#1 CASE STUDY VIDEOS WALLPAPER OVER THIN CAMPAIGN THINKING AND EXECUTION
Lots of case study videos that I see are for small, tactical, or inconsequential things. They’re rarely for big campaign thoughts that execute over time and touchpoints.
#2 THE REPLACE A CAMPAIGN AUDIENCE WITH A CASE STUDY AUDIENCE
The audience for these videos are the creative industry. So young creatives get good at highlighting things that impress them, and don’t take to real people.
#3 CREATIVE WORK IS ONLY FINISHED ENOUGH TO ANIMATE INTO A CASE STUDY VIDEO
Because the actual work exists fleetingly on screen, the actual creative product is rarely refined enough to go into the world. So it’s often either naive, impossible, or just half-assed.
#4 THEY ENCOURAGE SOLVING LITTLE THINGS BY FRAMING THEM AS BIGGER THINGS
Instead of executing on big strategy with big bold stuff, it’s the communication equivalent of a Ph.D – zooming in and in on an area that becomes inconsequential to almost everyone.
#5 THEY TAKE LOTS OF TIME TO MAKE. TIME THAT COULD BE BETTER USED ELSEWHERE
I want to see young creatives with portfolios bursting with ideas that cross a huge range of products, services, and audiences. But because they take so long to get right, you often only see 3-6 things in a portfolio. So those few things become tight, overworked, and a little lifeless.
#6 THEY’RE MOSTLY MORE PREDICTABLE THAN THE WORK THEY CONVEY
Sure, some case study videos are as creative as the work they communicate. But most follow a lazy format of problem > insight > “what if > “introducing” > turns out… It’s a little self-defeating if you want to convince someone that you look at familiar things in creative new ways.