what you do. For us, it is an expression of the quality Viewstream is known for and what prospective clients can expect when working with us. It is not only a way to showcase our work to the world, but it is also for US; a team-wide celebration of recent accomplishments and a visual shout-out to and spotlight on our amazing artists we work with every day. A proud scorecard of past work and how we’ve grown over the years, a powerful snapshot of where we are today, and a glimpse of how we plan to leap in the future. We hope you enjoy the piece! We sure enjoyed making it 😉 “Finding the right clips that highlight our best work, recrafting our story using only on-screen text elements from our client’s videos…always a creative challenge, but we’re always excited to take it on. The key was also to find the right music track! We really wanted to bring out the high end/modern feel of our works, and showcase the variety of industries we serve.” Ben LopataDirector of Productionblopata@viewstream.com DID YOU KNOW? Viewstream Does Customer Research & Analysis! Our team of data analysts and business brand strategists have developed a “persona” offering. This facilitated framework leverages client data to identify and flesh out customer personas that each describe a unique segment of customer demographics. This delivers true customer and brand alignment. Interested in learning more about this offering? Schedule a consult by emailing jplank@viewstream.com Best regards,The Team @ Viewstream