Interactive videos are becoming more prominent in the emerging media landscape. These videos encourage users to adjust different variables within the video to make it more personalized to their tastes.
Bob Dylan’s 2013 music video for “Like a Rolling Stone” has users flipping through 16 different channels of simulated TV programming to see people lip synching the words to the song. It’s fun, quirky, and engaging. Check it out.
Just last week, another band used this interactive approach with one of their videos. Users can toggle between a dance version of the song or a more guitar-heavy version of the song or they can listen to it with an even fusion of the two versions. The visual moves with the toggled sound as well. It’s a lot of fun to go back and forth between the versions. Here it is.
This engaging approach to online videos isn’t just for Bob Dylan. Marketers should use these technologies to help consumers personalize their experiences with brands.
One group that has already taken this approach is Volkswagen for an online video featuring the Beetle. The video features the band Walk Off the Earth singing their song, “Gang of Rhythm” in three versions: playful, soulful, and powerful. Users can click between the different versions of the song, which have different sounds, visuals, and vibes showing that the Beetle is the perfect car for any situation.
More companies can begin to incorporate this highly engaging and personalized approach into their campaigns to help users feel a part of the process. The more fun and interactive a video can be, the more likely users will be to share it with their friends to promote the viral-potential of the video.
Interactive videos are becoming more common, and I’m looking forward to seeing marketers use this technology to help build their brand’s online presence and engage consumers.
Emerging Media 