Sohonet: Realise Your Vision by The Croc
Summary
When the pandemic hit, filmmaking was thrown into crisis with an entire industry desperately searching for a way to keep the cameras rolling. Providing the same ‘over-the-shoulder’ reviewing and editing experience from anywhere in the world, Sohonet’s ClearView remote collaboration software offered the solution.
To capitalise on this growing need, The Croc revitalised Sohonet's creative identity with “Realise Your Vision”. Our research revealed that when working remotely a filmmaker’s original idea can often get lost in translation, with the final production having drifted some way from the core vision. Driven by a compelling hero video, our campaign connected with a wide and specialist audience. bringing to life how ClearView, helps them ensure that no matter who they work with and where they are, their vision remains pure and consistent.
Client testimonials
‘Fantastic. Not only have you broken category convention in a truly breath-taking way, with Realise Your Vision, you’ve provided Sohonet with our first truly, 360 integrated, brand-building campaign.’
Chuck Parker, CEO, Sohonet
Executive summary
When the pandemic hit, the filmmaking industry was plunged into crisis. Contracting by almost 6%, filmmakers were desperately searching for ways to keep the cameras rolling and post-production suites busy. With its ‘over-the-shoulder’ collaboration experience, Sohonet’s ClearView was the answer.
Against a backdrop of so much uncertainty but an ever-growing demand for productions, Sohonet needed a bold and impactful strategy to cut through the panic. The key would lie in reaching buyers in post-production, reassuring them that world-class content could still be produced even with everyone working remotely was key.
Using insight from industry expert interviews as well as in-depth personality profiling using the ‘Big 5 Spectrum Score’, we created a multi-channel strategy led by a hero video of the highest production value to position Sohonet’s ClearView as the solution to bring a Director’s vision to life.
Driving engagement and conversions with sales to Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., and other major studios, we put ClearView on the map when the hunger for content was greater than ever. The campaign has generated a pipeline of £4 million – smashing every conceivable sales target. To further underline the elevation of Sohonet’s profile among those that matter, the company picked up an Engineering Emmy in recognition of its contribution to the industry.
Main report
When the global pandemic hit, the production industry was among the worst affected.
Offering real-time, remote collaboration software, Sohonet’s ClearView ensured productions didn’t stop and people could still binge on the newest Netflix shows.
Sohonet is a leading provider of collaboration solutions for the media and entertainment industry. Its ClearView Flex product is used by all major Hollywood Studios. With customers including Warner Bros., Bad Robot, Netflix, Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney, the solutions are also used by many of the leading marketing, media and production companies in the advertising industry. The business has a global presence, employing more than 120 people worldwide, with revenue growing by 30 per cent in the last three years.
The underdog becomes the big dog
Sohonet continues to face a range of challenges in its industry.
In a market dominated by the largest telecoms companies, Sohonet’s challenge was to overcome its own obscurity and simultaneously build credibility.
While its technology solutions are highly acclaimed, the target audience are often reluctant to adopt new technology – one wrong choice can massively damager their reputation.
“Filmmakers are very stuck in their ways. If they’re using a new bit of equipment then it has to be tested rigorously and used by someone in the industry already.”
- John P, Director – Netflix, BFI & Raindance
Our approach had to do more than build industry fame for Sohonet – it had to connect on a personal level with individuals in a variety of extremely diverse, specialist roles. A one-size-fits-all approach simply wasn’t on the table. Or the mixing desk.
Research into the category highlighted the fact the competition is united by its insistence on using highly functional language. While understanding the technicalities of the solution is important, filmmakers are predominantly focused on the end-result: the production. How to make it the best work of their lives and keep the final production as close to their original vision as possible.
To be distinctive in a market crowded with technical speak, we knew that Sohonet had to speak to filmmakers using their language: emotive, passionate, and with a laser-focus on craft and quality.
The Croc developed Realise Your Vision, a multi-channel campaign shining a light on the many people involved in the post-production process and their role in delivering the Director’s vision. See - https://www.sohonet.com/realise-your-vision
B2B on the big screen
Try to name more than a handful of B2B films with the craft and creativity to match that of high-end productions and you’ll be hard-pressed. Our ambition was to directly challenge the misconceptions of what B2B marketing could be. Conventional wisdom often opts for a staid, grey approach to appease the perceived conservative tastes of suited stakeholders. Yet we know in many instances this audience wants to be entertained just as much as anyone.
Realise Your Vision was conceived, and sent shockwaves through the segment. Richly emotive, poignant and above all human, the campaign marks a step change for Sohonet and how they engage their prospects.
A premiere to be proud of
Just like a major production, every tiny detail was considered, from the filming techniques to the treatments and transitions.
The campaign kicked off with a hero film that immersed the viewer in a stunningly cinematic, Japanese skyline. Steadicam pushes in as we see an enigmatic woman flip a coin, instantly placing us in the world of narrative cinema. We freeze the action and begin to reverse.
As the Steadicam mirrors the movement, the Tokyo assets are stripped bit-by-bit [showing the time and passion put into it] until a green screen is all that’s left. The Steadicam reverses, past its point of origin, revealing the crew in a flurry of activity as lights dim, and the director walks backwards through the studio door.
The lens itself pulls back through the body of the camera, transitioning us to the sound engineer’s studio. The soundscape of Tokyo comes in and we see groups of remote collaborators on ClearView. The probe macro lens pushes forward across the sound board, fitting between the dials as the engineer’s hand comes into shot, adjusting the dials as the sound scale gradually disappears layer-by-layer.
We push into the screen, through the device, and are transitioned to the colourist’s work desk. We see their face illuminated by a screen and as we circle around them their setup is revealed. Their work is reversed from beautifully vibrant neons to the raw image.
The wipe takes us into the previous artist’s studio. They work at their desk. We push in from behind, over their shoulder and into their Wacom tablet, showing a polished storyboard of the woman on the roof.
Once it fills the frame, the board cycles backwards through previous versions, until it’s a rudimentary sketch. As the camera pulls back out, it’s revealed the sketch is on a sketch pad. The director’s hand comes in, “undrawing” the sketch as time reverses. She picks up her coffee and walks backwards out of the door, revealing we’re now in her home, completing the narrative cycle.
The final cut
With a one-shot aspect in mind, fluidity of movement and the edit was key. Steadicam offered us complete freedom while enabling us to recreate things like dolly shots. Wide lenses were used to get up close to the action. We wanted the film to feel like a journey, and the scale we achieved with this approach, even in smaller environments allowed for what feels like larger, gliding movements through the spaces.
Shot on two locations, all content was made from concept to execution in just four weeks, under lockdown restrictions, and on a minimal budget.
Deepening the conversation
Building on the core film we then produced high production value video interviews featuring the cream of the production crop. These included Post-Production Supervisor James Blevins [The Mandalorian, Gaga], Oscar-winning Sound Supervisor Nina Hartstone [Bohemian Rhapsody, Gravity], and brilliant young Director April Mullins.
Industry expert and journalist, Ann-Marie Corvin conducted the interviews and wrote feature articles for the campaign website.
Bespoke edits of each of the visionary video interviews were developed and published across key social platforms and industry blogs, supported by a highly targeted campaign comprising digital display advertising and paid search. This combined approach helped Sohonet tap into industry-specific conversations already happening online and reach more people than any previous campaign had ever achieved.
Results worthy of the red carpet
The campaign delivered exceptional results. Generating a sales pipeline in excess of £4million and a 73% increase to the average order size, new clients included prestigious production houses such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney.
To date, the campaign has increased 2020 revenue by 26% with leads up 250% compared to the previous quarter.
Precise media retargeting of the film helped avoid fatigue, adjusting audience sizes and improving frequency while boosting the overall conversion rate. Renewals shot up by an unprecedented 24% and Sohonet was rewarded by winning one of the most prestigious industry accolades – an Engineering Emmy.
Additional accolades for the campaign and the content have flooded in, with key figures in the industry applauding it.
In addition, the campaign has been shortlisted at numerous awards and placed in the top 10 at the prestigious Berlin Commercial Awards for Craft: https://berlincommercial.awardsengine.com/?action=ows:entries.details&e=69462&project_year=2021