Video content is a superb way to garner engagement on Facebook. Clearly, you can use videos to promote across social media, but it works particularly well on Facebook.
Recently, I was tasked by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra to promote their concerts. One concert featured the three-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis playing with the ASO.
Perhaps other marketing people can empathize when I say it’s hard to create from nothing. In other words, what does a marketing/communications/PR person do when there is barely any video footage that’s legally allowed to be published?
Due to orchestra unions, copyrights, performance agreements, etc., it can be very difficult to market a concert using video footage.
One option is to create a video using available classical video footage of an artist and visuals of the ensemble. Here are the results from two promo videos that showcase the saxophonist while providing visual acknowledgement to the orchestra.
Video #1
Saxophonist Branford Marsalis to perform with Allentown Sympho…
WATCH: Three-time GRAMMY Award winner Branford Marsalis joins us for our opening gala! You certainly don’t want to miss this defining event in downtown Allentown.TICKETS Saturday, October 15https://www.millersymphonyhall.org/calendar/event/347/TICKETS Sunday, October 16https://www.millersymphonyhall.org/calendar/event/348/Or call the Box Office: 610-432-6715Concert Sponsor: Alvin H. ButzConductor Sponsors: Senior Solutions, OFFIXMedia Series Sponsor: WDIY 98.1 FM
Posted by Allentown Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Video #2
We're less than one week away from our spectacular opening gala at Miller Symphony Hall. Join legendary saxophonist Branford Marsalis in this unforgettable program of Villa-Lobos' Fantasia for Saxophone and Orchestra and Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5. Also on the program, the Allentown Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven’s mighty Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” that many people will recognize from movies such as the King’s Speech starring Colin Firth.TICKETS Saturday, October 15https://www.millersymphonyhall.org/calendar/event/347/TICKETS Sunday, October 16https://www.millersymphonyhall.org/calendar/event/348/Or call the Box Office: 610-432-6715Concert Sponsor: Alvin H. ButzConductor Sponsors: Senior Solutions, OFFIXMedia Series Sponsor: WDIY 98.1 FM#Allentown #PA
Posted by Allentown Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, October 9, 2016
I secured permission to use video footage of Mr. Marsalis taken from different performances, separate from the ASO. Then, I used a combination of photos, audio, and existing video footage to stitch a promo together for the concert using iMovie.
It’s not perfect, but if you are creating from nothing and have a zero-dollar budget to create said video, this is the best option from my perspective.
The end result? The first video garnered over 8,300 views and the second over 7,300.
In upcoming posts, I want to explore other ways in which I used videos to promote artists on Facebook.