And what you can learn from their masterpieces.
Thinking about diving headfirst into the world of 360-degree video? Good, you should! It’s an exciting new technology among an ever-growing arsenal of tools for brands, and since the YouTube team officially released global support for 360 videos back in March of 2015, things have really taken off. We’re all about calling out brands doing cool things with video, especially when it comes to 360. Take a look at what these brands are doing and what you can learn from their creative genius.
Four brands leading the 360-degree video charge
GoPro
Why It Works
360-degree video is a natural fit for GoPro–their products are quite literally made for it. Their use of 360 video puts the viewer right in the center of the action, allowing them to go surfing in Tahiti, skydiving with the GoPro Bombsquad, or swimming with dolphins. Even better, they have an almost endless supply of content from their own users, giving them an interactive way to display the capabilities of their products and put their customers in the spotlight.
What You Can Learn
360 video is all about creating an experience for your viewer, and GoPro has the added benefit of capitalizing on their audience’s FOMO. Their engaging, fast-paced, and visually stunning videos make you wonder what you’re missing out on. When done correctly, a 360-degree video can generate excitement, let viewers interact with a new experience, and make them feel like they’re a part of something bigger.
New York Times
Why It Works
The New York Times features one of the best-use cases of 360-degree video to date with the Daily 360. This new section of their website uses 360 to tell immersive, bite-sized stories that are fascinating and easy to digest for those with busy schedules and wandering attention spans. Better yet, the New York Times is also using the technology to dig deeper. Once a week, they release a more in-depth piece, like the one shown here.
What You Can Learn
Take your content creation for a creative spin. For the New York Times, it wasn’t much of a leap to go from storytelling with words to curating video content, and using 360-degree video puts them at the cutting edge of modern media. The Times is a staple of traditional news and media, but rethinking how they package and release content—and using 360 to do so—frames them as forward-thinking while also giving them a great opportunity to do some incredible storytelling. You can even take existing features and series on your site and convert them into 360 like the Times did with their “36 Hours” series.
Why It Works
Spotlight is Google’s interactive project, and 360-degree video is front and center. Each story is highly interactive, allowing viewers to unlock mini-stories within each scene. HELP, Google Spotlight’s first live-action story, is a standout example in the world of 360. This fast-paced video feels like a big-budget thriller and was an admirably ambitious project for such a new medium.
What You Can Learn
Using 360 doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice pace, tone, and storytelling ability. It isn’t just about the novelty of new technology; it should be adding something to the story you’re telling. In this, the immersive footage makes for a more visceral alien thriller experience, adding major depth to the setting. Sure, you may not have a huge Google budget to hire Justin Lin for your next 360 project, but this is a great example of how to effectively tell a story using the technology.
Bottle Rocket Media
Why It Works
What can we say—we love our work. With great clients and tons of exciting projects on deck, we’re psyched about continuing to dive into the world of 360-degree video. One of our favorites is this project for WeWork Times Square. Not only did the setting provide an awesome backdrop to WeWork’s already hip facilities, but this interview-driven piece also shows that 360 can be a great way to rethink more traditional content like a virtual tour or testimonial.
What You Can Learn
Working with an experienced video production company can take your branding to the next level. As a leading 360-degree video production company, we know what’s up with this new and exciting technology, and we’re already ahead of the curve when it comes to creating it. That means we can guide you through every step of the process from creative inception to finished product, helping to share your company’s authentic story on the screen in a new and more engaging fashion.
We are firm believers that everyone should give the 360-degree video a try. The first step in doing so is finding a video production company with a passion—or in our case, an obsession—for creating these masterpieces. We’ll be here as soon as you’re ready, cameras in hand. Give us a shout to get started.