Brand new stories

Online video marketing is arguably one of the most effective forms of content marketing in this current market and is being used at touchpoints throughout the supply chain and with the consumer. It has quickly become a critical part of most businesses’ marketing strategy in recent years, with 92% regarding video marketing as highly important. 

In 2021, 86% of businesses used video as a marketing tool. This mainly due to the accelerated drive for digitalisation during the global pandemic that is Covid-19. Industry experts have predicted that by the end of 2022, 82% of all online traffic will be attributed to video content. 

Paul de Salis, Head of Marketing for Somfy Oceania, says the company has always been proactive in developing innovative solutions that take big leaps into the digital future. 

“With digitalisation as a key component of its global strategy, Somfy has been working towards the digitalisation of processes and operations in order to bring maxim value to the customer experience and its offer of services.”

Recently, Somfy developed a new digital campaign called ‘Find Your Balance’, with online video marketing forming a large part of the overall campaign strategy.

“Viewing behaviours have grown exponentially over the last few years”, says de Salis, 

“We’ve seen some great successes with our digital campaigns recently, when capitalising on the online video marketing trends”.

One particular video trend and platform that continues to perform well for Somfy, is advertising on YouTube via Connected TV (CTV).

“As of 2022, YouTube has over 2.6 billion users and is the second most popular social media platform after Facebook”, comments Mandy Francis – Digital Marketing Specialist for Somfy Oceania.

“All the tools that were once in the hands of television networks are now in the hands of businesses. Advertising on YouTube is a cost effective way of pushing your video content out there and you don’t need a lot of it.”

“Hosting your video content is free and advertising is available for all types of budgets,” adds Francis.

Somfy has also taken the approach of looking beyond the usual online video placements on social media channels such as Facebook and YouTube, and targeted audiences through Video On Demand (VOD) platforms.

“Given that most of us no longer plan our schedules around TV, VOD platforms allow audiences to consume content whenever they like. This allows us to serve up unskippable ads that target audiences based on specific content, demographics, behaviours and interests.”

“The advantage of using both CTV and VOD platforms means we have the ability to track and measure our campaign results and adapt accordingly.”

Somfy’s ‘Find Your Balance’ campaign launched in early August, with initial results already exceeding previous campaign benchmarks. The video element of the lead generation campaign features a suite of content which focuses on the awareness of motorisation, its benefits and Somfy. 

DIY BLINDS USES VIDEO CAMPAIGN TO “CHANGE THE UGLY”

DIY Blinds has launched a new campaign which is boldly stopping at nothing to ‘Change the Ugly’ in the home, the window furnishings industry and even ad spaces – hairless cat and all.

The ‘Change the Ugly’ platform aims to build awareness of DIY Blinds and their category-disrupting ethos.

The first campaign sees a series of beautiful, product-driven TVCs that showcase what the power of a good blind can do to transform any space – a refreshing change to the cliché lifestyle and heavy retail ads the industry usually deploys to assault the senses.

 “Rather than competing in a price race, we wanted to prioritise a message that would disrupt the industry – keeping in line with our business’ mentality. The platform is ownable, different and nailed our brand mission,” says Evan Montero, co-founder of DIY Blinds.

“Changing the ugly doesn’t stop at the craft. It’s a platform highlighting how DIY Blinds is also changing the ugly in the window furnishings industry. That means no pushy salespeople, no ugly imported products or lengthy wait times from ugly international shipping because everything is made right here in Australia.”

Matthew Bedwell, marketing manager at DIY Blinds says that when people think of home transformation, their first thought usually aren’t blinds. 

“Our first brand campaign was the perfect opportunity to remind customers of the power a good blind can do to transform their space. The ‘Change the Ugly’ platform also boldly differentiates DIY Blinds from our competitors who are reaching for the familiar levers of sales and promotions to drive business.”

INDUSTRY CREATES VIDEO TOOLS FOR DEALERS

Simon Meyer from Blinds by Peter Meyer says The Blinds by Peter Meyer Virtual Showroom is the perfect training tool and also enables dealers to use the showroom as their own. 

“The Virtual Showroom highlights products, can link from the dealer website to ours – and allows customers to see our products in operation as well as showing a snapshot of the technical specifications of every product in the entire range,” Meyer says.  

“Customers can literally enter our showroom in a virtual environment from their computer screens, travel throughout it and then click on hotspots located around the showroom that will then open short product demonstration videos and technical specifications.”

VIDEO ASSISTS NEW LOUVOLITE FABRIC LAUNCH

David Kennedy, Technical Sales Manager for Louvolite, says the company’s 2022 collection may be considered by some to be the most diverse collection ever seen in Australia.

“It is certainly one where a huge amount of deliberation has been given to both the content, including video, and the way that the trade or consumer can navigate through the programme,”  

 “There are almost 200 SKUs housed within the attractive Roller blind presentation system. Open the book and you are presented with two sections; the left hand section features all the light filtering fabrics, the right hand section features all the block out fabrics. But that’s just where the journey through the collection starts. Louvolite recognised long ago that most consumers have a simple single priority feature in mind when they are buying window shades – colour. To that end both sections of the roller blind programme are presented in colour spectrum.” Kennedy explains. 

“But the journey continues – when the industry presents printed or patterned designs they are typically grouped together by design range – so all of the colours within the design are grouped together.  

“This results in those consumers looking for a print or design needing to scroll through all the designs to find the right colour/design combination that suits their particular needs.”

“Not so with the new Louvolite programme, the team has merged each print and design into the appropriate and corresponding colour spectrum. This not only makes the navigation through the programme easier and quicker it also adds far more interest for the consumer some of whom may never previously thought of choosing their blind from a design or print selection. 

Kennedy says the result is a fabric programme that stands out from all others both in diversity and range. To help the industry take this message to their trade customers Louvolite have created a short video presenting the programme and explaining its content. 

This video can be found on the QR code at the end of this article