Two important lessons
One: If you're going to invest time, money and effort into video, you really need to know why you're doing it. So many companies often don't; even the big, famous ones.
Two: I want to work for businesses committed to improving people’s lives. For these companies, that matters even more...
Gaining fans, followers and customers is harder than ever
Today's digital landscape is incredibly crowded; attention has become the scarcest commodity on earth. People need a reason to choose you - and a reason to believe you.
A great product or service matters, of course.
But so does trust in the business behind it.
For a purpose-led company, the difference you make can be part of that choice. But declaring a mission is only the beginning. People need to understand what you do, see its practical value and believe the positive change is real.
Video does that better than any other medium
And it's easier to make than ever before. Smartphones, social platforms, and now AI, have opened up the potential of video to all businesses. A polished film, a simple demonstration or an honest conversation can all have a place.
But deciding what it should do is all too often an afterthought.
I’ve seen how easily the format becomes the starting point. A reel, an interview, a series. "What do we make? Shall we do one of those as well?"
We have to stop asking these kinds of questions.
The question we need to ask first is: what does your Mission need this video to achieve? Mission Over Metrics starts there.
This isn't just blind conviction.
My approach is built on the experience of making many hundreds of videos over nearly 25 years as an industry professional. I've written, produced and directed on Formula 1 race weekends and Coca-Cola sponsored Olympics; LadBible pranks and The Economist’s commercial films. This hasn't just taught me the craft of video - I've learned the art and the science of video strategy too.
Now I’m choosing businesses whose success makes a meaningful difference to people. It's time for me to bring my commercial and creative judgement to work I care about.
Mission sets the direction.
Metrics help us judge the contribution.
The name reflects how I think. Your Mission tells us what progress matters commercially and what that enables for the people you help. Metrics are the evidence that show us how video is contributing.
Reach, attention, understanding and action can all tell us something useful. The question is what each tells us about the job the video was meant to do.
What are you trying to make possible?
Let’s talk about your business, the difference it makes and where video could help.