Colt Technologies
Brand Video
Project Overview
The Brief
Colt required an engaging, genuine, and informal brand video, steering clear of typical stock footage and corporate voice overs. A key objective for the project was to ensure viewers not only understand Colt’s identity and value proposition, but also retain this information through strong brand recall.
Our Response
We wanted people to come away from the video with a clear, memorable impression of Colt as a modern, innovative leader in digital infrastructure.
We proposed a video to convey Colt’s commitment to innovation, reliability, and global connectivity while maintaining a down-to-earth, approachable tone. We needed to balance professional visuals with a relaxed, conversational narrative style that would resonate with both existing and potential clients.
Initial Concepts and Strategy
We began with brainstorming sessions to develop a narrative that felt natural. Colt emphasised the importance of a relaxed, storytelling approach that would make the audience feel like they were learning about Colt through a personal interaction rather than a formal presentation.
Our strategy sessions involved discussions about the importance of cinematic quality and storytelling, emphasising that the video should feel like a personal narrative rather than a corporate pitch. As part of our strategic planning, we developed a buyer persona tailored to resonate with senior executives in the telecommunications sector. Understanding their preference for creative and impactful content, we developed a video that would not only appeal to their aesthetic sensibilities but would also reassure them of Colt’s credibility and expertise.
We wrote a script with voiceover narration to articulate clear, logical reasons why Colt stands out as a reliable and trustworthy partner. This approach was important for aligning our communication objectives, ensuring that the audience not only comprehended but also connected with Colt’s value proposition.
Upon analysing competitors’ marketing communications, it became evident that many relied on stock footage and technical jargon, potentially alienating broader audiences. In response, we aimed for simplicity and clarity in our messaging. By putting Colt’s key strengths into a concise 30-second video, we focused on conveying compelling reasons for choosing Colt as a business partner. Rather than delving into intricate features and benefits that might overwhelm viewers, we prioritised strong brand recall. This strategic choice was crucial in differentiating Colt from its competitors and resonating effectively with their target audience.
Jessica Birch, the Producer on the project and I, explored the idea of integrating Colt’s historical milestones into the narrative to provide context and depth. This involved highlighting significant achievements and showcasing Colt’s journey from its inception to its current status as a leading digital infrastructure provider. By weaving these elements into the storyline, we aimed to create a cohesive narrative that would underline Colt’s longevity. This is a key factor when building trust with new prospects.
Creative Process
Visual and Narrative Style
We kept the client informed at every stage of the pre-production process, ensuring that all our creative decisions were on-brand. We created mood-boards and reference images for our crew to help explain the lighting. Our Production Designer created mood boards for the props and set decoration. All of these were shared with the client to get early stage feedback and ensure we shared the same creative vision.
The visual style was inspired by cinematic techniques, with careful attention to detail in every shot. We used practical effects and avoided overused stock footage, creating a tangible and unique representation of Colt’s global presence. The aim of this was to create a laid-back, relaxed tone that felt authentic and natural.
Key Visual Elements
Globe Imagery: The central image of the video was a globe with lights representing Colt’s presence worldwide. This was a creative take on the clichéd stock footage of a spinning globe with light rays connecting different global offices.
Location
We filmed in Colt’s offices to add an extra layer of authenticity. This setting helped convey a genuine, behind-the-scenes look at the company.
Equipment
We shot on the Sony Venice and used a chapman dolly with a jib arm to achieve the fluid motion of the camera pulling back and spinning around. It was all done practically with no motorised stabilisation. Remote follow focus was used to keep everything in focus. It was a complex move to pull off and took many takes to get the move just right.
An Arri macro prime lens was used to get the closeup shot of the globe and a special probe lens was used to get the shot of the eye before pulling backwards down a copper tube.
Shadow Icons
When mentioning Colt’s selling points—reliable, secure, and always on—we used shadow icons on the wall to visually represent these concepts in a creative way. These were added using visual effects in post-production.
Attention-Grabbing Visuals
We wanted to start with a thumb-stopping image that would grab attention when it appears in social media feeds. The video begins with a striking visual of an eye looking through a tube, symbolising scrutiny and attention to detail. This was followed by Colt’s logo on an old map of London, establishing the brand within the first few seconds. Getting a brand impression early is important because if people only watch for a few seconds they still see the Colt logo which enhances brand recognition.
Sound and Music
We paid special attention to the sound design, using metallic sounds and swishes to emphasise camera movements. We also incorporated subtle audio cues, such as a dial-up modem sound when mentioning Colt’s origins in the 90s and city noises when talking about their global presence.
Colour Grading and Branding
Because we filmed on the Sony Venice we were able to take advantage of its beautiful colour science to push and pull the material in the grade. The colour palette was carefully chosen to reflect Colt’s brand colours, ensuring high brand recall. We used Colt’s logo and shades of their brand colours throughout the film to create a strong visual identity.
Technical Execution
Animatic and Shot Planning
In the pre-production phase we created storyboards to help the crew align on how the visuals would represent the dialogue. We then put the storyboards onto an edit suite timeline so we could time them alongside a temporary recording of the voiceover. The resulting video is called an animatic. We created another animatic in a 3d modelled environment, using 3D scans which we had taken of the office space. We timed all the shots on production day to an animatic, highlighting the level of detail that went into planning, to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible on the day.
3D Scanning and Lighting
We made use of a 3D scan of Colt’s offices and created detailed lighting plans to ensure the scenes were perfectly lit, as well as going on two recces to the location. This meant that when the crew arrived on set, they knew what the environment they were filming in would look like, so that set up time was efficient.
Practical Effects
The globe used in the video was tailor-made for this video, designed to spin on its own and have lights shine through pre-drilled holes. We blocked out all light from the office to control the lighting precisely, and have it’s full effect showing.
We rigged dimmable office LED strip lights in the ceiling throughout the office so we could start with the globe in full bright view but then dim down when the light rays start appearing to allow us to see the shadows on the wall, ending with a moody cinematic look for the person working at their laptop. This symbolises the always on nature of Colt’s service.
Outcome and Impact
The final video successfully redefined Colt’s image, presenting them as a modern, reliable, and creative digital infrastructure provider. By avoiding corporate clichés and focusing on a storytelling approach, we created a video that felt fresh, engaging, and authentic. The high-quality, cinematic production made a distinct first impression, positioning Colt as a leader in their industry.
The video was able to show Colt’s key messages even without relying on voiceover narration. This was possible as the visuals and storytelling were compelling and coherent enough to convey Colt’s identity and offerings independently.
By strategically incorporating symbolic imagery, such as the globe, highlighting Colt’s global presence, and historical photos depicting their legacy, we aimed to communicate essential aspects of Colt’s narrative without explicit verbal cues. This approach enhanced the video’s versatility for various platforms and audience interactions, reinforcing Colt’s messaging and impact across different viewing contexts.
The video worked well at both the top and middle of the marketing funnel. It was effective in raising awareness among new prospects and establishing Colt as a trustworthy partner during the consideration phase. The friendly, human tone of the video helped to humanise the brand, forging an emotional connection with the audience.
Overall, the project was a success, achieving Colt’s objectives of articulating their identity and value proposition in a clear, engaging, and memorable way. The video not only communicated key messages effectively but also left a lasting impression on viewers, driving them to learn more about Colt and their offerings.
Here you can see a behind the scenes video showing how the filming day went.
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Author Bio
Adam Neale has been working in the video industry for over two decades. He has run multiple production companies and has received awards for his work from global film festivals along with a Vimeo Staff Pick and a Webby Award.