[Editor’s Note: This weekly feature asks communicators to spot trends and discuss their reactions to them. In this edition we hear from Katina Arnold, VP, corporate communications, ESPN.]
The Trend: Video is growing as a viewing habit with consumers in the U.S. and abroad. Similarly, video has become more and more important in ESPN’s PR effort. Enhancing the departmental efforts begun four years ago is a primary focus for us. Video provides another way to more effectively tell our story. We manage three websites, and whether we post behind-the-scenes footage of athletes at the ESPYs or in-the-moment interviews with our top commentators, video can creatively enhance a story where words alone simply cannot.
corporate communications, ESPN
A regular tweet, Facebook or blog post can only communicate so much. If a video sound bite is done right, however, there will be more engagement and greater shareability. Adding video to public relations provides another dimension to storytelling, making what you communicate more memorable and interesting.
The Response: ESPN’s head of communications, Chris LaPlaca, has been an advocate of using video as an external and internal communications tool for some time. Our team has been intensely focused on making sure to incorporate video and add it into our PR effort, especially since it’s easy enough to shoot high-quality video with mobile devices.
One way in which we’ve concentrated more on video is through department training. Recently we held all-staff meetings to discuss the various tools available, and had multimedia experts provide advice on several editing apps (like Splice) and simple accessories (like a microphone for an iPhone) to better edit and improve video quality.
More good lessons: We learned it’s helpful to determine the purpose of your video and establish a road map in advance. Even though your video may be short, sweet and to the point, planning is necessary for execution.
Another way we’ve improved communication around video is by establishing department Slack channels to share photos, video and content across our PR platforms.
Another benefit: Individual and staff development in building out skill sets has been a plus. The best example is the woman who manages our video group, who was doing a completely different job a few years ago. She caught the video bug and now has created a different career path for herself without leaving the department…a win for our group and for her.
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