Explainer Video for Technology Firm
"I’m extraordinarily happy—the experience couldn’t have gone better."
"ALCHEMYcreative produced an interview-based video with the aim of generating enthusiasm for various software technologies. Their services included producing a creative brief based on guidelines."
Background
"I’m the Chief Marketing Officer at Parsons Corporation. We’re a top line revenue, defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure technology firm."
CHALLENGE
"Since we were taking our company public, we needed to convey a suite of software technologies that are foundational to our value proposition in a compelling way. We wanted to generate enthusiasm about the technology functions, and we wanted to be able to explain the solutions in a roadshow PowerPoint presentation. Ideally, there would be a dynamic user experience where people could get a good feel for what our technology does. During Analyst Day, (a day where we confidentially briefed the analysts on our proposition), we had live demonstrations of our technology with our technologists in the room. That was very effective, so we decided we needed to do a video for the roadshow. We had a tight deadline and needed to create a video in under four weeks."
Solution
"The video was one of the highest viewed videos ever on NetRoadshow, a platform that’s used by the banking and analyst community for roadshows that support financial transactions. I was told it went viral. Not only was it shown in all of our analyst meetings, but it was also viewed independently by the analysts. We had an extremely successful Initial Public Offering: We initially priced our stock at $26, and our opening day price was pushing $32. In relation to that success, our banking advisors credit the video with being extremely helpful and compelling. I’ve been in the workforce for over 30 years, and I’ve never given a recommendation for any vendor—this is my first time. That’s how happy I am with this product."
Parsons Corporation
What is the team composition?
"They had 9–10 people the day we filmed. My main point of contact was Cliff (Director of Business Development & Creative Partnerships, ALCHEMYcreative)."
How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?
"We interviewed a number of production companies, and the deciding factor was that they had experience working with tech firms in California, which was the vibe that I wanted. Also, when we spoke with them, I believed they were committed to meeting our deadline."
What is the status of this engagement?
"We started working together in March 2019, and the engagement finished in April 2019."
How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?
"It was a very good experience. They produced the video in less than four weeks, an extremely short time frame. One of my direct reports worked with the team, and I would participate in calls every 2–3 days.
We didn’t have time to use a tool for scheduling, however, there was a schedule. ALCHEMYcreative did a good job of communicating the schedule with us and saying what they expected from us. Since it was an extremely tight agenda and a complex project, tempers got a little hot occasionally.
The first draft of the video was wrong; it wasn’t the right orientation. In a more traditional process, there would have been a couple more iterations, but there was no time that. I was discouraged. However, after speaking with Cliff and his team, they turned around the orientation of the video in less than 24 hours. That was spectacular.
I ended up with a spot-on video that gave the vibe that I wanted in the timeframe that I wanted. It is a spectacular product—I’m a fan of their work."
What did you find most impressive about them?
"They came into it with their eyes wide open. We were honest about how there was zero flexibility and how tight the schedule was. So, everyone worked extra hours and put in extra effort to get it right. When things went wrong, they fixed the issues with a positive attitude. Also, they are great, creative professionals. The ideas they brought to the table were very, very good."
Are there any areas they could improve?
"It was such a nontraditional project that it’s hard to give feedback. I would have wanted a script and a storyboard, more engagement, and more iterations, but there wasn’t time for any of that.
At the end of the day, it was a positive work experience where I got a superior product. I’m extraordinarily happy—the experience couldn’t have gone better."
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
"The ALCHEMYcreative team is very willing to communicate. So, future clients should speak up and have an engaged conversation. They should also let ALCHEMYcreative do what they do best, which is to function as a creative developer. There’s no need to micromanage them, let them be a partner, and allow them to bring their creative capabilities forward."
