The Challenge
At Cisco our business is focused on some pretty complex areas, to say the least. Collaboration, Virtualization, Video, Core Networking Technology…you’ve read, heard and watched us talk about all of this right here on this blog. And, as you know, when we talk about Video, for example, we’re not just talking about consumer products or just video use in the enterprise. We are talking about the entire experience of video from how it is captured and created to how it is shared and stored.
Our portfolio is great…and that is where being a communications professional becomes both a blessing and a curse.
We have an ENORMOUS amount of content to work with and at the same time we need to stay focused and make sure our stories resonate, stick and make sense outside the walls of Cisco.
The Response
In preparation for the launch of our new corporate news website in early 2011, this fall we developed a series of videos (see example below) focused on the core foci of our business. Our goal with these videos was to provide a basic definition for a non-technical audience about the importance of Collaboration, Video, Virtualization and Core Networking Technology (Routing and Switching) in the marketplace. We also wanted to hear from our fans and followers on these topics.
Video from the Series: Cisco on the Importance of Video
As these videos get shared and viewed, our hope is that they will not only further demonstrate our leadership in these areas, but also provide a better understanding of what the heck people are talking about when they throw out an all encompassing word like Collaboration. These are videos that serve not only to educate my mom on Cisco’s business, but, hopefully, also industry influencers -- whether they are investors, analysts, media, business leaders -- who are looking for solid, creative ways to explain the techiest of tech topics in simple terms.
The Feedback
You need just check out the Cisco Facebook fan page to get a sense of how these videos have been sitting with our audience (See posts dated 12/6, 11/30). It didn’t hurt that we threw in a gaming element, putting viewers to the challenge to identify changes throughout each video.
The point is, it is possible to take complex material and make easily digestible. Some tips to rely on when dealing with challenging content: 1. Set clear goals 2. Know your audience 3. Be creative.
Check out the full series of videos and let me know what you think.
Tags: collaboration, online video, routing and switching, tech definition, video, virtualization
No comments:
Post a Comment