When you want to entice people to visit someplace with a promotional travel video campaign, there are a few do’s and don’ts that should be considered. For example, do showcase the beauty of the area, and flow one epic shot into the next. The new Let Go campaign for Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec does this beautifully, as they do with the other do’s.
Do’s and Don’ts for Promotional Travel Videos
Do entice the viewer to experience travel a little differently.
This is an easy one, and so simple. We’ve become so attached to social media that experience something a little differently can simply mean ‘experience it like people used to,’ for the experience, not the show.
Do mix in some macros for texture and feel.
If you want to draw people into a really authentic promotional travel video feel, then give them texture. Not just texture in the scene, but that closeup texture that macro shots yield so well. That crisp focus closeup with a very shallow depth of field puts the viewers face right into the scene. If you want them to smell roses, put them in the roses.
Do show people having an incredible time.
If you cast for chemistry, then good times will come. Cossette, the agency heading up this campaign, casted these spots beautifully, putting relevant (travel blogger, chef, travel expert, adventure photographer) and energetic talent into the host roles for each of the segments.
Don’t let the voiceover seem scripted.
If you’re pushing an authentic experience for your promotional travel video, then laying on the scripting too thick can put people off. But if you’ve done a great job at casting, then scripting will only function as a guide for the talent (this is good). In this case, the voiceover for each of the segments seems natural and fitting, with one exception being the adventure photographer’s segment. Being around photographers (and as photographers ourselves), we’ve been fortunate to get to know how they operate and how they communicate (so this opinion may come with bias). Some of the most memorable conversations we’ve had with photographers have been on (or around) a shoot, when they are in their element. Mic them up and get them at their best. What makes them unique and amazing is how they see things – having them talk about that while they are framing up a shot can be invaluable for a piece about travel.
Do release when travel is high on the priority list.
If you want to make an impact in the emotional mind of a would-be traveler, release the travel campaign when getting away is high on their list of desires. March Break is a huge travel time for many, and for those that are not able to get away, it is a time when the idea of travel rockets upward in their heads. This alone makes it a great time to showcase all the wonderful aspects of a ‘summer’ destination with a keenly crafted promotional travel video.
So with that list of do’s and don’ts, do go ahead and enjoy some great travel media for Quebec.
AW Media is a boutique video production company serving Toronto and the GTA. We make videos and commercials about adventure, innovation, and people in their environment.