It’s the decade everybody pretends they want to forget, but if you grew up in the 80s, it’s the one that brings the fondest memories. It was the decade that brought us big hair, The Goonies, Hypercolor t-shirts and Pacman, and it was the decade where video entered into our lives in a big way.
Bringing a video recorder home to the family for the first time was a moment of great trepidation. This brand new piece of shiny equipment was all the rage apparently and it could make time stand still. Oh how we rejoiced when we could watch Hannibal con BA into drinking the milk over and over again. And what would life have been like if we didn’t have to sit frantically adjusting the tracking just as JR Ewing was shot by an unknown assailant. {{{SPOILER ALERT}}} It was Kristin Shepherd, Sue Ellen’s sister.
Do You Remember Your First Time?
Can you remember the very first video you watched at home? A quick straw poll around the Stormnet Media office revealed some all time greats and some very red faces! ‘The Breakfast Club‘, ‘Firestarter‘ (starring a very young Drew Barrymore), ‘Back To The Future’ and ‘The Care Bears Movie‘ were just some of the confessions from our team.
Owning a video recorder also gave us access to an exclusive new club – the local video shop. Armed with our own personal luxuriously laminated card we could choose from hundreds of films, TV shows and pop videos. Okay, so you needed a small wheelbarrow to get them home, but for just one night, or the entire weekend if you were feeling flush, they were ours!
Play It Again Sam…And Again…And Again
One of the best things about owning a video recorder is that we could record and watch our favourite TV shows and pop videos to our heart’s content. Where once we would sit in our bedrooms recording the Top 40 and frantically hitting the pause button before the DJ’s voice ruined our compilation, we could now capture everything for posterity on videotape. Well, until the tape got chewed up or wore out anyway!
The Ads That Shaped Our Childhoods And Our Futures
Of course, one of the downsides of recording TV programmes on video was that the ads came along for the ride too. If the ads were great, it wasn’t usually a problem but there were some truly annoying ads that would have us reaching for the remote control quicker than you could say “Agadoo”.
The video revolution was a great time for advertising firms. They knew that the majority of people would sit through the ads and in those people they had a captive audience and got double the exposure (or more) for the price of one time slot. TV ads started to become slicker, longer, told stories and were talked about the next day in the playground, on the train to work and around the dinner table.
Who can forget this gem from Toshiba? We challenge you not to be singing this long after you’ve finished this article.
The Secret Of A Good TV Ad Or Video – Make It Count And Make It Memorable
At Stormnet Media, we know we only have one chance to grab the audience’s attention. That’s why we put our all into making every video we produce count. Every second, every frame and every word is carefully constructed to get deep in the mind of the viewer and to stay there long after.
Old Spice have got it just right with their latest video.
It’s got clear branding, it’s got humour and it’s got sharability – nope, that word isn’t in the dictionary but it’s a very important aspect of video production. We want your video to be liked, shared, pinned and retweeted and most importantly, we want your video to do great things for your business or organisation.
Be The Next Big Thing In Video – Speak To Us Today About Our Video Production Services
Whether you need an explainer video to explain your product or business in style or you are looking for a slick world class corporate video that will ensure you stand head and shoulders above the best, our video production team is standing by to assist. Call us now on 01527 910050 or use our contact form to get in touch. We’ve worked with some big names and some little ones too, but the result is always the same – a unique and powerful video that ensures you are remembered for all the right reasons.
Written By: Ian Stainton
Ian Stainton is the CEO and Founder of Stormnet Media Ltd, an award winning video production and digital media agency based near Birmingham in the UK. He is trusted by global brands, SMEs and start-ups to help them engage and interact with their customers – ultimately selling more stuff. You can check him out on Google+.