Pop Video

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Spring ISD is an independent school district based in Houston. I work as a communications officer there.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

Spring ISD had placed a $330 million bond proposal on the November 2018 ballot. We needed all stakeholders to be aware of the entire bond proposal and thought a video would be a good way to do that.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our team had presented the idea for the video and Pop Video was able to take the idea and bring it to life. They created a draft and then we tweaked it. Based on a brainstorming session, our team came up with a new concept that their team was able to run with. They created 4 animated videos. There was a 3-minute video and 30-second video in English, as well as a 2-minute video and 30-second video in Spanish. The content was the same in each video.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

A board that I am on had used Pop Video’s services before and was happy with their work. Because of this, I decided to work with them again.

How much have you invested with Pop Video?

The project was between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project is completed.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The 30-second video was shown more than 10,000 times. Every time it was shown, we received the exact same reaction—people were thrilled with the final product. It evoked emotion in all of the right places.

How did Pop Video perform from a project management standpoint?

The timeline was fairly tight, but they did a good job in making it happen. Even when the timeline was short, they were able to communicate everything clearly and get the work done.

What did you find most impressive about Pop Video?

The animation was spot on. They were able to listen to our needs and respond with the right touch. Although our vision wasn’t always crystal clear, they heard our concerns and responded quickly.

Are there any areas Pop Video could improve?

As with all service providers, hearing the customer and balancing it with the creative side is always a concern. I would suggest that Pop keep that top of mind.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Kirksey is a commercial architecture firm with 10 or so teams handling different market sectors. We are based in Houston, Texas. I am the graphic arts manager for the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

We were looking to create a branding video, something more unconventional and without a corporate feel. It needed to be creative, and capture the personality and essence of our company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pop Video provided 2 concepts for us. After we chose a direction, they created a storyboard, and we went from there. The video is live-action, featuring multiple locations, including job sites and buildings designed by us over the Houston area. It's 60 seconds long. Most of the people featured were on-site resources. 

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

We did some online research and asked around, picking 3 local firms and sending them an RFP. After we received quotations, we did an internal review with our marketing team, choosing Pop Video because, based on their response to the request, they were the hippest. Pop Video had an edge, with a well-polished website and look, so we felt most confident in their ability to understand our needs. Before producing our video, we gave Pop Video a project to do a Christmas e-card animation, which turned out great.

How much have you invested with Pop Video?

The cost of Pop Video's services was in the range of $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The production time was a year and a half.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We've had 2,500 plays on our Vimeo channel. The video is on our website permanently, so we don't have a specific way of reporting on its hits there. The response was overall positive, with one person, in particular telling us that it brought tears to their eyes. Especially as a first attempt at making a branding video, the result was successful.

How did Pop Video perform from a project management standpoint?

Pop Video is always pleasant to work with and responsive. We've had multiple locations, some public and some private. Pop Video took care of obtaining necessary approval from our clients which took a lot off my shoulders. The only issues were with us; we took way too long to make decisions and get approvals. Pop Video was always patient with us, which I appreciated, never getting annoyed with our slow pace.

What did you find most impressive about Pop Video?

Pop Video came to our office a couple of times and really connected with everyone. We have the same sense of humor, and we're also visual people. It was easy to share our ideas and have Pop Video understand it.

Are there any areas Pop Video could improve?

I have nothing noteworthy.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Nitro-Lift Technologies is a nitrogen service company. I’m president of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

We wanted to produce a video of a particular service that we offer.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided a 3-minute video to describe a particular patented service that we have of nitrogen lifting of oil and gas wells. We explained to them what we wanted, and they directed the live video. We plan to have them create another video at the beginning of next year. 

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

I found them on the internet. I felt comfortable when I talked to Ryan, and he met me near Houston, and we went over our expectations.

How much have you invested with Pop Video?

The total cost was under $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was started and finished in October 2014.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We got one large job for sure with the help of the video. Everybody that’s seen it likes the content and the quality. 

How did Pop Video perform from a project management standpoint?

There were no problems. They delivered on time and to our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about Pop Video?

Ryan is easy to work with and was very involved in the project.

Are there any areas Pop Video could improve?

No, I was 100% satisfied.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Robota is a small company that manufactures drones for mapping applications. I am president and founder.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

We were looking for a promotional video and a unique product which is the Eclipse mapping platform.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were looking for something to show the quality of our product and the product in action to give the customer the feeling that it was real, being as it was a new product. They came up with the script, and the script started out here in the factory. We ended up out in the field and got some footage of the flights. They did a great job. Ever since they showed up here, they knew exactly what they were going to do. They had an artistic vision I would say. They just set up their gear and started filming.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

My little sister worked for them in Houston.

How much have you invested with Pop Video?

We spent under $10,000. It was pretty affordable. I thought it was reasonable compared to what I had seen when we were searching.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project is complete. We don’t have anything in the works but if we do I would probably be contacting them again.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I did get a lot of feedback. Everybody said the video was very well produced and very professional. I almost got more comments just on the video quality than on the product itself.

How did Pop Video perform from a project management standpoint?

They did pretty well and stuck to the schedule. They were on top of me more than I was on top of them to get some of the digital assets that they needed.

What did you find most impressive about Pop Video?

Matt was here, and I don’t have a lot of experience with other production companies but when he came here and started doing his work I got the sense that he had a knack for it. It just came naturally to him. The result was evidence that he knew what he was doing.

Are there any areas Pop Video could improve?

I think there’s always room for improvement but in this case, I was pretty satisfied.

Please describe your organization.

We are a mid-sized chemical company that manufactures specialty plastics for a variety of different end users that range from the automotive market, to food packaging, to even medical and pharmaceutical applications.

What is your position?

I’m in charge of our marketing communications program. I’m in charge of marketing services for nine different products in North and South America.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

We originally reached out to Pop Video to create our safety videos for our sites. In chemical plants, obviously safety is our top priority.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

In order to make sure that everyone that comes to our plant knows our rules and safety procedures, we made four different videos for our sites to explain that. That’s where our relationship started with Pop Video. Since then, they’ve done a variety of different things including onboarding videos for employees that we hired through an acquisition and ongoing internal communications. This year, we’re going to continue to build our external tools with video.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

We’re a smaller company, or we were at least when we started. When I started working here, we were 200 employees. I like to match with the mid-sized companies because they usually provide better service to smaller companies, including creative support and project management. There’s also only two people in our marketing group, including myself. I really do depend on my vendors to be more than vendors, they’re really like employees or consultants to me. When I started working with Ryan and Matt at Pop Video, I depended on them to do their job; not only in bringing creative talent, but also project execution and timeliness because there is only two of us in our group. It’s super important to have reliable people.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

They’ve probably done 12 or 13 projects for me, and each video was in the range of $1,000 - $10,000 per video.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re probably doing six or seven projects this year with Pop Video, focused on our sales teams and other groups.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

They do a lot of stuff with our executive team. Our Chief Executive Officer [CEO] is very demanding in regards to quality of work. He wants things to be perfect, understandably. It demands a lot of interviews with him and with some of our other vice presidents and directors. What I want to be able to do is be able to walk away and know that not only they can talk to him and tell him what to do, but that he looks to them as guys that know what they’re doing, and Pop certainly does. Our CEO really likes working with them. In fact, whenever we suggest video stuff, there’s no longer a suggestion to go out and get multiple bids, but rather it is assumed that Matt and Ryan will be coming in. That’s certainly a success for me. As the marketing manager for our company, they’ve done great quality work .When I say that we’re going to invest in video this year as one of our primary sales tools, I don’t have people challenge me because they’ve seen really quality work from them.

What distinguishes Pop Video from other providers?

The Pop Video team is super creative and really organized. They are excellent at explaining deliverables as well as understanding the business restrictions I have. We’re a Japanese company, so we have cultural barriers that we deal with in my job that’s unusual compared to other companies. They’re certainly sensitive of that and knowledgeable in dealing with a variety of restrictions, but then also skilled at finding a creative and compelling solution.

Is there anything Pop Video could have improved or done differently?

Not a thing.

Please describe your organization.

My company is LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch. We develop retail, restaurants, office, and upscale entertainment spaces.

What is your position?

I’m the Marketing and Public Relations Director.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

We were looking to help promote LaCenterra. This was our first promotional video, so we were just looking to create a promo video on awareness of LaCenterra for the community, and of course, our customers.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Pop Video did all the pre-production, the execution of the video, and the post-production. They were fantastic on working with us through all of those phases of the production of the video, and then of course after, to make sure that we were happy with the product.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

We actually went through a round of interviews and we knew right off the bat when we met the gentleman from Pop Video that they were the best partners for us. Like I said, we went through several interviews and this was the perfect fit for us.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

Our video cost in the $10,000 to $50,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We maintained a relationship with Pop after our video was completed, and we're actually having them back out here in a couple of weeks for Round 2.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Our property is very community-driven here. We've heard very positive feedback from the community, but also from local press members here in the area and from our social media outlets. Our video has created a lot of buzz and everything is about social media these days, so it’s been great to get that positive feedback.

What distinguishes Pop Video from other providers?

To start off, the Pop Video team is full of great personalities, and that is so important in a video production partnership. They really do care about their customers, in addition to getting the video completed. They worked diligently with us through all of the steps in the planning process. They made sure that we were happy and all aligned before they came out to shoot the video, which was a several-day project. After the video was done, they continued to follow up which was a great personal touch.

We are just very pleased with Pop Video. They care about their customers and they care about the product. The product execution is just phenomenal with these gentlemen. They're very educated on what they're doing and great at making sure that LaCenterra came across in the best way possible. They were easy to work with, comfortable to talk with, and to get along with.

Is there anything Pop Video could have improved or done differently?

No. I think we may be a different client than some of their other clients. They did a great job organizing so many different people in one place at one time, which is really tough, but they definitely did a great job with that.

I can't really say that there's something that I would have them improve on. I would say that what was the most challenging for us was working with so many different schedules and people out here because we're such a large property.

Please describe your organization.

Our company is a classification society. We’re an engineering focused non-profit organization. We class offshore vessels and assets to make sure that they are safe and seaworthy.

What is your position?

I am the Manager of Corporate Marketing and External Communication.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

One of the things we’re trying to do is elevate our brand to get more brand awareness and be seen as a thought leader. We also wanted to be more technologically advanced. Part of that was developing more videos.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Pop Video has been very helpful. They’ve done a number of projects with us. They help us reimagine things and give us ideas to promote ourselves. They did a lot of video production and recording, but then they also came back with a rough cut with their story that they kind of put together on their own. They don’t need you to hold their hand. While they’re videographers, I think they’re also strong marketers.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

We considered a number of agencies to work with. In fact, we worked with a number of others as well. Pop proved to be the best in our opinion. Pop Video comes in and they understand. They meet with you and then they will work with your subject matter experts.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We’ve done a number of project with them. The one-off projects are between $1,000 and $5,000. Most recently they helped us with a technology project that consisted of six different videos, and that was around the $10,000 range.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We have learned a lot with the stuff they’ve given us. We’ve used a lot of the work in email campaigns and also on the web. We’ve seen our numbers skyrocket when we incorporate these videos compared to when we had static imagery or things like that in these campaigns.

How did Pop Video perform from a project management standpoint?

The Pop Video team is very approachable. They are quick and responsive. One of the things that stands out to me about Pop Video, and why I enjoy working with them, is that they really take the time to try to understand the subject matter and understand the story that we’re trying to tell. With other videographers, I felt like they came in, they did great work filming stuff, and they would edit things OK, but they didn’t bring much imagination to the project. I would have to dictate second by second what changes needed to be made.

What distinguishes Pop Video from other providers?

Another thing about Pop is that they really are experts. When I have questions about things, they always can answer. For instance, we worked with them on a number of projects, but I feel I can go to Ryan Key or Matt Young [cofounders of Pop Video] and ask questions about how we can use YouTube videos or the usage rules around the laws, and they’re happy to give us advice. Not only are they talented marketers, but they really understand their space and they’re happy to spend the time to educate their clients.

Is there anything Pop Video could have improved or done differently?

Maybe they need more people because we’re going to keep giving them so much work.

Please describe your organization.

When working with Pop Video, I was at a national commercial real estate firm.

What is your position?

I was the marketing director.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

We were focused on improving brand awareness and increasing overall exposure. 

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We wanted Pop Video to produce a video summary of our business lines and important leaders.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

My teammate was the one that did the search and discovery process. When we met with Pop Video, we knew that we were going to hire them after the initial meeting.  They were very eloquent in being able to relay their expertise in the video industry and translate it into an understandable language for my bosses and myself. We could tell it would be a seamless process to work with them. They were very professional.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

Our video with Pop cost in the range of $10,000 to $50,000.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The CEO of the company, who is not one to hand out compliments, pulled me aside to tell me how much the project not only met but exceeded his expectations and to compliment Pop Video separately.

What distinguishes Pop Video from other providers?

Pop Video was very organized on getting things scheduled. When we were actually shooting, they did everything on their end to make the process time-efficient. They were prepared with backups as needed with weather and equipment. The people featured in the videos were the top directors of our company, and Pop did a great job not to waste anybody's time. They were also good at keeping everyone informed.

Is there anything Pop Video could have improved or done differently?

Nothing stands out.

Please describe your organization.

My work with Pop Video was at my previous company where I needed work with previous clients to collect testimonial videos and product videos specifically around our lasers for tattoo removal.

What is your position?

I was the project lead.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

We wanted to keep our image up to the standards that were set by trendsetters in the industry. We wanted some very slick, nice, high production value videos for our products that matched the standard that was set by others. Also, we wanted to be able to very quickly show people the difference in our products vs. competitors. It was a technical product, so we needed to be able to communicate that quickly. 

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Pop Video used a combination of live video and animation as well as shot footage and had voiceovers for the videos they provided us.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

I looked at a few companies in Houston and researched online. Pop by far had the best website and the best work. After meeting with them, I really enjoyed their approach, their vision. They seemed to have a good sense of what we were looking for. Their other videos spoke for themselves in my opinion. It made it an easy decision to choose them. Their prices were fair and their production quality was excellent.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

There were two segments of our partnership with Pop Video. The first year we did four videos, and the second year we also did four. It was two projects that were billed separately. They were both in the $5,000 to $10,000 range each.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We had these facing forward at our trade show booth. We had a number of people from the industry look at these product videos, and we got great feedback from them. They were impressed with the quality of the videos and the imagery that was portrayed by our company through them. We just generally got good feedback from other people in the industry that were producing videos on their own end with probably much larger budgets and much larger marketing departments. The videos Pop provided helped us step up our game and put us on a similar level as our larger competitors.

What distinguishes Pop Video from other providers?

They're the sorts of guys that have a good creative vision. If you give them free reign Pop will come up with a great product, but also if you have a very specific vision they are receptive to that and are willing to work with that. I'm the sort of project manager who has a clear vision for what I want, and they were able to execute that in a way that not a lot of vendors can. It was a pleasure to work with Pop Video because they were able to get it in a way that others don't.

Is there anything Pop Video could have improved or done differently?

I have no complaints. I've recommended them to many other people that I know in the industry. They've been awesome.

Please describe your organization.

My company is Deutser, a boutique consultancy that helps companies with culture. We accomplish this through strategy, people, and storytelling. We help clients with all of their internal and external communication, but we start with culture.

What is your position?

I am the Creative Director and manage a team of creative people.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Pop Video?

I've worked with Pop Video on a couple of projects. We were dealing with a client, Early Matters, a coalition of Houston-based business, community, and education leaders. They wanted to help improve early education and address some of its issues for our city. A couple of years ago, we helped them come up with a name and plan for the project. When it was time to launch a website, we realized we needed content. As well, there was a summit where they were going to recap what they've accomplished over the last two years and needed video, stills, and a campaign theme for that.

How did you come to work with Pop Video?

I had heard great things about Pop Video through a coworker who had worked with them years ago, and reached out to Ryan and Matt (two people that head production at Pop Video). I reached out to them before we had figured everything out which is earlier in the process than I normally would have. That being said, they were very collaborative.

Did you consider any other agencies? Describe your decision-making process.

We have relationships with several production companies, and they all are great partners. With this project, we were challenged because the budget wasn’t particularly large. I was looking for a company to help us create great work in a cost-effective manner. Some of the partners we have only offer parts of the production process. Pop Video, however, is a full-service agency from beginning to end. They do the stills, video, editorial, and help us work with the web developer as well to make sure it all uploads fine. I felt really comfortable that they could handle the whole thing. They had a young, fresh approach and were very savvy.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It was between $15,000 and $20,000.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

What I really appreciated was that they understood that this was really a big idea, so we talked a lot about the look of the deliverable. We were developing the content for a new website and a video to show at the summit. It was a tedious project because we ended up taking video portraits and stills of over 60 people holding up pictures of their baby picture. Not only were they collaborative, but they were also leaders in the sense that they spent extra time developing the look. Pop Video showed me different looks they could do; they went above and beyond what was expected. The response has been amazing to the website and the campaign, and will take off on social media.

How did Pop Video perform from a project management standpoint?

They're able to do amazing work with very few people. Pop Video’s crew has been between two and four people. They're able to deliver the quality of a much bigger crew, but faster. I trust their eye.

What distinguishes Pop Video from other providers?

They understand what good production value looks like, and they're able to pull it off for less money than other people on the market.

Is there anything Pop Video could have improved or done differently?

I can't really think of anything. Every time I've needed anything, they've been very responsive.