This week, new research into video email gets synapses firing. A content collaboration taps into the drive to create. And a helping hand in the greeting card aisle turns into a savvy way to introduce a new service.

This is your audience’s brains on video emails

It might be time to reconsider your text-only email strategy. Vidyard recently sponsored a small cognitive neuroscience-based study that found video emails made business professionals feel happier – and they remembered them better, as Email Insider reported.

The study (gated) involved 39 business professionals who were monitored via EEG (brainwaves), ECG (heart rate), GSR (skin conductivity), eye tracking, and other sensors to assess their responses as they viewed the emails. First, all were shown an inbox containing a set of seven emails: the first and last three were in text format, while the fourth email in the list contained a one-minute video from a coworker explaining corporate gifting options. Participants started reading the text emails in what their brains indicated was a negative state. Their mood brightened when they watched the video email then returned to a neutral state as they viewed the last text emails. (Both assessments were based on their valence and arousal levels.)

Next, participants saw two emails – one text and one video – containing a sales pitch for a software product that reduces background noises during video calls. The video voiceover used the same words as the text email. The text version prompted anxious feelings, while the video version elicited reactions of happiness and positivity, which are higher on arousal and valence scales.

Later, 59% of the group could remember details from the video email, while 46% could recall details from the text version.

Time to rethink your #EmailMarketing strategy? Intriguing research from @Vidyard shows what happens to our brains when we get video emails via @CMIContent. #WeeklyWrapCLICK TO TWEETWHY IT MATTERS: Yes, the Vidyard study results derive from a limited sample. And, yes, Vidyard has a vested interest in promoting video marketing. Still, the results are intriguing enough that you might want to try some A/B testing to evaluate the impact of video on your email outreach. Second, the study shows the power of original research in B2B content marketing. The cognitive-neuroscience angle is unusual in B2B research, making the report likely to generate coverage in industry publications and coveted backlinks from credible sources.

Porsche revs creators’ engines

Porsche and Condé Nast have partnered for a collaborative storytelling initiative to inspire future creators called The Art of Drive.

The digital collaboration involves Condé Nast’s Vogue, Vogue Business, and Wired – and reaches their combined audiences of over 150 million. The Art of Drive puts the spotlight on thought leaders and success stories across tech, culture, music, fashion, and design.

The content, which will run through November, will take the form of documentaries, other videos, articles, Q&A, and panel discussions. The first stories focus on reinvention and evolution with Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter St. Vincent, British-Jamaican tech founder Sharmadean Reid, and American stylist Karla Welch.

Image source

The Art of Drive is part of Porsche’s campaign – Dreamers. On. – designed to inspire the dreams of creatives and entrepreneurs.

WHY IT MATTERS: Though Porsche hasn’t outright said it’s targeting Millennials and Gen Z. That strategy makes sense given the subject matter and profiles. These generations haven’t been as motivated to drive and buy their own cars as older counterparts. Porsche’s smart content marketing move focuses on what inspires and speaks to these generations. When these content consumers become car-buying consumers, they’re more likely to connect the concepts of drive and innovation to Porsche.

.@Porsche and @CondeNast embark on a #content journey to inspire future creators – see details and the trailer featuring @st_vincent via @CMIContent. #WeeklyWrapCLICK TO TWEET

Hallmark says: “Pick a card – not (just) any card”

If you’ve stood in the greeting card aisle (or store) pulling out card after card to find just the right one, you’ll appreciate Hallmark’s new online tool – the Perfect Card Finder.

With the tool, you answer three questions to unlock a personalized shopping experience. Each question asks you to pick your favorite card from the selected offerings. The results also lead you to Hallmark’s new Sign and Send service – you buy the card, sign it digitally, and Hallmark prints and mails it.

 

Interactive tools can act as a gateway to personalized #content experiences and even new services. See the example from @Hallmark here via @CMIContent. #WeeklyWrapCLICK TO TWEETWHY IT MATTERS: The greeting card business faces tough competition these days, as people often opt to wish a happy birthday or congratulations via Facebook, text, or email. The interactive quiz is a fun way to pique people’s curiosity. It’s also an excellent example of an interactive tool serving as a gateway to a customized experience and a warm introduction to a new service.

Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute