Muckle Hen

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Jack Gemmell

3 ways to drive traffic and get the best out your video content

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Video content now makes a substantial percentage of online traffic at 74%, and is projected to increase to 85% by the end of the decade. Now your video is finished though: what do you do with it?

Here are 3 suggestions to get the best out of your video content and drive some serious traffic.

Thunderclap

Crowdsource technology is a force to be reckoned with. Around 85% of the Best Global Brands have used it in some capacity since 2004, and this type of mass collaboration is a distinct weapon of choice for marketing video content.

Thunderclap places their own unique spin on the idea. Coined a ‘crowdspeaking’ platform, users pledge their reach and influence sphere to promote your cause. Once the campaign reaches its goal number of supporters, the message is then blasted out on mass.

The platform has reached over 15 million people and boasts testimonials from the likes of Barrack Obama, Lady Gaga, and the NBA. This is perfect for a video launch and increases the chance of becoming a trending topic.

Who was successful?

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists came up with the idea of creating an interactive video to show life with-and-without an occupational therapist. The results of the ‘Living, Not Existing’ campaign were stunning.  Not only did they far exceed their pledge number by over 13x, they managed to reach a whopping 500k people.

Check out Fred’s story.

video-content-thunderclap-rcot

Perfect for: charities, social causes, start-ups

 

Facebook Ads

You’ve probably all heard, or used, Facebook Ads. It does seem to have a type of Marmite appeal though.

Facebook uses a primarily visual framework which makes it perfect for video. However, there is a common misconception that Facebook Ads are expensive for the % of conversions. Of course, this is a risk, but points more to a failed strategy than the Ads function itself.

Social advertising on Facebook [and other social platforms] is still cheaper than the likes of Adwords and allows for very simple audience segmentation and keyword utilisation. It also has a distinct advantage over traditional marketing due to big data. The metrics gained from Insights are a powerful tool that makes it much easier to quantify ROI, and finally prove your content works.

With the average CPM (cost-per-thousand-impressions) at £3.84 in 2017, and 2 billion potential users are at your fingertips: why wouldn’t you?

Who was successful?

In terms of video ads, LG USA mobile nail it on the head. Short, funny, and informative – all without being in your face. Married with distinct hashtags and a low-key CTA (call-to-action), LG convey their USP with class.

https://www.facebook.com/LGUSAMobile/videos/965921030109809/

Perfect for: brands, e-commerce

 

Content Partnerships

One of the biggest trends of the past few years has been content partnerships. Teaming up with different brands to offer compelling collaborations has become a staple marketing strategy that has garnered huge appeal. 

Everything from brand specific projects like Jungle Creations + Oreo to b2b twitter beef, content partnership can be used as an innovative alternative to increase brand awareness. This usually takes planning beforehand, and may not be best already existing video content. However, even a simple agreement with another business to share content has immense benefits. Not only does it activate additional distribution and boost company relations, it pushes you to think of more creative ways to target their audience.

Who was successful?

Some shameless plugging here.

Muckle Hen recently created video content for Emirates + Spotify, showcasing the folk-rock scene in Glasgow. The video itself is not yet available, but keep your eyes peeled for what is primed to be an awesome campaign.

emirates-spotify-video-contentPerfect for: everyone

As video becomes increasingly more popular and diverse, so too will the ways in which it can be distributed. The fact people engage more, learn more, and enjoy more video, means it won’t slow down anytime soon.

It’s also becoming much more affordable and accessible for local businesses to invest in video content. Interested?

 

How to Survive the Edinburgh Fringe?

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With the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival 2017 just 3 days away, Muckle Hen have been gearing up to our favourite month of the year. Whether you are a die-hard, show-circling, ticket-hoarding, militant organiser with accompanying colour-coded binder, or instead prefer playing it by ear, the Fringe has got you covered. 

But what about us natives? How do we survive the mass migration of culture vultures that *arguably* double the population? Follow these steps and you might just stand a chance.

Be prepared to add 30 mins onto all journey times

Every local has a different opinion of the Edinburgh Fringe; some accompanied by a roll of the eyes or, at worst, visible steam permeating from the ears. Yet some view it with the same rose-tinted glow year after year – guilty as charged.

Almost all however, will complain about the traffic. The funniest, most heartfelt reactions of course come from every taxi driver in the city. As a pedestrian, tourists have a tendency to push you almost onto the road, whereas drivers have the added fear (or fun depending who you ask) of constantly dodging moving targets. The simple solution: breathe. It’s only 3 weeks.

Stay away from the Royal Mile

Unless you have a death wish, don’t do it. Simple.

Don’t accept flyers

This may sound a bit harsh, but it is vital advice. The reality that Flyerers stand for hours at a time, facing rejection on a secondly-basis, usually in torrential rain, could persuade even the darkest of hearts to accept a flyer. “It’s just one flyer…” I can already hear you mutter. That’s all it takes. You’ll soon find yourself buried in A5 double-sided advertisement, wishing you’d just kept your headphones in.

Nip it in the bud. Say no.

Leith: The alternative antidote

One of the main issues with the Fringe is how concentrated all the action is. Although great for a one-off, it can be tiresome to trudge through a sea of people if you do want to see a few shows. The answer: Leith. The North of the City has been invigorated in recent years with venues such as Leith Late, providing a mouthwatering selection of arts and music, and Free-Fringe venues like The Leith Volcano, the Biscuit Factory, or even Easter Road Stadium, home of the Hibees.

Embrace it

The Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world and the slight inconvenience it causes sometimes masks how incredible that really is.  If you really want to survive the Fringe, then give into the Festival’s allures and try to enjoy it. You’ll be surprised how easy it becomes once you view the entire festival as one giant Comedy of Errors.

If you want to have a more traditional look at Edinburgh, check out this film we made with Avios. With 12 hours and handful of cash, can Reggie Yates get a full taste of Scotland’s capital?

 

 

How to Make a Film

9 things you need to know before making a video [but were too afraid to ask]
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Muckle Hen open doors for disability in Scotland

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Opening Doors, Not Building Walls

In the current political climate of division and dehumanisation, the Church of Scotland are campaigning for something different. A world of open doors, and open minds. So that’s why they reached out to us at Muckle Hen.

In communities up and down the country people are feeling the effects of isolation; especially those with disabilities. Churches can be an essential tool for reflection and meditation, but they also function as a space for coming together. But are these spaces doing enough to make this happen? That is what our animation attempts to change.

Our short animation aims to change the perception and stigma attached to disability, and encourage people to be more active in their parishes. By using bright, colourful shapes for our characters, we wanted to convey the notion that although people come in all shapes and sizes, we are all beautifully unique in our own way.

Directed/written by Hannah Robinson, and animated by Oana Nechifor, the animation will be used as a tool for discussion in local parishes in 2017 to promote a more inclusive community. On top of this, it will be shown at the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly later this month.

 

https://vimeo.com/207182785

When should a leader step down?

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Wenger In, or Wenger Out?

Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final once again presented a critical moment in the career of Arsène Wenger. Amid global – albeit viral – protests, Arsenal were expected to lose emphatically to an in-form Manchester City. This disastrously expected exit would have signalled the demise for the Frenchman. Yet once again The Professor provides alleviation from the dissent with a nasty, uncharacteristically defensive, 2-1 victory in extra-time. Arsène has bought himself some breathing space. For now.

But calls for Wenger Out are far from extinguished, and his critics continue to circle. So, how did it come to this? How did Arsène ‘fail‘ Arsenal?

 

The Game has Changed

Modern Football as a concept is a peculiar thing. What was once considered a ‘working man’s game‘ has now transitioned into a primarily commercial venture, turning the beautiful game into a bloated cash cow. Inflated wages, extortionate ticket prices, and unfathomable sponsorship deals, it seems nowadays head often takes precedence over heart when it comes to football. Add the constant media circus ready to pounce on any fraction of failure, and it creates a volatile playing field for clubs and their fans.

This environment although sometimes toxic, is a not the main contributor to the phenomenon known as ‘Wenger Out’. That lies solely on Wenger and his capacity for leadership.

A leadership that emphasises caution over ambition.

A leadership that fails to address its mistakes.

A leadership that has overstayed his legacy, but is untouchable because of it.

Ultimately it begs the question: when should a leader step down?

As football is now very much a business, there are certain lessons that can be learned from Arsenal’s demise. This article doesn’t just make a case for Wenger stepping down, it instead hopes to outline some common signs of failed leadership and how to recognise when we might be past our sell-by date.

6 Signs it Might be Time to Step Down

1.) You’ve ran out out of ‘GOOD’ ideas

When Einstein remarked that insanity was doing the same thing over, and over again, and expecting the same results is madness, I highly doubt he was prophesying of Arsenal. A willingness to innovate is the cornerstone of good leadership. If you’re stuck in a rut and can’t seem to think your way out of it then something is wrong. Maybe, just maybe, you are the problem. Not willing to shake things up when things become stagnant? That reeks of boredom or stubbornness: two fatal symptoms of ineffective leadership.

It must be highlighted that Wenger moved to a back-three for the first time in almost 20 years. The fact he hasn’t used this in 20 years though proves this point.

2.) You’re not letting YOUTH reach their potential

“Young Gunners.” A well-respected accolade that Arsène once wore proud. However, it is their much hated neighbours, Tottenham Hotspur, that lay claim to this now (a claim that stings me as I write it). Wilshere, Walcott, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, all have failed to live up to their expectations, and Wenger needs to take some responsibility for their development. If leaders don’t see noticeable progression in their budding prospects then maybe they aren’t creating the correct environment for them to thrive.

3.) You REFUSE to delegate

Wenger has a Masters in Economics, and understands the club’s finances better than anyone. Why would they need a Director of Football to manage the financial side of Arsenal? Well for a start, without healthy conflict a business can’t change with the times. By taking both of these roles Wenger automatically has to find a balance between spending to get the right player and doing so cheaply – and is failing to do both. Enter Granit Xhaka.

Take the Sanchez contract fiasco for instance. A veritable game-changer, Wenger should have broken the bank even just to calm the waters. Instead it has been dragged out and plastered across the media day-in, day-out. The expression on Alexis’ face speaks volumes.

By failing to delegate, you cause needless stress and show that you don’t have faith in those around you. As trust is a two-way street, failing to address this at both ends will lead to low confidence and a demotivated team – just like Arsenal.

Simply put, don’t be a dictator.

Which transitions nicely into the next point.

4.) You’ve been there TOO long

Every leadership has a lifespan. The point when an organisation becomes so intrinsically wrapped up in their leader’s personality, that it becomes their personality in tow. The longevity of a leadership can be dangerous at this stage as it becomes too difficult for them to understand the importance of an outside perspective. What can happen from this is a total disregard about what is best for their team.

Can you imagine Arsenal without Arsène? Can you even remember who his predecessor was?

This man.

In that time, Wenger has played over 12 different Chelsea managers in his time at Arsenal. Now compare the trophy cabinet.

5.) You aren’t creating MORE LEADERS

In a very bizarre moment in the Premier League’s history, Arsenal played without a captain. Arsène states it was a mistake due to confusion and the pressure of an important game, but does it point to something bigger? A strong captain makes or breaks a team, and it seems like Arsenal don’t have one within their ranks.

People look up to leaders. They are a rare breed of person who are bold enough to inspire but humble enough to empathise with. Obviously if there is a high turnover of people in your team that points to a problem, but it also works both ways. If you are surrounded by the same faces, year after year after year, then it looks like you aren’t inspiring people to be go off and be a leader in their own right.

6.) You don’t own up to your mistakes…

This is the clincher. Of course everyone makes mistakes, but it is a common myth that a leadership’s respect is tied up in their perfect record. On the contrary, it speaks lot about your character.

Just don’t make too many mistakes.

But who will replace Arsène Wenger?

What happens often after this stepping down from power is a period of turmoil as wannabe candidates try to change or emulate a system that is defunct. Most, failing to do so.

Take Manchester United for instance, and the illustrious 27-year career of Alex Ferguson. What followed from his retirement was the appointment of two, at the time, highly revered successors yet subsequently highly unsuccessful managers in David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal. Only now with Jose Mourinho the light seems to be at the end of the tunnel.

Tuchel, Allegri, Silva, Jardim, or even Howe. Whomever takes on the role as successor, has a lot of work to do.

For Arsenal there is a few bumpy years ahead, but it sure is better than two more years of Wenger.

 

Digital Art: Are Memes our Era’s defining artistic movement?

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What are Memes?

Cash Me Ousside. Harambe. Shooting Stars. Evil Kermit. Steamed Hams. Memes have taken over at an exponential rate; showing no signs of slowing down. But is there more to Memes than meets the eye? Could we be witnessing a new era of artistic movement after so many undefinable years? Or, is it just a cultural virus? If you’re scratching your head as to what a Meme is then you’ve quite frankly been hiding underneath a rock.

First coined by Richard Dawkins in his novel The Selfish Gene. Defined as a new replicator, a noun that conveys the idea of a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation. Pronounced like ‘cream’, not ‘me-me’, they are frequently used to measure dankness.

This definition still rings true, but now references more specifically the viral transmission and edit of cultural symbols. Mainly for entertainment purposes. Each image-object is adapted, mutated, formed and reformed to create pretty much anything you want. The beauty of Memes are that every time this happens, two more pop up in its place, each subconsciously connecting to the former. It has become such a widespread practice that it now stands as a defining signifier of our times. But the question remains: is it art?

The problem is no-one can really agree what art is – not unanimously anyway. Plato says ‘it is an imitation of life‘ whereas Anne-Marie from Accounts says it’s ‘whatever the snotty, self-important folk at the modern art gallery say is art.’ Anne-Marie is in essence correct, it comes down to intention, and through intention lies an innate desire to communicate. Whether or not the creator considers it their Mangum Opus, or just a bit of tasteless cultural subversion, doesn’t necessarily matter. What matters is eliciting a reaction. Therefore if art is a means of communication through self-expression, Memes are by definition, art.

Post-internet Art

This communicative aspect of art directly interlinks with the historical period in which a piece is created. Much like Graffiti was born out of a climate of  post-industrialism and degrowth, Memes have developed out of a time of anonymity and inordinate speed. Memes are a language, operating as symbolic, visual resonance through cultural intertextuality. Similar to the current influx of Hollywood film reboots and adaptations, it uses recognition as its defining characteristic.

It is much easier to argue that memes are, or better can be, a form of art, than it is to make the argument that it is a fully-fledged movement. Lev Manovich in The Language of New Media used the phrase Post-internet Art to best categorise Memes and their effect. An art form not of the internet, but beyond it, embracing the societal shift we unknowingly find ourselves within. Similar to this was Pop Art, which used the often considered lowbrow symbols of celebr
ity and mass media to shed light on the divide between high and low art. Memes now carry on from this legacy, by further bridging the gap. While high art bathes in ambiguity, Memes are succinct, and don’t require comprehensive study to understand. Memes are for the people, by the people.

This idea of collective artistic collaboration is far from new, but the internet facilitates this existence like never before. It brings hundreds of thousands of people across the world together, to engage, decipher and ultimately express their personal interpretation. A much needed cathartic outlet for the increasingly chaotic times we find ourselves in. This is in essence why Memes are becoming weirder, and weirder. As people become more disenfranchised by societal systems, so too does their expression. When Dadaism championed Avant-Garde, it did so as an act of anti-establishment, deliberately pushing back against conformity. Memes effectively do the same.

A prime example of this is Simpsons Shitposting, a Facebook-only group containing more than 300,000 members at its peak, created for the sole purpose for sharing distorted, re-imaginings of the cult TV show. Members are appraised for creating ‘fresh OC (original content)’ and often excommunicated for not pushing boundaries, resulting in a unique and absurd online commune.

I do understand that many of you reading this will gawk at the notion of Meme as art, contending that if the ‘artist’ is not consciously creating a piece of art, it can’t be so. A reasonably weighted argument. But if the viewer-subject considers it art, then is it?

Also Memes are easy to make, taking little to no skill or mastery. Not like Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Guadi’s Sagrada Familia or Du Champ’s Fountain. Yes, if a toilet with a signature can be art, why can’t Memes?

Whatever your stance on Memes, it is hard to argue their impact on current culture. Whether it is a definable art movement in its own right, is up to you.

Completely disagree? Please let me know in the comments below. Preferably in Meme form.

Let’s talk about Abortion, not Donald Trump

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trump

With the leader of the free world and his band of men imposing confinements on women’s bodies, Muckle Hen are proud to say….

Let’s talk about abortion

Muckle Hen was approached by NHS Lothian and Greater Glasgow & Clyde to develop a short animation to explain what to do if you find yourself pregnant and don’t want to be. With time such an important factor in making a decision – 9 weeks is the figure to remember – young people need some clear, practical information to help them navigate the confusing miasma of misinformation and mythology.

The film, written & directed by Hannah Robinson, working with animator Iain Gardener, supports the ambitions of the  Scottish Government’s ‘Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy’. It aims to help young people develop the knowledge and skills they need to make decisions around pregnancy and parenthood, and to feel confident about accessing the services they need, when they need them.

Ironically, the film was released on the day of Trump’s inauguration, and his subsequent reinstatement of the ‘Mexico City Policy’ –  the requirement for nongovernmental organisations to agree, as a condition of receiving any federal funding that they will  “neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations.”   Thankfully, the very next day, the Netherlands stepped in and vowed to replace the funding. Their proposed International Safe Abortion Fund already has upwards of 20 countries indicating support, however the $600 million it hopes to replace is a steep ask, and ordinary people around the world are refusing to be silenced on the subject.

So we say: ‘Let’s talk about abortion!‘ The aim of animation is that young people will share the animation through social media channels and so access information which is often denied, by a combination of societal taboos and lack of sex education in schools.  The film is spreading with the hashtag . Already Irvine Welsh has re-tweeted a link to it.

 

It is about safety for the world’s most vulnerable

The fundamental argument at the heart of The Mexico City Policy is that by reducing access to abortion, it will reduce the number of procedures. This doesn’t decrease the need for it though. In actuality it results in a sharp increase in illegal abortions, and affects only the most vulnerable and desperate in our global society.

It must at this point be said that it is not just a Trump policy. Unfortunately this is Presidential Memorandum that has been repealed and reinstated by every president who has entered office. Since Reagan signed the order in 1984, it has had bipartisan support from both Republican and Democratic parties. For many this was a non-news story due to this history, but for many more it was a unexpected glimpse into an issue often considered taboo.

Although the reenacted policy is focused directly on abortion, it is not its only implication. It will in effect, cut funding for contraception, cervical screenings, and HIV/AIDS testing.  Studies of Sub-Saharan African have actually shown that unintended pregnancies increase and abortions double when the policy is active. The Mexico City policy is first and foremost anti-educational.

Scotland has had access to this vital service since the Abortion Act of 1967, however there are concerns over sexual education within Scotland in general. A survey conducted by charity Zero Tolerance, reports almost half of all young people aren’t receiving the correct information on sex and relationships. The result is that many are turning to the internet for resources and guidance – which is often incorrect. By making this animation, the NHS are making strides to provide fairer access to advice for young women and men across Scotland.

Image credited: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

The team at Muckle Hen are proud to promote education and health as two of our key industries. If you want to keep up-to-date with what we’re doing, follow our monthly newsletter for all of our upcoming films.