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Industry Spotlight: 5 Construction Videos Any Company Can Learn From
In the modern digital media landscape, no company can afford to skip out on investing in video production. As a medium, video is simply too popular across too many channels for a company/industry to not have a video presence. And quality matters in any industry, and construction videos are no different.
Along with dealing with a vast amount of regional and national competitors, construction companies are using video to leverage their branded video content in a variety of sub categories. From city planning, to how-to guides, to general brand storytelling, construction videos are powerful examples of companies illustrating the reach of video.
No matter what industry your company might fall under, there are still strategic approaches and inspiration to gain from these shining construction video examples.
1. Bechtel
This video from Bechtel is a perfect example of how a company can effectively build a brand through video. As a viewer, you may know Bechtel by name, but even if you don’t, you walk away by the end of the video with a pretty clear picture of what they’re all about.
The footage is high quality, with a cinematic approach in its production. The use of voiceover and primarily b-roll footage is an effective way to cover a lot of ground and diversity in just two minutes. And the subtle logo placement is a nice touch as well (hint: look closely at every helmet).
Through this company overview type of video, Bechtel helps to establish itself as a modern, progressive, forward-thinking company within an industry that demands constant innovation.
2. Jacobs Engineering Group
This video from Jacobs Engineering Group is more regionally focused on the Dallas-Fort Worth area. And it is extremely effective in three specific ways, which can be utilized in any industry video production.
First, this video is strong in its setup. It presents a problem in increasing population density which it seeks to solve through a new, advanced transportation structure. Second, it communicates a problem-solution while saving production time and costs.
Look closely, most of the establishing shots of Dallas as well as the close ups of pedestrians look to be b-roll or stock footage. Which means it was likely outsourced. Motion graphic text does the work in lieu of a voice over speaker, making it work with or without audio.
Finally, there’s some great use of animation at the end of the video to visually portray the proposed new structure. And since the #WhatIf video series is a fairly regular production for Jacobs Engineering, it makes sense to establish a video style that’s easy to replicate to maintain a consistent brand voice.
3. John Deere
John Deere is easily one of the most recognizable brands today, even outside of the construction industry. Yet the above video from the company is a perfect example of catering your video projects for your specific audience.
It’s a relatively short video at a minute and a half, but it covers a lot of ground. The exciting music pushes the pace, and the alternate shot speeds as the camera circles the excavator helps to make the animation transitions more interesting and exciting.
While the casual viewer might just admire the unique animation overlay in real-time, industry insiders will quickly recognize the specific equipment features John Deere is attempting to communicate. All without being subjected to long, drawn out demonstrations from a talking head.
4. Fluor Construction
Another longer form, more cinematic approach comes from Fluor Construction. But rather than opting for just dramatic b-roll action shots (though there are plenty of those), this video takes an almost documentary film approach.
It illustrates the successful partnerships between civic leaders and Fluor to accomplish the construction of the innovative train system. The footage is diverse, and features multiple interviews with different local administrators that helps bolster its authenticity.
Additionally, in an almost local-news like approach, there are a few candid interviews with pedestrians and commuters to add a layer of authenticity: they’re clearly not planted or rehearsed, and help to further illustrate the train’s success.
Your video’s messaging doesn’t always need to be complex. Sometimes it’s as simple as celebrating a success, while letting the accomplishment, and the pieces that led there, speak for itself.
5. Caterpillar Construction Equipment
Like John Deere, Caterpillar is another extremely recognizable brand (we’ve all seen the big CAT at construction sites and renovations big and small). Yet unlike the John Deere example above, this video seeks more to sell the viewer on the merits of the Caterpillar brand rather than the specifics of its equipment.
And that’s a great approach as well! Much like the Bechtel video, this result from Caterpillar is both powerful and memorable. It seeks to tell a story with its brand, and add more of a human side to it than perhaps the gruff construction stereotype or heavy machinery would suggest.
Here we get another strong voice over performance with a well written script. But the footage utilizes the same characters, that tells a brief, heartwarming story in less than a minute.
Sometimes less is more. In this case we don’t need to have all the details explained. We get a succinct story through a high quality production, and insight into what Caterpillar deems valuable to present as a brand.
Final Thoughts
You can transform the way your brand is viewed through fresh approaches and the right amount of innovation. Take a look at any of the above construction videos. Here, large companies may not all be household names and local competition can be challenging in itself.
All of these companies are still finding ways to get their messages across, without compromising their brand values. But great writing and voice over work, strong b-roll footage, and effective use of animation and motion graphics are not exclusive to the construction industry. Try a few in your next video.
Feeling inspired? Get rolling on your next great video project today! At Crews Control, we’ll connect you with the best production team for your project, no matter where you’re located or what you’re looking to shoot. We also have all of your animation and post production needs covered. Check out all of our services and reach out today for your free quote.
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