What tone for your promo video?

In conceptualizing your promo video, think about what tone you want it to have.

Tone is the feeling you want to convey in the message and the feeling you want to instill in your audience.  Tone is very much a balance between your personality and values, as a business or brand owner, and the emotional touch-points of your target audience.  Both are important to account for, but the particular balance to reach is something for you to decide.  

Here are some commercials I like, as examples of the kind of tone to take with your promo video:

Natural and lyrical

Morgan Smith Goodwin is an attractive, approachable and contemporary portrayal of the redheaded Wendy on the logo.  Last year she became the face of the Now, that's better! campaign, appealing to women and men in their 20-somethings.  Her rainbow-like salad mirrors the lovely colors she brings to the campaign, both with her red hair and cheerful personality.

Bold and engaging

This is a throwback to the legendary Think different campaign by Apple.  Fortuitously, Steve Jobs returned to the company he founded, which was floundering, and within two or three years as the 1990s ended, he had the iconic company poised for an unprecedented decade.  So this Make it matter campaign by HP isn't exactly original, but it's quite bold and engaging.

Smart and nerdy

The smart and nerdy in me really loves this commercial from Starburst candy.  The driver dude is like "Don't listen to him, Benny.  You're not weird, you're an innovator!"  The passenger guy retorts, "No, he's weird."    The solid-liquid quality of Starburst reminds me of the dual wave-particle nature of light.  So if you have a mind for contradiction and paradox, plus a good dose of wry humor, then this is the tone to take.

So, what's your tone?