Pennant Video

Pennant makes videos – that seems relatively clear. But what does “mid-funnel focused video marketing” mean? It’s on our business cards, after all… We’re glad you asked! Seriously, people ask us that all the time, and we’re always happy to explain. But today, we’re stepping back and letting our very own (and very first) Explainer video do the hard work for us. It explains what we do, sure. But more importantly, it’s a demonstration of the power of the mid-funnel and a living example of what we do for our clients with every video we make. From discovery and creative direction to execution, animation and sonic identity, Pennant will galvanize your mid-funnel so you can outplay your rivals. Plus it looks pretty amazing, right? Still got questions? Drop them in the comments 👇 Special thanks to these creative champs: Tyler Littwin - Art Direction Brianna White - Brand Direction Sean Brodeur - Animation Ben Drake - Animation Chris Plante - Composition, Sound Design + Mix Shaw Flick - Writing Alli Axelsen - Project Management Mariah Bergeron - Voiceover Sam Kelly - Logo Identity Tim Bradley - EP/Director Dustin Devlin, Winston Macdonald - Assistant Coaches

Wouldn’t it be neat if you could make the future less uncertain? Well, you can’t. But don't give up hope just yet... Especially in industries subject to uncertainty and rapid change, mid-funnel video can build trust and help your customers feel more confident and secure in their decisions. That’s because uncertainty creates risk and risk typically leads to buyer hesitation – whereas MOFU video creates connection and dispels that hesitation. Let’s dig in. Lately, we’ve been hearing (and reading on message boards) the same frustrations: “Buyers say they want video, but half the time, they don’t even watch.” “Sales keeps asking for case studies, but how do we make them actually watchable?” “We can’t afford to keep making content that expires the second the landscape shifts.” Mid-funnel video helps mitigate these concerns because of when in the buyer journey you use it, how you strategically approach it, and what impact it has on your customers. Buyers need more than information. They need to feel seen in your solution. They need confidence that they’re choosing a company that values them, no matter what changes in the world. And they need clarity about whether this decision will stand up to future demands. The content of your videos can do all that – but you must be intentional. When the landscape is constantly shifting and evolving, the way we communicate needs to keep up. Now more than ever you must see the world and your brand 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨. This is why investment in mid-funnel video is an investment in your brand’s future. It's not just a cost or a line item on a budget. It's a connection. The right story gives buyers what they need to move forward – answers to unspoken doubts, a reason to trust, and a clear connection between today’s challenges and tomorrow’s outcomes. In a world of unexpected risks, you can’t promise certainty – but you can build trust. How have your buyers’ decision-making habits changed? Let’s compare notes.

In the mid-funnel, where one of your primary goals is to build trust, your audience notices the amount of effort you put (or don’t put) into your videos. Let’s say you’ve identified your best customers and they’ve agreed to let you tell their story. Nice! This means you’ve already done most of the hard work, and chances are you’ve created a solid written asset to tell the story. But marketing that works as hard as you do doesn’t stop there. Now you need a video that speaks directly to your audience in a way that accurately represents your brand’s value (and its values). Sure, you 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 film a Zoom testimonial and call it a day. But 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 you? Probably not. Thoughtful, well-produced videos tap into your audience’s willingness to trust your brand. And 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 is what moves buyers forward. That’s because a rushed, low-effort Endorsement video can undermine your strategic goals by sending the message 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂. To your actual audience, if the video feels like an afterthought, what does that say about your product, service, or approach to customers more broadly? On his recent appearance on the SalesPOP! 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁, Pennant founder and EP Tim Bradley dug into 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, why brands 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 get it wrong, and how 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 can change your marketing and sales game. Listen to the full episode here, or wherever you get your favorite content: https://lnkd.in/g3CZfHWJ

So your bracket’s busted. And the group chat won’t let you forget it. But in a Final Four dominated by favorites, we’ve got an announcement that just might redeem your entire weekend (with a favorite of our own). Joey Sullivan has officially joined Tim, Ben and Shaw on the Pennant team! If you don’t know Joey, well, you should, so go give him a follow. But in the meantime, here are some particularly poignant stats: 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: Joey Sullivan 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: 13 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲: The bustling metropolis of Concord, NH 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Art Director & Motion Designer 𝐂𝐑𝐓 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝: 7 (OK, only one but still…) 𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝: 9999 (max allowed) 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬: Power Glove 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐞𝐲-𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐬: “I can’t believe exercise works!” Is this our First Four era? Maybe our Fantastic Four or Fetch Four? (Two decades later we’re still trying to make that one work…) Or what about some $10 words, like Fulgent Four? Or Fecund Four? Or Fervent Four? However we decide to label this milestone, our new starting lineup is ready to dunk on whatever comes our way. From creative development through execution and delivery, Joey’s collaborative spirit and passion for pixels will take every project he touches to the championship and beyond. Oh, and while we’ve got ya… look out for some more big, brand-based announcements over the summer. There’s no off-season for us here at Pennant Video – and we hope y’all are here for it as much as we are 🏆

s/o to our co-founder and EP Tim Bradley for breaking down the Trifecta™️ approach to mid-funnel video marketing. Check it out for a primer on how to get more return on your sales and marketing investments 🎧💡💸

Ever wondered what separates good from great in video? Our founder and Executive Producer, Tim Bradley, is currently doing just that, as a judge for this year’s Telly Awards. For as much as we debate it, hardware matters in this industry. Not because trophies make your work better, but because they 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕒𝕝 that what you do cuts through the n͓̽o͓̽i͓̽s͓̽e͓̽. A Telly on the shelf is recognition that your work moves the needle – whether that’s emotionally for the audience, or that it drives business outcomes for your clients. For Tim, judging this competition comes down to three key ideas: 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁, and 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: “𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴, 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.” If you’ve poured your craft into something remarkable, now’s the time to put it in front of industry leaders who recognize outstanding storytelling. The 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟴 – don’t miss your chance! 🎥🏆 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gbpr87dY

Scaling your marketing efforts shouldn’t mean losing the personal touch that got you here. In fact, we’ve found that video makes personalization scalable – and effective. You know that decision makers want you to speak directly to their unique challenges. But without making bespoke demos or DMing them with references to something they recently posted on LinkedIn, how are you supposed to make them feel like you understand what they need? First, think about where they are in their journey. Chances are, they’ve already used some combination of AI and search to fine tune their top-of-funnel (TOFU) understanding of their need and discover a long list of possible solutions. That puts them smack dab in the middle of your marketing funnel – yahtzee! Because guess what? 𝗠𝗶𝗱-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀 like 𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 or 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲-𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 can squarely hit the target of what your audience needs in that moment. Without being fully custom, they feel tailored because they demonstrate situational applications for your product and service. But – and this is why they’re so powerful – they’re versatile enough to use across similar prospects. (Because let’s be honest, if you’re doing it right, your prospects have a lot in common.) 🎯 Nearly half of SaaS marketers rank customer stories as the #1 tactic for driving sales (Uplift Content Inc.). 🎥 Video boosts brand awareness for 87% of marketers (HubSpot). 🤝 With video, you’re better equipped to grab someone’s attention while you build trust at scale. Plus, assuming you’ve made some friends along the way, you probably already have a pile of case studies and plenty of enthusiastic customers ready to tell their stories. It’s just a matter of framing those stories to target specific pain-point/solution sets that speak directly to certain decision-making roles. So, the question for 2025 shouldn’t be 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙤. It should be 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧? Which means our hottest tip for the upcoming year (and beyond) is… Don’t waste effort overhauling your entire approach. Instead, start personalizing with focused mid-funnel video. #MarketingAtScale #VideoMarketing #PMM #TechGrowth

The marketing funnel is ridiculous. It’s a ridiculous idea. It just is. Because there’s no such thing as a linear customer journey. Humans don’t behave in straight lines, and hopefully we never will. So, the way people actually engage with brands is messy, emotional, and often irrational. It’s more of a swirling continuum, where curiosity, need, and impulse collide in unpredictable ways. But the funnel is also real, and it works. Not because it perfectly reflects how customers think, but because it helps brands structure how they communicate. And when it comes to video marketing, structure is everything. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙’𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮. Think about that for a second. Whereas a customer journey doesn’t function like a funnel, a brand’s relationship to it does. ⚡️ Top-funnel videos spark curiosity 🤝 Mid-funnel builds trust and drives action 🥰 Bottom-funnel nurtures existing customer relationships The key is making videos that don’t just fit into those stages but actually respect how people feel at each moment. That’s what we do. Sure, we make videos, but more than that we create video strategies that align with how people actually make decisions. Because when you blend storytelling with strategy, the funnel stops being ridiculous—it starts being ridiculously effective. #VideoMarketing #BrandStorytelling #MarketingStrategy

Reminder for 2025: You’re not just selling clicks or trying to close deals. You’re building relationships at scale. But the reality is that your audience is being bombarded with content every day. So, if you want to make a real impact, forget flashy ads or surface-level social posts—real relationships are forged in the middle of the funnel (MOFU). That’s where informative and trust-building videos step up as your secret weapon. Why? Because video is demonstrably engaging. But more than that, it’s 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙. 🔥 𝟗𝟏% 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 already use video as a marketing tool, and 𝟖𝟖% 𝐬𝐚𝐲 it’s a critical part of their strategy (Wyzowl). 🔥 Educational and informational videos 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, with audiences seeking expertise and actionable insights (Wistia). 🔥 Video drives conversions: Embedding CTAs or email capture forms in videos 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐑𝐎𝐈 effortlessly (Wistia). See, middle-of-funnel content is about 𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡, not chasing numbers. Videos that inform, demonstrate empathy for the audience, and showcase values are the bridge between awareness and decision-making (Hubspot). Think high-level product demos, targeted customer stories, and anthemic reasons to believe in your brand. Videos like these are the virtual stand-in for strong eye contact and a firm handshake. In other words, 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝑴𝑴𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒔𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆. So, while others are lost in the Top-of-Funnel race to grab attention, you’re forging relationships and guiding your audience toward meaningful action. (Plus, you can let your competition do the TOFU work while you close deals with MOFU, since most awareness work can be cross-leveraged with timely, targeted videos.) We all have hopes and dreams for this new year… But if you want to stand out? Start with the mid-funnel. Start with video. #VideoMarketing #PMM #TrustInAction

Budgets will always be tight. Resources will always be stretched. And even if you had unlimited time, staff, and money to throw at marketing, you’d still need high-quality leads to make it all worthwhile. That’s because most B2B product marketing happens in the mid-funnel, where your audience needs content that cuts through complexity and helps them consider your specific solution (versus your rivals’). Enter the Explainer video. Great Explainers are precision tools, crafted to do one job exceptionally well—turn existing curiosity into purchase intent. And here’s how Explainers can help you generate better leads for your sales team: 1️⃣ 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Explainer videos help leads self-qualify by presenting your value clearly. They also adapt seamlessly across channels.  - 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙄𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨: 88% of marketers in 2024 said Explainers improve understanding of their product (Wyzowl).  - 𝙂𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚: Use Explainers on landing pages (boosting conversions by up to 86%), emails (300% CTR boost), and social ads (HubSpot, Dripify). 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆, 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁 Great Explainers turn complexity into clarity, helping prospects see why your solution is the right fit.  - 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙨: Clear, concise storytelling eliminates confusion and builds trust quickly.  - 𝙋𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙞𝙥: Focus on solving one problem. Overloading viewers dilutes impact—less is more. 3️⃣ 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗼 𝗜𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗹 Explainers don’t need to answer every question—they just need to move prospects closer to a decision.  - 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙂𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝘽𝙞𝙜: Short Explainers (approx. 30 sec) highlight key features or benefits, perfect for ads or emails.  - 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙋𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚: Longer videos (60–90 sec) offer a broader overview for your site or sales decks.  - 𝙋𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙞𝙥: Strategize micro versions that ladder up to a longer one. 4️⃣ 𝗖𝗧𝗔𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘆 CTAs drive action. The right timing and wording make all the difference.  - 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙆𝙚𝙮: A mid-roll CTA could double your conversion rate (Wistia).  - 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨: Use action words like “you,” “free,” “now,” “click,” and “try.”  - 𝙋𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙞𝙥: Test CTA placement and wording to match video length and viewer behavior. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 Explainer videos don’t just generate leads—they generate *the right leads.* Whether you’re clarifying your solution, engaging across channels, or driving conversions with strong CTAs, a well-crafted Explainer primes your pipeline for success. Make your mid-funnel marketing count. Start with Explainers that qualify curiosity and feed you better leads. #ExplainerVideos #LeadGeneration #VideoMarketing