As early as 1979 the Buggles were singing lyrics about video killing the radio star. In 1985 VH1 debuted music videos and in 1993 The Food Network was launched bringing food to mainstream TV. The success of The Food Network ushered in a new form of food education end entertainment and celebrity chefs that were on the airwaves teaching everyday consumers to cook. And it didn’t stop there. The success of the Food Network was not lost on other TV producers who also launched The Cooking Channel and in the following years, we continued to see a proliferation of new cooking shows on other lifestyle networks.
What started on TV has moved online like so much mainstream media. If you question the power of social video you need look no farther than the 5 minutes of fame that Chewbacca mom garnered for her video showing her laughter and pure joy associated with her new Star Wars mask. In a matter of days it had become the most viewed video on Facebook and for three weeks she’s been brand gold for marketers and making appearances around the country.
So it should come as no surprise that food videos are also growing in proliferation and views. In fact, a recent headline in USA Today declared that Food Videos Are the New Porn. One must stop and read the article associated with that headline.
When you think of social videos, you naturally think YouTube which of course contains millions of short and long form videos. But what really has the consumer’s eyes today are the very short 30 second or less recipe videos. You know the ones…all the ingredients mixed together, efficiently. It looks simple and that video is cut artfully to just show us the basic details and finished product. Again – it looks sooooo simple I could totally do this. And of course when they pop up in our feeds we watch and they’re on a loop, so we maybe rewatch it 2 or three times. Seriously, nobody is watching a commercial that many times.
But beyond YouTube, there are whole new media platforms carving out a niche in the food video space with dedicated programming and talent to help produce regular content. In 2015 Buzzfeed launched Tasty and Tastemade, and has already gained over 100 million monthly active users. And these powerhouses aren’t the only ones. Food influencers like bloggers and even brands are recognizing the power of video and getting in on the game creating their own short form videos.
Images, both pictures and now video continue to gain popularity with consumers. Short form video is representative of the changing culture that illustrates things need a WOW factor to get our attention and they must be short so as not to over indulge our very short attention spans.
The best of these food video porn stars can glean millions of impressions and be shared thousands of times. We all know creating a viral sensation is a lot easier said than done, but well executed videos can achieve thousands of views very quickly and continue to be shared throughout the social universe.
So what are some tips for best in class short form food porn videos?
- Make it indulgent – consumers want to see things that are over the top.
- Make it visual – pick a recipe with great color so it shows well on video
- Keep it simple – The recipe and ingredients need to make every viewer feel like they could replicate the process.
Now is the time to start adding video to your marketing toolkit and social experience. Start small and test a few concepts, but don’t wait.
If you need help developing video content, or expanding your social media footprint drop us and email and let’s chat.
Written by Melinda Goodman
Managing Partner
Melinda@FullTiltMarketing.net
