We came across this made-by-Google vid about the new Pixel Buds 2. Full disclosure: I’m an Apple fanboy . . . but I’m also a filmmaker. I must be honest, I was unwillingly willing to give it any attention.

Yet here we are.

We’re super impressed by this video. Besides being beautiful work, it effortlessly achieves the 5 pillars of powerful promotion. Attention. Authority. Trust. Engagement. Conversion.

Here’s how:

  • It invites attention: Opening shots don’t contain any people – just empty environments. This is a lovely scene setter that lets the audience focus on exactly what the narrator is saying.
  • It walks the talk: Right off the bat, the music and sound effects are fantastic. You’d expect this considering the video is about ear buds, but even so, lovely work.
  • It’s honest: They include the producer asking the question, “Is it possible to do this in a 2 minute video?” And then a lovely response from the interviewee saying, “I don’t think so.” It’s a really nice technique that makes the audience trust the content.
  • It gives proof: There is a section where someone is listing all the things they have done to stress test the product. The point they’re making is it’s a long list, and they did this by mixing and overlapping his words as he lists things. It works really well.
  • It’s inclusive: There are lots of nice hero shots, where each new person we hear speaking is seen looking down the lens smiling. Much nicer to just hear the people rather than see them in a formal interview.
  • It’s relatable: One of the people compares her pregnancy to the product development (in terms of time frame). It’s a great soundbite, and it’s good to have some human content and bring in personal lives.
  • And then there’s the unexpected: They have applied a nice vintage video effect to certain scenes that show the product being used. I wasn’t sure about this at first, but after a second viewing, we all agreed it grew on us.

This puts me in an unpleasantly pleasant place. Watching this vid makes me want to ditch the AirPods and give Google a go.