I always get a little extra fizz when I spot a potential customer wanting to talk about how my client has helped them – or when a client comes to me and says, “Jim, we think we have a cracking customer story, and we need your help in bringing it to life.”
These normally takes the form of structured, written case studies – carefully structured narratives that explain a challenge, a solution, and the customer outcomes that have been achieved.
But as audiences become increasingly time-poor, content consumption habits evolve, and the desire for instant gratification only increases, audiences are looking for digestible video and digital content. This is a brilliant opportunity to bring customers stories to life on screen.
The challenge of communicating complexity
Many marketing, PR, and communications professionals instinctively know – but don’t always exploit – visual content in customer advocacy. On-screen content is only as strong as the written material.
Whilst the latter can successfully document the story in detail and the problems, solutions and benefits realised, it’s tricky for words alone to fully capture the environment, workflow, and the impact of the technology in use.
From case study to customer story
Recently, we’ve been working on doing just that, with our longstanding client, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK, and our trusted video production partners at Leagus Video.
With their customer, GE Aerospace, procuring G2 devices through partner Mem-Star Rugged, to host an aircraft rotor diagnostic and maintenance application, it gave us the perfect opportunity to turn a complex and technical story into digestible on-screen content.
Thankfully, we also enlisted Somerset-based Historic Helicopters and their aircraft for a day’s filming under bright blue skies (not always a guarantee in the UK in summer) to capture everything we needed. Not a bad day on location as it turns out!
However, creating a successful customer video begins long before the cameras arrive. Throughout the project, and in numerous conversations with Panasonic and GE Aerospace, we had already identified the technological challenge, detailed everything about the solution, and the value it can deliver for GE Aerospace’s customers.
Translating that into compelling visual storytelling meant identifying the moments that would help audiences understand the story. This meant looking at:
- What does the optimum operational environment look like?
- Which activities do we need to capture to simply and clearly explain the rotor diagnostic application?
- How can we engage audiences that are not familiar with the technology, application, or the industry, whilst maintaining technical accuracy?
The result was compelling footage that accurately and succinctly captured the essential detail of the story, with brilliant visuals and brief stakeholder interviews. This complemented the written case study – which was there for readers who needed additional detail – rather than simply repeating it.
The coordination behind the camera
One aspect that is often overlooked in customer storytelling is the sheer amount of coordination required to make these projects happen. Customer videos are inherently collaborative undertakings, and rely on clear communication, stakeholder buy-in, and thorough project management.
In this instance, success relied on coordinating multiple subject matter experts, filming schedules, approvals, interview availability, site access, messaging alignment, and logistics – with preparation starting months in advance.
This is where great client, partner, and customer relationships are essential, and where everyone shares the same vision of what we’re trying to achieve.
Why specialist video partners matter
While communications teams can shape the narrative, specialist, expert video partners play an essential role in transforming that narrative into compelling visual content.
A project like this required far more than simply recording interviews. It demanded an understanding of how to capture technical processes, bring complex technology to life on screen, and tell a coherent story through footage gathered in a highly specialised defence environment.
This is why working with trusted video partners is so valuable. Their expertise helped translate a complex technical application into engaging visual content while ensuring the finished product remained authentic, professional, and accessible.
Creating assets that work harder
Written case studies remain essential, but video can significantly expand how a story is told. A single customer film can support websites, social media campaigns, sales enablement programmes, event presentations, briefings, and recruitment.
More importantly, video often drives stronger engagement because audiences can see real people discussing real challenges in real environments. For prospective customers evaluating a solution, that authenticity can be incredibly effective.
Our most recent case study with the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK team reinforces the power of visual storytelling in bringing customer and client projects to life. When articulating complex technologies – to both technical and non-technical audiences – it can make all the difference.
Seeing is believing! Watch the full video below: