For Brands looking to make a splash with video, the first impulse is often to go big on production and Polish. However, new research suggests advertisers can drive more substantial results by ditching the artificial and embracing a Lofi mobile shot style. That’s more human, relatable, and imperfect. A recent study conducted by meta found a strong correlation between unpolished videos and creative impact.
Unpolished videos are more significant in creative impact. This was conducted across four different verticals: technology, retail, restaurants, and e-commerce campaigns. Videos drove a significantly higher lift and recall with lower production value than high production campaigns. Similarly, a 2019 meta-study of direct response advertising found that for Instagram stories, there’s an 84% likelihood that self-recorded mobile shot creative would outperform studio shot creative in driving content views and a 63% likelihood that it would drive lower funnel outcomes as purchases and app installs. So conversions, the preference may stem partly from millennials and gen Zs experiencing perfection fatigue. A YPULL survey found that 90% of 18 to 36-year-olds like it when people showcase their flaws and imperfections. In comparison, 60% think it’s okay for clothing brands to show imperfect images of spokespeople and products.
Impactful creative often takes cues from friends, peers, and creators to reach these younger consumers. One could say that this approach doesn’t come across as scripted and fake, but as authentic, genuine, and more human. A study from Facebook and Instagram reel ads found that social media advertisements with people in them had a 25% higher click-through rate than those without brands conveying authenticity, realness, and humanity in many ways on social media, such as relying on low high production and featuring real people. Including platform, native elements, such as stickers, partnering with creators, telling relatable stories, and using mobile shot unpolished visuals. Here’s how a couple of brands I was looking at have connected with audiences by harnessing the power of deliberate imperfection in their meta campaigns to have a bit of fun and make a splash.
The food chain Wendys began posting organic content. That gently mocked, cringy boomer attempts to use social media to try new tech and the content’s success spurred the brand to translate the idea to Facebook and Instagram ads in the campaign. They ran grainy, poorly framed, screenshot, boomer, creative.
They compared the performance of these ads against the performance of the advertisements featuring slick mouthwatering visuals of the food. The Lofi ads, the grainy ones, outperform the more traditional polished ads highlighting that the video is purposefully off, and that can make it stand out.
Now, why did this work? Wendy’s lofi approach succeeded because the brand read the room. It understood the visual language and tone of the platforms perfectly. And then found a witty way to play off of popular styles and behaviors in a different kind of way. Here’s another example: baby and toddler brand Pampers knew nine out of ten moms feel that they aren’t doing a good job. To help address this anxiety and build brand awareness with younger parents for its products, Pampers created a share the love social media campaign with professional actors. They featured real moms sharing mirror affirmations that support each other. The brand also developed digital stickers to enable people to share their mirror affirmations by directly challenging the notion that parents need to be perfect. Pampers found a way to help parents love themselves more.
So why did this work? Well, Pamper’s approach resonated because they kept up. The brand embraced authenticity and more importantly, prioritized being human over being perfect. That is where a lot of the video information you will be reading about and looking at in the next few years comes from as we develop as a society and just inside the technology. A simple upgrade of your phone’s camera can bring you farther inside your business, especially if you’re a small business.
People are starting to lean toward the more authentic and human content being generated t put out there. Let me know your thoughts on this topic. It’s fascinating because I’ve spent all the money to get this gear and do these things.
