Have you missed the billboards, magazine cover articles, friends blogs, and the gabillion other places telling you to produce online video for marketing. I agree with this, so much so that I went to work for an online TV network start-up.

There is no disputing the power of video. The ability for advertisers, marketers, publishers and all to provide multi-sensory content that often times exceeds print in making its power of delivery and engagement. Everywhere you turn, someone has started a new online video network, or a video blog, or posted a video of a video the took from TV. It’s everywhere!

Video is great, so long as you make a good one. If you don’t, it’s like a dentists office visit, or a comedic romp through the short comings of the video creator. In haste to embrace the online video revolution, you will find hundreds of well meaning messages crafted into crap. Content that could of otherwise been cleverly crafted, if thought through, left for junk.

Sometimes the content is awful, useless junk cluttering Youtube like Viagra ad’s in your spam box. Sometimes the content is awesome, but the host has failed to think through their story arc. And sometimes, the content is great, the story arc is proper, but all is lost in translation. Poor pronunciation, poor delivery, or perhaps unscripted and poorly executed monologues.

It’s ok when this happens with an amateur, you expect it. How about when a professional outlet is the offender of crappy content?

I am a happy AdAge reader, and have begun following their AdAge video spots, streaming for free online. I was excited to find a show otherwise new to me, “The Martin Lindstrom Video Report“, as Martin has written a few books on the topic, I was looking forward to content that would expand my knowledge on marketing and branding.

Like the voracious consumer I am, I happily dived into my first Martin hosted video. Now, before I even talk about content, I want to bring highlight to an somewhat obvious flaw, at least to me. Without having read a little blurb on the show, the name gives me no input as to the content. Although, I think someone figured it out, as I traveled through the video, they seemed to change the show name to “BrandFlash”, which seems like a no no in branding, changing your brands name mid-launch.

The show tags itself as “new and innovative ways to build a brand”, following our host across the globe as he investigates the obvious.

I don’t have much back story on Martin, so I am only guessing when I say, he’s German? Anywho, let’s start with Martins video on “Why Business to Business Branding is Boring”, ps. I totally concur. To keep focused here, I am just going to type what I hear:

“…wise business to business branding so incredible boring?..”

“…it is the headquarter of Hate-P…”

I could go on, but I think those two sentences truly highlight the issue. Like I said, if this was amateur content, I would not judge it so harshly, but it’s not, right? I know that Martin is not a native English speaker, but he chose to make his content in English, I assume this was done for universal appeal. Points for making a good choice, 25% of the earths population speak English.

Martin writes great books, and is probably a multi-lingual savant, that’s normal for Europeans. The unfortunate problem here is that he delivers his content in undecipherable streams, at points. And it seems like he has not thought through his introductory dialog. So his message looses credibility and becomes noise on the radar. Not good for your brand Martin.

As I learned in childhood speech therapy, practice, practice, practice. Martin has great things to say, but I couldn’t understand many parts of it for a lack of clarity. I know we all can’t be masterful orators, but we can at least put effort into our presentations. I want to learn from Martin, and I will. It could just be a whole lot easier if he spoke a bit more clearly.

Beyond clear presentation of thought, the initial introduction of the content needs to be a powerful and concise delivery of the general theme of your piece. Martin does deliver this initially, “Why is business to business branding so incredible boring”. Martin makes a clear statement for what the content is going to address topically, but he falls short by rambling on with a dry metaphor.

Martin, a branding professional who has written several books on the topic, does himself a disservice with his video.  If you navigate to his site, you will find that you can book him for speaking engagements. Would you book someone who makes content you can’t understand? What if you’re HP and you have a man come in and call your company Hate-P? Doesn’t seem like I would be sold on his speaking skills after watching the video.

How is the relevant to you, the readers? Simply put, if you’re going to get out there and  make content, make sure it is quality. Putting sloppy videos makes you, and your brand look sloppy.

We all want to rush to produce video content, although we might all want to learn from Martins mistake. If you’re going to make any video content, think it through and be professional. Poorly crafted content has a negative affect on your brand image.

Everything you do affects your brands image. The perception others will have of your brand is controlled by the content and communication you put out. I never truly appreciated this until I worked for VICE. A company that understands each interaction a person has with your brand is important. To be less than polite, figure out your brand, then eat, shit and sleep your brand.

How you talk, the way you walk, what you do, how you do it, what you wear, how you wear it, where you go and on and on and on. Especially in video, where people get a multi-sensory chance to connect to you, your product, your brand, it is important to ensure that you are protecting your brand image, and only putting forward well crafted content.

Sorry Martin, you’re the sacrificial lamb.