After a year like 2020, we all could use a little more good news. So we're starting 2021 on a high note and shining a BRIGHT light on a few of our amazing customers who are using video for good. These customers all know that there are some stories that can only be told with the power of video.
The Prince's Trust: Good for those who could use a little help
The Prince's Trust exists to lend a hand to disadvantaged young people, many of whom are unemployed, struggling at school, or facing homelessness. By equipping them with the confidence and skills they need to live, learn, and earn, the Trust has made a difference for more than one million people in the United Kingdom. The Prince's Trust has also unlocked the power of video to continue to raise awareness and keep the community engaged. By empowering young storytellers to create their own videos and share their personal journeys in their own words, the Trust sparks important conversations and motivates others to get involved. And when these videos are shared and views go up, so do supporter sign-ups, which means the Trust is able to help a lot more young people who need it most.
"User-generated content allows us to expand the number of videos we produce, which is the best way to stay in front of people with authentic stories that resonate. Video is uniquely able to bring our work to life in an engaging and emotional way. Through video, viewers can see the difference The Prince's Trust is making." - Donna-Michelle White, Senior Head of Digital Marketing at The Prince's Trust
The City of Malmö: Good for the environment
Malmö, Sweden is one of those hidden gems in Europe you may have never heard of. Sweden's third largest by population, it has spent years quietly undergoing a major transformation to become a leader in social, economic, and ecological sustainability. While video is commonly used for business, the city's unique strategy for municipal communications has earned praise throughout Europe and has created an important platform for its citizens. From green roofs and rainwater ponds to new bike trails and using food waste to fuel city buses, sustainability initiatives are shared with residents via video to gain their support. In Malmö, engaged and informed residents are great for the environment – and video makes it possible.
"We want to continue to explore ways to use video and remain a sustainability and communication leader for our citizens. We can tell the stories of environmental efforts around the city and also show projects where we are making sustainability-based improvements." - Mikael Hellman, Visual Communication Manager for the City of Malmö
Inspiring Interns: Good for job seekers
Inspiring Interns, the United Kingdom's leading graduate recruitment agency, thought there had to be a better way to apply for a job, especially for new graduates looking for their first position in a competitive market. So the agency turned to video to disrupt and transform its recruitment program. By enabling graduates to record personalized curriculum vitae (CVs) for the companies they wish to work for and hosting them on its website, Inspiring Interns has started thousands of graduates on their career paths. For candidates, video CVs showcase their personality, professionalism, and passion in a way that's just not possible with a PDF. And for employers, video has helped broaden their perspective and opened their eyes to candidates they might not have considered from a traditional CV. The agency credits video for helping to better match the right applicants with the right jobs, leading to happier employees and employers.
"It can be difficult to stand out in a competitive job market. The video CV enables applicants to inject their unique personality into an otherwise faceless process. Employers have told us they hired people they might not have hired if they just considered their paper CV. But what they saw on video really impressed them." - Ben Rosen, Founder & CEO at Inspiring Interns
SEEK: Good for mental health awareness
SEEK, the #1 employment marketplace in Australia, strives to help people live more fulfilled and productive working lives. More than just a job posting site, SEEK's evolving collection of video content and expanding library of resources helps millions of Australians with everything from career advice and mid-career changes to small business guidance. During the COVID-19 crisis, for example, instead of just posting an article about how to manage mental health and work demands, viewers could watch resident SEEK psychologist Sabina Read speak directly to them, addressing issues and questions with great care and concern. SEEK will continue to be a valuable resource by responding to people's emotional needs, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
"[It was important to] create a destination for candidates and hirers to visit for tools and resources on every step of their career journey. Telling great stories in a beautiful way is one of the most important attributes of video." - Pip Duncan, Head of Production at SEEK
REVRY: Good for representation
For LGBTQ+ people, seeing themselves represented in music, television, and media is incredibly powerful. But for individuals living in parts of the world where their identity is unwelcome or even illegal, finding this type of content was once impossible. Revry has made it their mission to end this kind of isolation and create community and inclusion with the power of video. Revry is the first global streaming network focused on telling stories about and by the LGBTQ+ community, with a presence in over 130 countries around the world. By inspiring and more authentically representing its audiences, the social and global impact of Revry will be felt by more people and in more places for many years to come.
"Creating a space for true belonging has always been a core mission of Revry, given the makeup of our women-led, majority queer, and person-of-color founding team. We know that representation saves lives, but what's the good if the people who need to see themselves on screen don't have access?" - Damian Pelliccione, CEO and Co-Founder of Revry
FacingDisability.com: Good for human connection
FacingDisability.com is where questions are answered, support is offered, and strength is found for patients and families living with spinal cord injuries. The suddenness of a spinal cord injury can often be overwhelming and leave families feeling unprepared and isolated – and this is exactly how Thea Flaum felt when her daughter Vicki experienced a spinal cord injury at age 19. With the creation of FacingDisability.com, Flaum channeled her fear and frustration into a mission to let patients and their families know, "You are not alone." The site offers extensive video content from doctors, psychologists, therapists, rehabilitation experts, and, above all, people living with spinal cord injuries to provide unvarnished truths and invaluable insights. With these videos, Facing Disability creates human connections just when people need them most.
"What you're getting are honest, human responses. Video gives you the power of the image, the power of the close-up. So from the very beginning, we insisted on broadcast-quality video." - Thea Flaum, Founder at FacingDisability.com
We're honored to partner with these incredible organizations, and we applaud the amazing work they do every day. Keep watching this space for others that are using video for good. In the meantime, I'd love to hear from you about examples you've seen of video for good or video storytelling that inspires you to do good.