Archive for » July 11th, 2010«
The University of Kibangsaan Malaysia produced their latest corporate video, which is published on You Tube. Presumably, the video targets people such as Malaysians living in the West, whom the university would like to contribute money to their endowment, and or send their children back to Malaysia for their education.
Based on the video content, the University apparently decided to feature important discoveries and breakthroughs made at the University, which have lead to social, technological and economical advances for humanity. The approach is certainly meritorious, and as the corporate video describes the list of advances, one can appreciate that many of these contributions are exciting cutting edge scientific developments. The discoveries presented include computerized monitoring of the eye movements of a driver to look for evidence he is too tired to drive and a computerized robot with the capability of detecting even minute smells.
Having plotted out the content of the corporate video the university and videographers next had to decide how they wanted to organize their material. They chose a format not unlike the dialogue in the famous John Lennon song, Imagine. In Imagine, the late John Lennon presented his ideas as a series of parallel sentences each starting with the word imagine. The song was set to softe melodious music composed by Lennon.
This video presents its material about academic discoveries in form of a parallel series of captioned questions and responses. Each question is followed by a response and the whole interplay is set to soft background music. For example, the first caption starts with a question, “What if a computer could see what your eyes cannot?” Another caption responds: “Driver drowsiness detection system developed by the faculty of engineering.” Question: “What if we could invent a machine with a sense of smell? Response: “The optical e-nose detects smells up to a millionth of a micron.”
The entire 9 minute video consists of additional segments organized just like these, up until the very end. In the background we watch imagery related to the discovery begin touted, and or the people who developed it. In the final segment, the video poses a series of questions without answers. Who is driving the nation forward with a strong sense of national identity?” “Who has the will to advance humanity? Finally, “What if it is a National University? Then the video flashes the name University of Kibangsaan Malaysia.
While the video is long and repetitive, I think it would be a mistake to call it boring. The question response format calls attention to the amazing breakthrough each discovery has brought to ongoing human progress. However, with respect to the visual presentation I do believe the video missed presenting enough clips of the discoveries in action and therefore may not have reached to the level of excitement it could have.
To illustrate my point, the video starts by posing the question “What if a computer created by man could see things your human eye can’t see?” The question makes you think and then the next caption introduces the driver drowsiness detection system. The question and response arouses interest. However, the video fails to show a depiction of the produc being used in real life. A visual presentation of a driver driving down the road at night and almost falling asleep and being aroused by the computer and then pulling over, would have, in my opinion, added more excitement. This type of vidual segment would have been comparable to contemporary videos of androids, which feature the androids performing a variety of feats on screen and talking to people. The question and answer format wins for consistency, yet by the end everyone knows what to expect, and so it loses some effectiveness. Furthermore, after a while viewers probably would like to know the name of the university presenting this research. While this might make some of the watchers stay to the end, it could also cause some of them to lose focus on each individual discovery. Finally, the one short appearance of the name of the University, which is the subject of the video is probably not enough to create powerful image branding. I would recommend that the name should have come out at the beginning, so viewers can associate all the advancements with the University.
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What do people want to see when they look at an airline carrier corporate video . They want to know that the airline is modern and up to date. They want to see images of sleek attractive airports and planes gliding effortlessly through the air. They want to know about awards the airlines has won, their record of safety. And they want to hear about the cities and countries serviced by the airlines. The Malaysia Airlines Corporate Video does this, and more.
The video begins by emphasizing the experience and importance of Malyasian Royal airlines. Not only has it been in operation for more than 50 years, it was also the official airlines of the Malaysian Royal family. It changed to become the official carrier of the newly proclaimed state of Malaysia. We are assured to hear this is the finest airlines in Malaysia.
Having emphasized the experience and importance of the air carrier, the video now presents important corporate images it wishes to convey to the public. The airlines is an international carrier, has one of the largest Asian air fleets, and can be considered a premier world airlines.Lest we worry that conditions in Malaysia might be a bit primitive, we are informed that the home airport base, KL International airport is one of the largest and most complex international airports in the world. This statement is backed up by clips of the airport, and the sophisticated subway system, which takes passengers to the nearby modern city Kuala Lumpur.
Additional assurance that we are dealing with a first rate airlines comes in the form of awards, which the airlines has won for excellent food, lounges and aircraft staff. Having convinced us that the airline is up to date reliable and reputable, we now are presented with images of the plush comfortable interior, current and future airplane upgrades, and the redesigned cabin, along with seats that recline into a bed.
Next the safety and security of the airline is stressed and we learn of a recent Boeing pride of excellence award, the airlines won. The video also presents the Maskargo, division of the air carrier, which provides award winning air shipping service.
The video chooses to close with on screen presentation of testimonials of some of the passengers. What we read from the passengers is consistent with what we have seen on the screen.
The task of a corporate video about an airline from a third world country is to convince viewers that their airline is reliable, up to date and even more has all the features of any of the world’s great airlines. This the video does admirably. From the start which emphasizes the political stability of the country as well as the continuance of the airline despite a recent change form Monarchy to democracy, to the middle, which presents the airline corcorporation as a modern up to date air carrier, to the awards and testimonials, the video presents all the material necessary to convince viewers that it is a totally first class world airlines. The carefully crafted video narration is backed up with illustrative clips of the sleek airline in action, the modern cabin interior, the modern international airport and modern city surrounding the Malaysian airport.