CUT THROUGH THE CLUTTER
By Judson Bibb

What makes hotel video exceptional? Emotion.

Too often, I see a simple presentation of the facts. Hoteliers saying, in effect: “This is what we have. Make your own decision.”

Video crews play lighthouse in the middle of a room -- panning the camera around in a circle to show what all hotels have: bed, dresser drawers, bathroom, closet. It’s the video equivalent of the laundry list. You pile on the facts to overwhelm, hoping something will stick.

That’s pure information. It’s not marketing. It’s not salesmanship. What engages the viewer, what stands out from the pack is something with emotional impact. Touch us. Engage us in some way and your message cuts through the clutter.

All resort videos have routine information that needs to be imparted, but why bore with a dry recitation of the facts. There’s an emotional component to vacation travel that is overlooked in the drive to list every amenity. Your property is a place apart from the everyday, something special. If you want your place to be special, then make it so. Consider what you want to viewer to feel.

There’s another benefit to providing emotional impact. Facts are forgotten. Emotions linger. And if it lingers, it’s more likely to be acted upon.

For one resort property, I created a scene showing a woman unpacking. Naturally, it showcased the amenities in the room. The clothing she pulled from her suitcase, the dresses and shoes she placed in the closet drove home the variety of activities, but her actions and reactions conveyed the excitement of the resort, the excitement of the possibilities.

What made the scene even more powerful was it operated on different levels. It showcased the room and amenities at the same time. The more ways you can impart your information in different contexts, the more likely it will be retained.

Okay, conveying emotion with a scene (a series of shots with a continuous action) is easy, but what about a collection of different shots?

Imagine the following images:

A towel floats down onto a pool chaise. A woman swims underwater in the pool. Wet footprints lead away from a bubbling Jacuzzi. She strokes suntan lotion onto her shoulder. She sits under an umbrella staring out at the water as a sailboat cruises by offshore.

Here’s two possible voiceovers:

There’s something you’ve been dreaming about. Scenarios you’ve played in your mind a 1000 times. Little desires whims and fancies that have been locked away waiting.

or

An idyllic pool heated for year-round swimming defines the waterfront. It’s enhanced by a separate Jacuzzi and 100 feet of private sunning beach. Cabanas and umbrellas stand ready, a fleet of sailboats await a captain.

Which would hold your interest longer? Which would sell you?

Redundancy can bore just as much as a laundry list. You say tennis courts. You show tennis courts. Why? We know what a tennis court is.

Make it special. Intrigue, involve, engage --- don’t give any reason for the viewer’s attention to wander. Each property has a story to tell. Tell it with feeling.

Article by Judson Bibb of Bibb Productions, (www.bibbproductions.com). Judson is a writer, director, editor with over 30 years of experience in the travel and resort business.

This article may be republished in its entirety. It must include the link to my e-mail address, (judson@bibbproductions.com) and the Bibb Productions URL, (www.bibbproductions.com).