LAI Video

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a senior department director of Farm Credit Council

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Farm Credit Council is the national trade association representing Farm Credit System.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire LAI Video to accomplish?

• We hired LAI Video to produce engaging video content that helps us tell an authentic, compelling story of Farm Credit associations and our customers across the country.

SOLUTION

How did you find LAI Video?

Referral

Why did you select LAI Video over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from LAI Video were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Our team works with LAI Video on approximately five to six projects each year. The primary scope of work includes producing 2–3-minute customer testimonial videos filmed on-site at farms across the country. These projects include interviews, drone footage, b-roll and post-production, as well as social media cut-down clips. In addition, LAI Video captures and produces video content highlighting other events in D.C., including our Fly-In.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Through this work, we have built a robust library of professionally produced videos that support storytelling, marketing and stakeholder outreach efforts. The success of these projects is demonstrated by increased internal engagement and ongoing demand from associations eager to highlight additional customers.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

LAI Video consistently delivered high-quality work and communicated clearly throughout each project.

What was your primary form of communication with LAI Video?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

Are there any areas for improvement or something LAI Video could have done differently?

We did not identify any significant areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a manager at a nonprofit medical association.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

We needed to produce videos for an annual conference.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LAI Video produced promotional videos leading the annual conference and also filmed other videos at the event. LAI Video created the video’s scriptwriting and managed the production and postproduction. 

LAI Video produced a total of four promotional videos leading the conference and over a dozen videos during the week of the event. After the event, we posted these videos on our social media. 

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with LAI Video’s senior producer and project manager. During shooting, we worked with five crew members from LAI Video.  

How did you come to work with LAI Video?

I had worked with LAI Video at previous jobs and have known them for 10 years. When I first contacted LAI Video, I reached them through a recommendation. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with LAI Video from March–October 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

LAI Video met our expectations and helped us deliver our message in a creative way through videos using metrics like clicks and views. The promotional videos aimed to attract people to register for our event, and LAI Video helped us accomplish that. We had a good number of assistance. 

Overall, we received good feedback for the videos from our staff and leaders team. LAI Video really took into consideration our vision and audience. They tailored our video in a creative way and helped us have a digital presence. 

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

LAI Video stayed on budget, and we had close communication through Zoom. Deadlines sometimes got delayed because of issues on our part or theirs, but I wouldn’t say it was a problem. Overall we didn’t have issues with timing. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed with LAI Video’s work quality. Many companies meet deadlines and have good staff, but LAI Video’s work quality was something I hadn’t seen before. I’ve worked with LAI Video for a long time and haven’t had a bad experience. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for LAI Video to improve.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend giving LAI Video as much information as possible from the beginning of your engagement. LAI Video works with different clients, and if they understand your project’s goal upfront, this will help you to have a smooth process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the program director of communications within the communications and government relations department for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). We represent professional members within the industrial hygiene and occupational environmental health and safety fields. Our focus is on healthy workplaces and communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

We needed help with video production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LAI Video produced a mini-documentary series about the day in the lives of several professionals. For the creative process, we did some collaborative preproduction work, and they handled all the details of the shoot. They worked with us regarding our volunteers, the site, and the postproduction.

Initially, they went to us for input on the script, storyboard, and casting. LAI Video also handled the video editing and audio mixing.

What is the team composition?

On average, the team was around 3–4 people. We worked with a producer, two camerapeople, and a sound person.

How did you come to work with LAI Video?

They were recommended to our CEO several years ago. We did an RFP and had a meeting with them. During that process, we liked their demo reels and some of the ideas they had about how to approach the project. Although their pricing wasn’t the most affordable, LAI Video had the most well-rounded bid, so we went with them.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the several projects we did with them, we spent around $120,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2017, and the project underwent several phases. LAI Video delivered the final product in January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We published the videos on YouTube and used them embedded on our website, on social media, and as our conference opening for five years. LAI Video went above and beyond what we expected. Our members and professionals in the community loved their work. We were extremely happy with every video they did.

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management was excellent. They were always on time, and the team communicated about any issue. Even when there was a disruption with switching producers due to circumstances outside their control, LAI Video handled the process seamlessly. Moreover, we didn’t have issues during the COVID-19 pandemic; they respected our protocols, and everything worked out well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Working with LAI Video was great. We rarely had more than one edit round with them because they consistently nailed our project briefs. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I know it isn’t a practical request, but we’d love for them to be less expensive because we’d love to do more projects with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a global brand experience agency. I'm an Associate Creative Director at the New York office.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LAI Video, and what were your goals?

We needed an opening video as a part of the Small Business Summit in Nats Park, DC.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We were seeking a local video production company that could provide prompt solutions and have a good understanding of the area. It was also essential for the project to be within our budget. In addition to these considerations, LAI’s treatment and approach to the project had a positive impact on our decision-making process.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

Our objective was to produce an opening video that would not only set the tone for the event but also create excitement and showcase the various activities taking place throughout the park, while introducing attendees to the basic aspects of the event using the Washington Nationals' mascots. As we planned to combine pre-recorded video with live action, it required meticulous planning and careful consideration.

We initiated the process with a video treatment and held several pre-production meetings to collaboratively develop the video script. Given the limited time with the actors and the venue, we needed to plan everything carefully and execute flawlessly. We scheduled a half-day shoot, followed by one week of editing and adding animations. Lastly, we recorded the voice-over in one day and had the final video ready for the event.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

Throughout the production phases, we maintained open communication with LAI’s Producer, Creative Director, and Account Director. On our end, our producers and I were actively involved in managing the process through Teams meetings and email.

We appreciated their willingness to receive feedback and make adjustments to the script and required materials. Despite the changes, LAI Video was able to address our and our client's needs in a positive manner, demonstrating their professionalism and commitment to the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The Summit was the largest-ever gathering of small business owners in the U.S., and the opening video was a crucial component of the event. We received positive feedback from both attendees and the client, highlighting the video's effectiveness in setting the tone.

Several weeks after the Summit, my colleagues reached out to me, seeking a production partner for a new project and inquired about our experience with LAI Video. I happily provided them with positive feedback, emphasizing LAI’s professionalism, communication skills, and ability to deliver high-quality work within a tight deadline.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

LAI team was easy to communicate with throughout the project, which enabled us to deliver the video on time and within budget. Despite it being our first time working together, we were able to establish a collaborative team effort.

There were some challenges during the process, as them sharing the production schedule at a late stage. However, given the time and budget limitations of the project, we felt that it was acceptable and manageable. Overall, we were pleased with LAI’s positive and professional approach and their ability to deliver a successful project outcome.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was impressed with their commitment to client satisfaction and their ability to exceed our expectations. We were particularly impressed with their detailed treatment, which demonstrated a clear understanding of the project and outlined their approach. Additionally, the well-crafted storyboard was a crucial tool in ensuring that all stakeholders were aligned and on the same page, ultimately contributing to the project's success.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I think that having a larger production team on the shooting day would have been better. I would have preferred to see the more experienced members of the team that we communicated with during the pre-production phase also be present on the shooting day. This would have helped ensure that the production ran smoothly and that the end result was of the highest quality.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an audience product marketer at DocuSign. We provide electronic signature and contract life-cycle management solutions to companies throughout the world. I specifically focus on supporting our government customers and helping them position DocuSign solutions that can help their business operations be streamlined and digitalized.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

We hired LAI Video to create three explainer videos for the product solutions we offer. We wanted to focus on three industry thought leadership pillars: create better constituent experiences, workforce transformation, and technology modernization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LAI Video produced three explainer videos under two minutes long. We gave LAI Video the scope of work, and they prepared our business contract with an estimated budget. We signed the statement of work and kicked off the project by providing an overview of our messaging and positioning about the three focus areas and how we planned to use the videos.

LAI Video then created the project’s timeline and assigned us a team. The first thing they worked on was creating a script. Once we had the script, we adapted it following our stakeholders and LAI Video’s feedback, who provided directions to create a succinct script that worked well with the visuals we had in mind. 

Once the script was concluded, LAI Video worked on the video’s visual design. We recommended visual aids and provided our branding guidelines, and LAI Video designed the video’s graphics based on that. The video has animations and stock videos. LAI Video created the animations from scratch. We used stock videos, they didn’t have access to the videos we needed, but we did. 

LAI Video created a first draft of the video, and we went through three iterations based on our feedback. We also did a voice-over recording with voice talent, and LAI Video managed the videos’ postproduction, including audio editing. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with two project managers from LAI Video. They were our main points of contact. We only met the video designer once, although I’m unsure if there was a bigger staff involved in our video production. 

How did you come to work with LAI Video?

LAI Video was referred to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $45,000 with LAI Video. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with LAI Video from July 2022–January 2023. The initial project plan they gave us finished in September 2022, but we requested to extend the project since we didn’t need to work that fast.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

While we don’t have quantitative metrics to share, we’re still pushing the videos through our different channels. They’ll also be posted on our website and be used at conferences and presentations. The videos are a tool to tell our story and weren’t related to a hardwire metric. 

Moreover, the videos created by LAI Video received really positive feedback from our sales force and other business partners that used them. We’ve also seen high engagement with the videos in our internal content hub and posted them on our company’s LinkedIn. 

LAI Video guided us with their expertise and gave us feedback based on their knowledge of how to create compelling and engaging explainer videos. 

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a great communication system with LAI Video’s project managers. We used email and phone calls and had a weekly Zoom call, and LAI Video only rescheduled or canceled it when it wasn’t necessary. Having that weekly call held us accountable for keeping the project moving forward. Anytime we gave LAI Video feedback, we received a prompt and quick answer.

Our two project managers really caught our feedback and communicated it to the video production team. LAI Video used a great tool called Frame.io that allowed us to provide feedback based on the video’s time stamps. We also needed approval from different internal teams and key stakeholders, and Frame.io was helpful in capturing all that feedback and responding quickly to it. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed with LAI Video’s ability to listen to our vision and bring it to life. They demonstrated they have a flexible and adaptive portfolio. LAI Video was also great at aligning with our branding guidelines. We didn’t feel like they were trying to put their creative flare — LAI Video really made the videos true to our brand voice and style. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only issue we had with LAI Video was that they didn’t have access to the stock videos we needed. However, we discussed it at the moment, and it didn’t end up being a problem because we had access to a stock library. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend to stick to the project’s plan for review cycles and be really tight with how those review iterations go. If you maximize or go over the threshold of review cycles, you can incur in additional costs. As a client, it is really important to be organized and efficient with your feedback and take advantage of the cycles allotted in your timeline.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior department director at Boy Scouts of America, a nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

We needed continuous help with video production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LAI Video has helped us put together highlight videos called A Day in the Life of a Scout”. The purpose of those videos is to highlight specific scouts who had a great story to tell. Our videos help us convey how scouting can change a person's life and why our organization is important.

To create these videos, LAI Video does a lot of work for us. For every project, we first meet with the producer to discuss the video, and they help us set the theme and tone for it. Then, they communicate with the scout, their parents, and other people they want to interview for the project. Additionally, they put together interview questions.

After the initial process, LAI Video comes to the site and shoots the video featuring the scout, their unit leaders, other scouts, and their mentors. For some videos, LAI Video also interviews people that the scout has saved or positively impacted in some other way. Finally, they’re in charge of editing all the footage and producing a video for us.

What is the team composition?

I’m in contact with LAI Video’s producer, the editor, and the filming crew. On every project, there are typically 4–5 teammates involved.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

LAI Video’s work has been amazingly helpful for our nonprofit in giving everyone a little snippet of exactly what scouting can do for someone. Their videos have impacted our organization on every level. For example, they’ve helped us increase our membership and volunteers, as well as improve our fundraising.

One year, LAI Video made a video about a scout who created a piece of a 9/11 memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The video was very impactful and meant a lot to the community and the firehouse she worked with because all volunteers went into New York City to help with 9/11. It was a very moving and powerful piece.

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

LAI Video always delivers on time and within budget. Moreover, their communication and timeliness are outstanding.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The way that LAI Video is able to find a story, pull it out, and showcase the emotional parts of it is their most impressive skill. Additionally, they’re excellent to work with. They’ve been extraordinarily generous and often provide us with in-kind services because we’re a nonprofit.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing LAI Video could improve on; we’re very pleased with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t have any particular advice about working with LAI Video. Their work speaks for itself.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for a permanent trade group in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

We needed to figure out how to tell the story and promote a new event we had created. This was an exclusive, invitation-only event with value beyond the typical conference. Thus, we wanted LAI Video to help us bring this event to life and tell the story behind it more effectively through a video that explained why this event was important and valuable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, LAI Video worked with us to create an effective production schedule, working out all the logistics required for traveling, which was required for the event. Additionally, we discussed key message points that we wanted to get across in the video.

Once on the site, we did a walkthrough of the venue and the event space with LAI Video. We also identified some individuals we thought would be good to connect with LAI Video to get their testimonials throughout the event to get additional content and tell the story.

When the event started, LAI Video brought their crew to handle the production schedule and capture content, which included talking-head and on-the-street interviews. Although we had already identified some of the individuals that would be open to having a conversation, LAI Video also proactively approached other people throughout the event.

Once the event concluded, LAI Video handled the postproduction schedule. They provided us with the first cuts, and we went through an editing process. After getting our approval, LAI Video delivered the final video, which was around 90 seconds long.

Ultimately, we used this video as a recap of the event to send out to attendees and provide them with a positive reminiscent of it. Additionally, we used the video as an opportunity to drive awareness to those who were unable to attend, leveraging it to promote the event for the following year.

We posted the video on our YouTube channel and our web page dedicated to the event. When users go to this page, they can see it right away. Moreover, we’ve leveraged the video for our specific outreach, one-on-one interactions, email outreach, and social media marketing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 4–5 teammates from LAI Video’s crew during the event, including an on-site producer and two camera operators. Additionally, we collaborated with two other teammates virtually before and after the production process.

How did you come to work with LAI Video?

We were referred to LAI Video by a former employee who had used them. Then, we looked at some of their sample videos and liked their work. Thus, we reached out to them to talk about our business challenge and what we were trying to accomplish to see if they would be able to deliver and how much it would cost.

After the briefing conversation, LAI Video provided us with a proposal of how they would deliver and create a video that could tell our story in the most appropriate way. From there, we agreed on the terms and hired them.

From the start, the referral was very strong — we really trusted the person who recommended LAI Video. Additionally, we really liked their vision for how they would bring the event to life through the video. Therefore, we decided to invest in this project and use the outcome for marketing purposes going forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around July 2021, and the final project wrapped up in January 2023. Although we don’t have anything planned, we would like to work with them again in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

After launching the video, the feedback was very positive, both internally and externally. Our CEO was very proud of it and thought it helped showcase the event very well. Additionally, the video became a useful tool to market and showcase the event to attendees who weren’t unable to attend the first year, as well as to prospective sponsors for the next event.

As a result, this video helped us secure around 50% new sponsors for the second event, as well as various repeated sponsors. Moreover, we had a lot of new attendees for the second year. Thanks to this video, we’ve also seen an increase in business conversions and leads.

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

LAI Video delivered the video in a timely manner, and they handled the entire production and postproduction schedules very well. Their team was in constant communication throughout the project, especially on-site, and they were great at managing our expectations.

For example, if we needed a couple of days to provide feedback, LAI Video would let us know how it would affect the timeline, which we really appreciated. Although they delivered a couple of days later than expected, delays were caused due to those timeline increases during the feedback process.

We communicated mainly via email, but we also had phone calls, including a briefing call, a pre-event call, and a post-event call. Occasionally, I also called them to talk through feedback, which was easier. Moreover, we frequently met on-site and communicated via text messages. As for collaboration tools, we used Zoom for virtual meetings and Dropbox for file sharing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

LAI Video’s vision of how to bring a story to life is very strong. I appreciated that they brought a new perspective on how to tell our story in ways we didn’t originally think of. In addition to that, they were very good at helping us capture content on-site that we can continuously repurpose. For example, during the on-the-street interviews, they asked additional questions to get testimonials about other aspects of our business. That content has helped us in other ways.

Are there any areas they could improve?

LAI Video is on the higher end from a cost perspective. We made the conscious choice to spend more because we liked the deliverable that they created. Moreover, we required a high level of professionalism, especially on-site, because some VIPs would be attending. However, their cost could be out of reach for other organizations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure that your internal team is set on the expectations for the project. If you can establish the objectives for the video upfront, you’ll give them a clear view of what they need to accomplish. Additionally, provide them with example videos to help them get a better understanding of what you imagined.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director for the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization that presents the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Also, the National Student Poets Program is among our programs; it’s the highest honor for teen poets with original work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

Due to the pandemic, we needed to switch to virtual events.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with LAI Video on several projects related to the National Student Poets Program. The first project was a virtual appointment ceremony for the poets. We engaged their team to produce the event.

Since the program typically involved the winners traveling around the country to conduct readings, workshops, and events, we also needed to reconceive how we’d present them, their ambassadorial functions, and their work. In the end, LAI Video produced a series of videos that tracked their journeys throughout the year. They used footage from virtual readings, events, and workshops to tell their stories as national student poets during the pandemic.

We initially gave them a fair amount of background on the program. They were very responsive about learning. Also, we’d accumulated assets over the years, and they used them to produce the videos along with their original footage.

What is the team composition?

We had three people on our core team: a producer, a designer, and an executive producer. However, most of our work was directly with the producer.

How did you come to work with LAI Video?

It was through a referral.

How much have you invested with them?

We initially invested $25,000 for the appointment ceremony. The second project cost about $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The appointment ceremony was produced in June 2020, and it was completed in September 2020. Then, they worked on the second set of videos from April–December 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We don’t have specific metrics to point out, but we’ve made numerous attempts over the years to document our program’s impact and tell the story of a national student poet’s experience. In that sense, LAI Video did an exemplary job — the videos were personal, but they also captured the essence of the program.

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

They were highly collaborative, which was one of the things that we appreciated the most about working with them. Also, it was very easy to approach their team as a partner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The level of collaboration, responsiveness, and willingness to hear feedback was extremely high, and it met our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications program manager for National Industries for the Blind. We’re a nonprofit that helps find employment opportunities for people with visual impairment. I’m responsible for our social media, digital advertising, and other digital promotional pieces. I also oversee video production, sponsorships, and exposition.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

They’re a video production company, so we contact them often to help us make short videos and tell our story through various means.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with LAI Video on several occasions. They gather footage and edit it into anywhere from 15–30 second spots to full four-minute videos.

What is the team composition?

It varies based on the scope of work. First, we have an account manager that deals with the contract part. Them we have the video production team, which usually includes the production manager and two camera people. On any given project, the team can be as small as those four people.

If more cameras are needed, that’s solved behind the scenes. We also have editors and more people who help make all the magic happen, but those are the front-facing people that we deal with.

How did you come to work with LAI Video?

The person who had my role before me was the one who found them. I believe she just put out an RFP, and they were the best candidate. In the seven years we’ve worked with them, I haven’t felt the need to put another RFP because we’re happy with their services.

How much have you invested with them?

Since it’s video production, it depends on the project. Editing footage that’s already in our archive is a lot cheaper than flying to do an on-location shoot. In general, we’ve contracted them for $5,000 and up to $35,000–$40,000. It can even be higher, but it depends.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together about seven years ago, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Overall, we’ve had very positive results. We use their work in multiple ways to help raise awareness of our mission and what we do. It’s excellent marketing and collateral, and we play it on our monitors and lobby, at conferences, and when we exhibit at trade shows.

We also post them on social media and our website and use them during presentations to orient people to approach our programs. In summary, what they do is really invaluable for us.

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re timely and communicative. The team always responds when I need them, and they’re quick with turnarounds. Whenever we have an emergency, they’re ready to help us and meet those deadlines. LAI Video has never fallen behind on a project.

Additionally, we really appreciate their flexibility. We can change our minds often, and they’re quick to move things around, drop the project, and work with us to get the ultimate piece we need.

What did you find most impressive about them?

First, the technology they use is pretty state-of-the-art, so their quality is amazing. Overall, LAI Video is a great partner. They’re able to conceptualize our abstract ideas and help us hone in on people to interview. Also, they facilitate all the filming and scheduling. They make everything easy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no complaints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior communications manager of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. We represent occupational health and safety science professionals in all walks of their career doing service for the public, communities, and workplaces. 

I handle outreach efforts, going to STEM schools to raise our interest with future generations of what we do. I’m also in charge of social media, public relations and all public facing and interior communications for the website, events and education.
 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LAI Video?

About five years ago, we identified that we were facing a retirement cliff for our members where we were going to lose 25%–30% of our membership in the next ten years to retirement. We took a longer look at that and realized that it’s not just our professional membership that’s facing it but the profession as a whole.

This is due in large part to the fact that a lot of people who are going into second careers or who are graduating from higher educations are not aware that this is a very viable and lucrative STEM career.

So we decided a few years ago to start launching initiatives that would help raise public awareness about industrial hygiene and occupational environmental health and safety as a science and as a profession.
 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We primarily use them for the video production of our series. To raise awareness about our profession, they’ve highlighted different locations and interviewed workers. These videos mostly showcased the profession and stories of the people we’ve worked with and what they contribute to our community.

What is the team composition?

Over the last few years, we’ve probably worked with 10–15 different people at various times depending on the size of the film crews and higher-level strategy meetings.

How did you come to work with LAI Video?

We found LAI through our new CEO who had worked with them from his prior organization. He knew that we were in the process of doing an RFP for this video project, so we quickly invited them and about five other production services to talk with us. 

LAI impressed us the most because they quickly grasped what we wanted to do. They came up with really great out of the box ideas and ways to approach the production and story process that none of the others had done for us. They’re quality people and I’ve never had a bad interaction with anybody from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested easily over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first shoot we did was around March 2016 and we’re still working with them to this day. We classified it as a generational campaign with a 15 to 20-year tail in which we are only in year 5 of the process, so it’s really hard to come up with KPIs.
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Everyone in the office loves all the work that they’ve done. We’re kind of biased too because the production levels are top-notch. But the real indicator is we’ve shown these videos at our annual conferences, which is attended by roughly 4,000 people per year.

Each time, I receive comments about how much the members love seeing their profession showcased, they love seeing how their stories were told. The ones we’ve worked with to do the interviews and had their places highlighted, they’ve become instant movie stars within the community which I think is hysterical.

One of the best comments that we got was one member told us it used to take them 10 minutes to explain to their family at Thanksgiving what they did for a living. In two minutes, one of these videos gave them more information and a complete understanding of what they do, and they’re exceptionally thankful for that.

We’ve also gotten feedback from some of the schools that we’ve begun sharing the videos to in part of their STEM fair days. They had no idea that this existed as a job and they were happy to share it with their STEM students. It can get them excited about the fact that they don’t just have to be an engineer or doctor to go into science and make a comfortable living.

How did LAI Video perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve never had to prompt them. They’ve always exceeded deadline management. We’ll be out of a production schedule and I’ll easily get deliverables from them at least a week or two weeks before the project deadline date. They’re really good about reaching out to make sure we’re on top of things for them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What’s impressive about them is that they’re very down to earth. I’ve had the joy of working with all the production crews. They have been more than willing to share their expertise with me and I’ve learned an enormous amount of production just from watching and talking with them. 

They are a class act all the way through for how they treat our subjects, how they treat us, and even to how they treat their equipment and each other. It’s been pretty awesome working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I believe the cost is a little bit prohibitive. I would love to do more with them, but, being a small to mid-sized organization, we don’t have the bank to do the full gamut of things. But obviously, quality comes with a price so I fully understand that. I just wish there was a more affordable way to use their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to share your vision for the project with them but at the same time, be open to their storytelling ideas. They may seem a little out of the box or off the wall, but more often than not, it works. Also don’t be afraid to share your own ideas with them, even on site, because sometimes they’ll take that perspective and really run with it and make it even more than what you think it is.