IPV, experts in intelligent video content management for more than 20 years, have just released the report, The Future of Video for Creative Agencies By the World’s Leading Creative Agencies. The report provides an in-depth look at four of the world’s largest creative agencies, Foote, Cone, and Belding (FCB), Wavemaker, GMR and Mustache, and how they adapted to a sudden seismic shift in how their teams create and deliver client work by moving to a fully remote workflow model. 

In the report, readers will gain an understanding of what is anticipated to be the new normal for agencies creating video content in the age of COVID-19 and beyond. Leading professionals from each agency share their approach to managing a complete 180-degree shift in the way their globally dispersed teams collaborate and manage content, implementing long-term solutions that will change the way they work forever. 

This report examines the various challenges that creative teams have to overcome to match current and future demands for video content in a work from home environment, such as:

• Slow WiFi further burdened by family members or housemates being online at home.
• Limited access to media files and footage from outside networks.
• Issues with software licenses on home equipment.
• Poor performance of home equipment, as compared to office workstations.
• Creative slumps as a result of not being able to meet in person and work physically together — for instance, quickly showing someone else a scene or clip or discussing an idea.
• Security concerns and permissions controls for files and media.
• Difficulty honing briefs, given a new inability to meet in person with colleagues and clients.

Key findings from the report include:

• 92% of digital marketers say video is an important part of their strategy, and those who use video see their revenue grow nearly 50% more quickly than those who don’t.
• 62% of agencies predict significant increases in their video production output and 34% predict similar rises in their online video creation services.
• 63% of teams want to use cloud-based tools to help them with video production to ensure business continuity in the future.

“For many agencies, the lock-down has been a time for discovering weaknesses and pain points, and finding solutions that will hopefully lead to a completely air-tight operation,” says Martin Coles, vice president of marketing at IPV. “The crisis has highlighted some glaring gaps in infrastructure; video production teams now recognize that media asset management is necessary to ensure business continuity in the future.” 

About the Contributors 

Kerry Hill, Director of Production at FCB, North America
FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) is a global, fully integrated marketing communications company with a heritage of creativity and success dating from 1873. FCB focuses on significantly changing consumer behavior to the benefit of its clients, its people and society. 

For Hill’s team, the challenge was found in “the technical side of it — storage backup plans, how we prepare for next time.” As Hill says, “certainly no one wants to be caught off guard ever again.”

Eli Ash, Director of Production at Mustache
Mustache is a full-service, end-to-end (holistically crafted with love), creative content agency which is part of Cognizant Interactive. With a keen focus on video and social, Mustache is the rocket fuel for today’s 24/7, 360˚ customer experience. 

“80% of the projects we were doing involved live-action shooting. A good majority of our projects had to be shifted to post-only,” Ash says of their transition. 

Georgine Hajjar, Creative Director at Wavemaker
Wavemaker is the second largest media agency network in the world that specialises in content development, precision marketing, commerce and marketing technology

Hajjar knew her team needed a world-class long-term solution to provide continued and consistent high-quality service, saying, “Because we have very big clients, there was no room for mistakes.”

Andy Hayman, Head of Content and Production at GMR Marketing
Founded in 1979, GMR is an innovative global experiential and sponsorship agency that creates, consults and activates in more than 70 countries, covering every continent from 23 offices in 12 countries.

“We want our clients to know that even though we are working remotely, their content always has and always will be safe,” says Hayman. 

Download the Future of Video for Creative Agencies report here. 

About IPV 
IPV are serious about video and creating innovative ways to help broadcasters, brand managers, digital marketers and video creators of all kinds move, manage and monetize their media. Curator, IPV’s world-leading Media Asset Management Platform was built to help brands create, collaborate and automate more, smarter and faster. IPV works with some of the biggest names in broadcasting, sports and retail, simplifying complex digital media production so teams can focus on creating inspiring content – no matter where they’re located.