Insight: Gamers prefer real-life product videos vs the CGI alternative
By Research & Data team.
That’s the overwhelming feedback from the Dialect Gamers’ Panel. We presented our gaming audience with two alternative approaches to the tech product explainers that are widely used to drive ecommerce conversions.
Option 1: The commonly used CGI format that substitutes a 3D model for the real product. This approach layered on additional SFX bling in an effort to elevate the product, and took a full minute to play out.
Option 2: A live action video that shot the actual product using motion-controlled, robotic technology. The full 360 flyby was completed in 20-seconds and the product was unadorned by graphics - bar sparing annotations that highlighted the USPs.
The response from gamers couldn’t be clearer: simple is best.
Minimalist presentation instills confidence in the product
The more cinematic the video, the less believable
Informative beats theatrical
Shorter is better
Two quotes summed up the panel’s findings:
“I liked the plain, simple, straightforward design of the [live action] video. How it gave me a 360 view of the entire headset and it showed me specific features that it has. That was a very clear way of communicating what it does - no graphics, none of that stuff. Straight-talking about the product, makes me feel that the company is very confident in the product that it made.”
“The [CGI video] took too long to get to the point, it was just stalling. I think they were doing too much, they need to be more simplified.”
Our take
When consumers are making their purchasing decision, they want straight-talking conversion videos.
Or, as one of our retail sources put it, “Make it as unmarketingy as possible.”
Use real images of the real product
Get straight-to-the-point
Keep it simple
Resist the urge to be flashy
The upshot? Less cognitive overload for the consumer. Greater product recall and higher conversions for brands.
Less is more
Ditching the CGI and SFX does not mean you need compromise on quality. Our motion-controlled, robotic filming techniques enable us to make beautifully concise, minimalist product videos in one flowing take…
Aside from delivering exactly what consumers want, a motion-controlled workflow enables us to crank up our content machine to eleven! We deliver cost efficiencies and a blisteringly fast production process by eliminating the multiple shots required by traditional live action video.
What’s more, by using programmable robotic tech - plus AI to accelerate storyboarding - our process builds in precision sequences that can be instantly reconfigured to provide endless creative options.
We’ve produced motion-controlled product vids for Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg and Costco, so let us know if we can help you.
If you would like to discover more about our integrated approach and work together on a project, get in touch.
