QR Codes, As Seen On TV

Posted on May 17, 2012 by jbanis

QR codes, short for quick response, are recognized by most as those little square barcode-esque things appearing on everything from magazine ads to cereal boxes:

Meet the QR Code

Smartphone users with a QR Reader App can scan the code for all sorts of interesting content related to the ad, product, or article associated with that particular code. In simpler terms, the QR code is a hyperlink. Scan it with your phone and it takes you to a website.

Ever since the birth of the QR code, marketers such as ourselves at CRG have been fascinated with its endless advertising uses and possibilities. Why? Well, think about it. Here’s a simple code that can bridge multiple medias – most obviously, traditional print media with the newest smartphone media. That’s a “Wow” in and of itself. Couple that with CRG’s mobile iCasting product featuring video…. “Home run,” as Creative Director Charlie Rasak would say.

So, already CRG has integrated QR codes into direct mail, flyers, ads, and other traditional print advertising.

But aside from bridging print and mobile media, how successful would the jump be from electronic to mobile? Say, if we were to put a QR code on a television ad.

Studies have shown that we are already multi-tasking when we’re watching TV. Many of us are actually on our computers, smartphones, or tablets while we watch. Plus, all of CRG’s television commercials already push viewers to visit the web for more information or “more offers not seen on TV.” It seemed logical to add an onscreen QR code.

But we weren’t positive on the pure mechanics of the idea. We’d add the QR code and hold it up for the entire 30 seconds of the commercial. But would that be enough time for viewers to get out their phone, open their QR Reading app, and scan? Would viewers be too far from their TV to get a good scan? Or, would they decide to skip the scan all together and just type in the web address? (Also on the screen for the majority of the 30 seconds.)

As part of Route 44 Toyota and Route 44 Hyundai’s April television campaigns, CRG added a trackable QR codes to each commercial…. and waited for the results to come in.

Screen Grab From The TV Spot

Now that April is over and the numbers are in – the results are surprisingly good! Between both television commercials, there were a total of 78 QR code scans. Data showed a direct correlation between air times and QR scans, validating the numbers. These QR codes appeared in no other medias. Additionally, the commercials only aired in the Rhode Island market on one broadcast station. So now imagine the impact in the larger Boston market with multiple broadcast stations!

Upon scan, viewers were taken to Route 44 Toyota or Hyundai’s mobile website, from which they could visit the full website and iCasting.

Excited by the data, CRG is planning more interactive QR/TV/iCasting campaigns.

Posted in CRG Services, Video, Web | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hilarious Creative Content Guidelines

Posted on March 13, 2012 by jbanis

CRG commercials air in a variety of locations. Broadcast TV, cable TV, internet, and sometimes even in movie theaters. We received these guidelines from one of our theater outlets… and had a good chuckle over some of the restricted/inappropriate material.

Creative Contents Guidelines for A/V Spots
Whether you are creating a new spot or selecting from creative already produced, consider the following list of material deemed inappropriate:

  • Alcohol consumption
  • Burping
  • Child myth destroying
  • Comedic bodily noises
  • Comedic risqué images
  • Comedic violence
  • Creepy whispering
  • Cursing
  • Dating scenarios
  • Disturbing imagery
  • Excessive bloodshed
  • Female cleavage focus point
  • Fire
  • Firearms
  • Genital grabbing or rubbing
  • Glorifying smoking
  • Guns firing
  • Heavy sexual innuendo
  • Holding alcoholic beverage in hand
  • Kidnapping
  • Light sexual innuendo or subliminal messages
  • Loud or alarming noises
  • Male shirtless or in underwear
  • Ominous or dangerous music
  • Open wounds/sores
  • Physical fighting
  • Physical gestures representing cursing
  • Politics
  • Pornography
  • Religion
  • Sacrilegious language or imagery
  • Scary imagery
  • Showing drug use
  • Tobacco
  • Verbal relating to diseases or bodily functions
  • Vicious animal attacks
  • Women in lingerie
  • Young children yelling in pain

*Personally, I think we should make a commercial incorporating all these items. Especially the Creepy Whispering, Shirtless Male, and Burping. Lots of burping!

Posted in Fun!, Video | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

An Introduction to Social Media Marketing By A Socialite

Posted on March 8, 2012 by jbanis

Social media. What is it? Well, unless you’ve been literally under a rock for the past few years, you know that social media is a vehicle allowing people to connect and share information via the Internet. You may be familiar with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and many more. Even blogs can be considered social media.

And even if you think you don’t use social media, you’re bombarded every day with those little blue F and T logos at the bottom of everything from TV commercials to magazine articles. The Weather Channel has a partnership with Twitter, allowing them to share random Tweets about the weather on air. Your smartphone has Facebook integration. Your car has Pandora integration. And if you haven’t seen the latest viral YouTube video everyone’s got posted up on their page…. well, you’re not going to have much to talk about at the water cooler today.

Social Media Use as Represented by the CRG Team

So, if you hadn’t already guessed, let me preface the remainder of this blog by admitting that I am a social media butterfly. I’m biased for the acceptance of social media for both personal and professional use. And the rest of the CRG team… well, lets just say that bringing up social media during a production meeting always leads to a heated debate.

There are those on the team like myself, who understand and use social media religiously in their personal lives. Then, there are those who understand the mechanics of social media, but do not participate in it. Then, there are those who don’t use or understand it at all.

But however we feel about social media personally, no one at CRG can deny its prominence and potential and in terms of business and advertising.

The Great Debate

Note that I say, “potential.” Here’s where the debate really heats up. Can social media help you sell more cars? More fences? More pitas? Can the effect of a Facebook page on your business be quantified or analyzed? How does social media fit into an overall marketing plan? What is the proper management technique for a Facebook page? What do you blog about and who’s really reading it? How quickly do you respond to questions and negative comments? How many social medias do you need to be on? And really, what’s the purpose of having your business on a media designed to “share” and not “sell?”

According to an article from USAToday, many advertisers are uncertain about advertising on Facebook. “Facebook is not as effective as paid search (on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft),” says Dave Beltramini, director of online strategy for G5, a marketing services firm. “The intent of consumers on Google is more about shopping. On Facebook, people are more social, looking at photos of their friends’ kids.”

However, the article also admits, “Typically, advertisers use Facebook to build brand engagement and [then] make sales through Google…” (Facebook IPO filing puts high value on social network, http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-02-01/facebook-ipo/52921528/1)

But despite all the concerns, the numbers cannot be denied. Facebook had 483 million daily active users on average in December 2011, and nearly twice much that in monthly active users. (Facebook Fact Sheet, http://newsroom.fb.com/content/default.aspx?NewsAreaId=22) In less than six hours from the time I write this blog, Twitter is estimated to reach 500 million registered users. (http://www.webpronews.com/twitter-will-reach-500m-users-in-t-minus-5-hours-2012-02) There is no question about it, your customers are on social media… And you should be too. The problem is, no one’s cracked the social media advertising code. So, how can you best use social media for your business?

4 Ways Your Business Can Use Social Media

#1 Communication

Social Media. Note the “media” in the name. What if you stopped thinking of these sites as great unknown technologies and instead compared them to something very familiar – traditional advertising media. I’m talking broadcast TV, radio, and print. The similarity? Advertising on traditional medias allows your business to convey a message to a large amount of consumers. A presence on social media can also allow you to convey messages to large amounts of consumers.

Let’s take it a step further. I read a great article, (and the name and link elude me, I apologize) which labeled social media as a direct communication tool. “Would you have said ‘No’ to the telephone when it was invented…” the article asked. Social media allows you to speak directly – one on one – with customers and potential customers. For example, Joe Customer comments on your page, “Does your software integrate with QuickBooks?” You reply, “Yes, with an additional plug in. It’s just $20, click here to buy.” Best of all, all your other friends/fans can see this answer and click on the link. They can even repost it and share it with others.

Social media combines mass communication with direct communication. So, to keep your business top of mind, you need to speak up and speak often on your social media sites. When I say often, I mean daily – up to maybe 5 times per day max. (I base that number on mere personal experience. If I’m seeing 20+ posts per day from a company, it makes it difficult for me to check up on friends and family. It’s a nuisance at that point, and the quickest way to lose friends/followers.)

Mass communication. You’ve got an audience on social medial. Now, what to post? Relevant information is key. As an advertising/marketing/production company, you may have noticed that CRG’s own Tweets & Facebook statuses revolve around industry news, marketing tips, and recent work. We use our social media pages as a resource for our clients and other friends/followers. If your business is in retail, add posts about new products and special offers. Incorporate photos and videos as much as you can. For the food industry, for example, nothing is better then posting up photos of food just before lunch or dinner time. (“Have you tried our new BBQ burgers?)

Another great tip is to spark up conversation. Post a link to a provocative industry article and ask for your friends/followers opinions. Ask for reviews on your products or services. Start a contest. Let customers vote and choose the next new… whatever. (Recently fans voted and chose a new Cheez-It flavor via Facebook, for example.)

Direct communication. Your social media is active. People are posting and commenting, asking questions, sharing your information… So, how do you manage a living social media site? The key is to be prompt! If someone asks a question, you need to respond quickly, ideally within the hour. If you let days go by, forget it. By that time, your customer or potential customer sure has. If you have a lively discussion on your page, hop in from time to time and recognize opinions of the contributors and give some of your own. Offer more information if it’s helpful and relevant. What about negative comments or complaints? Don’t just delete or block them – address them immediately and do what you can to make things right.

All this may seem like a heck of a lot of effort on your part, and you may be wondering where the return is and how all this can help increase your sales. Well, unfortunately, you will probably not be able to measure the effect of social media on sales. However, good social media management can strengthen your brand and help you build relationships with your customers. Frequent use of social media will also keep your business top of mind. (No guarantee your customers will see your TV commercial every day. But they will see your updates on social media every day. Quite an amazing frequency tool, if you think about it.)

#2 Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

According to a recent article from iMedia Connection, “5 Big SEO Changes You May Have Missed,” (http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/30967.asp) Google has recently made significant algorithm updates that now account for “freshness” of a site. In a nutshell, recent pages/articles will appear first in many searches.

So what in the world does this have to do with social media? Well, unlike the rest of your website, which may not be updated for months, your social media is updated all the time. And, if you follow the good communication practices from #1, you know that your posts and blogs are chock full of relevant information and keywords related to your industry and your company. You’re already creating good searchable content! Now all you have to do is put it on your website.

“The ‘freshness’ update should encourage brands and businesses to display timely news on their website — easy ways to do this are by blogging more frequently by and posting press releases to a news page,” states the article listed above.

 #3 Call to Action

One of social media’s strengths is its immediacy. Your customers are checking their social media sites daily if not more. So, if you have a decent size fan base and a great offer – post it. Make it for friends/followers only. Make it “today” only. (Works for Groupon.) If the offer is compelling enough, your friends will not only act, they will also re-post and share the offer with others – others who may not be friends with you yet. You’ll receive a surge in sales and a surge in your fan base.

However, some words of caution. A successful and quantifiable social media “call to action” depends on very much on your offer and industry you’re in. A restaurant who Tweets, “Everyone who comes in for lunch today wearing a Red Sox cap gets a free appetizer” will receive more response and measurable results then an auto dealer who Tweets, “Camry, lease just $199/mo at our Washington’s Birthday Sale!”

Some further good advice on “socializing” your social media is offered in this article, How to monetize fans on Facebook. http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/31072.asp

#4 Listen and Learn

Thank you to an article called, “How social actually impacts your bottom line” (http://www.imediaconnection.com/article_full.aspx?id=31014) for this idea. Consider your social media as your own personal focus group. Gather feedback data, make modifications to your products and services based on that data, and then gather more feedback data.

Think about it. (How much does a focus group cost these days?) These people already use your products and services and like them enough to follow your company. And considering that 24% of Americans have posted comments or reviews on the products they buy, (http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Online-Product-Research.aspx) your fans should have no problem telling you what they think.

I’m going to borrow the example straight from the article. (“How social actually impacts your bottom line” (http://www.imediaconnection.com/article_full.aspx?id=31014) Lets say “…Nabisco has a social footprint and wants to learn more about how and if customers are enjoying its new Ritz toasted cheddar cracker…” Some potential feedback data and solutions are as follows:

“Customer feedback: “Due to the size of the bag, I always eat far too many at a time and that never feels good after.”

Solution: Introduce smaller sized bags for portion control

Customer feedback: “I enjoy eating these toasted chips as a snack when on the go, but it often results in dry mouth — and I don’t always have something refreshing.”

Solution: Develop on-the-go baggies with dip compliments”

Of course, as with every focus group study, you cannot solve every customer’s problem or meet every request. Likewise, you need a large enough following to get usable amounts of credible data. However, reacting to fan feedback from social media and providing product/service changes or new product/services will further endear you to your fan base. All of a sudden, you are a company who really cares and listens to their customers. This is a point you may want to choose to advertise back in traditional medias. (“You told us you wanted chips and dips – and we delivered! Friend us on Facebook for a free Chip/Dip coupon. Just another way we say ‘Thanks!’ to our customers!”)

Growing Your Social Media

At this point, you may be wondering how you gain friends/followers. It can be difficult at first, especially for a small local business, to develop a fan base. The industry you’re in also makes a difference. The local restaurant will likely have more friends then the local auto dealer. Why? Customers purchase at the auto dealer once every few years at most. (If they’re a loyal leasing customer.) Customers purchase at their favorite restaurant as much as once a week – or more! Daily updates and deals from the restaurant are more relevant to them then daily updates and deals from the auto dealer. (Unless you’re extremely extravagant, you’re not going to jump ship in the middle of your car lease to buy a truck, no matter how great the price is.)

So how to start? First, take a cue from the big guys. Large companies have their social media icons (you know, those little F, T, B and other buttons) on every piece of advertising and literature they have. Promote your social media on your TV commercials, your website, and your print ads. Include QR codes for mobile users to Add, Follow, or Like you. Promote your social media in store on any printed material you have.

In store, remind customers to join your social medias. Make sure to tell them why – great information, tips & tricks, special deals, new product reviews, contests, etc. You could even offer a special incentive to new friends/followers. (A coupon or gift, etc.) Another great tip is to make it fun! Dunkin Donuts recently asked online customers to share “What are you drinkin?” as part of their “I’m Drinkin Dunkin” campaign. Customers posted plenty of fun photos that were later used to make this mosaic: http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/coffee/WAYDMosaic.html Pretty cool idea, huh?

Most of all, be patient. You didn’t build your business to where it is today in a day. Building your social media takes time too. Just keep at it and continue to work your pages. Even if you have just 5 people on your list, continue posting! (You don’t want to lose those 5 people!) A good social media page will continue to grow. A bad one… not so much.

Conclusion on Social Media ROI

Is there such a thing and is it measurable? In a word: No. You may get measurable results from specific social Call to Action campaigns. You may see your followership grow over time. You may get lots of good comments, shares, and re-Tweets. All of these tell you you’re doing a great job managing your social media marketing.

Will you get X# more customers in the door every month? Sell 50 more cars per month? 200 more pitas? And be able to source that directly to FB & T? Nope.

Is it hard work to manage your social media? Darn tootin. The hours you spend posting, blogging, uploading pics/videos, coming up with intelligent postings, researching interesting articles and info for your followers, planning social Call to Action campaigns, gathering data for social focus group studies, and more and more. Certainly costs you money to print out all those “Friend Us on Facebook” table toppers and any other promotional materials related to your ongoing social campaign.

Some would balance the work load/costs with the results and wonder, “Why bother?” Especially for a small business without any tech savvy socialites on staff.

I believe, (here comes the editorial, as if I haven’t given you enough opinion yet) social media is here to stay. Sites may change – boy did MySpace crumble under the weight of Facebook, for example – but social media will remain. Today, it’s unheard of for a business not to have a website, no matter how small that business is. It’s how customers find you, learn more, and even shop. (If you have a purchase portal on your site.) I think that we are driving towards that point with social media.

There will come a day when customers just expect, “every business” to be on Facebook and Twitter. So, better to prepare for the future now and get on the forefront of social media before it escapes you and your company. Additionally, if you need to be there… you may as well work your pages and write your blogs regularly. Make your social media a part of your marketing plan and engage your fans! It will take some work – no doubt. But soon, it will become second nature, just another part of how you market your business. The return will come slowly, over time, but it will be there eventually.

Epilogue

One small side note. I have never taken a social media marketing class, and I certainly don’t profess to be a Social Media Strategist or Expert by trade. The above article is pure opinion, which is based solely on research and personal experience. However, I stand by this article as a solid introduction to good social media business practices. For more information, I suggest you seek out a social media marketing class, strategist, or expert.

Posted in Industry News, Social Media, Web | Tagged , , , , , , | 20 Comments

The All-New 2012 Dealer Form is Here!

Posted on December 29, 2011 by jbanis

As much as we hate to admit it, nobody liked our old online dealer form. (A digital automotive pricing and disclaimer submission tool just for CRG Auto clients.) Dealers told us they hated to fill them out. And, truth be told we didn’t like them very much either. When the forms came back to us via email they were strangely formatted, and it was difficult to find basic information quickly. (What’s the car? What’s the price?)

The All-New 2012 Dealer Form

The all-new 2012 dealer form design is much easier to navigate. The text is larger and spacing makes the form even easier to read. All the information remains the same, but you’ll see it’s now organized into four distinct rows. (Hey, now we can tell if this is a lease or buy for price! Wow!) Best of all, this newly formatted form functions the same way as the old one. Automotive clients will find it in their Client Destination labeled “Click View for Dealer Form.” Once the form has been completed, just hit submit at the bottom to send to the CRG team.

For those of you who like to print out your form and fax or email it back to us… (Which by the way is really redundant and we don’t recommend it. Please just hit submit and save us a heck of a lot of paper and aggravation here at the office.) Anyway, for those of you who must, we’ve now included a download link for you.

Back at CRG, we still receive the forms via email. However, for us, they’re now much easier to decipher. And that means your ads will be completed more quickly and efficiently with fewer (if any) errors.

Dealer Form FAQ

Why do I have to fill this thing out?

Today’s automotive compliance regulations and advertising laws require that we include a lot of very specific information in our automotive pricing disclaimers. The easiest way for us to make sure we have it all (and all correct) is for you to fill out the form. This keeps both of us compliant and legal.

Can’t I just give you the same information over the phone?

Information relayed person to person or over the phone can sometimes cause misinterpretations and errors. With the online dealer form, we have a clear and correct record of information that is more easily shared with the entire CRG team. This way, all your advertising reflects the same pricing and disclaimer information.

Can I print a form, fill it out, and then fax or email it back to you?

Technically, yes. However, handwritten forms can be difficult to read and we don’t recommend it. Also, as mentioned above, an online digital copy is more easily distributed to the entire CRG team and saves paper too.

What if I need to change my pricing? Or what if I made an error on a form?

Simply submit a new form, noting that this is a change order or a correction in the bottom “Additional Information” box. If we have any questions, we will give you a call.

I’ve been told I need to submit two lease payment leaders for my new television campaign. What do I need to do?

It’s the beginning of the month and CRG has requested pricing information for your ads. We’ve set aside a specific amount of space in your TV and print/online advertising, so you needn’t submit more vehicles and pricing then we ask for; there won’t be enough room for any extra. (Having trouble deciding? CRG recommends you choose your best deals on core cars.)

Also, once CRG has requested pricing information, complete your dealer forms as soon as possible. There is often little time between when the factory incentives come out and when you begin airing… or when your online ad is live… or when your mailer goes out. Don’t forget, CRG needs enough time to produce the ads, send them to compliance, make any needed changes, get your approval, and deliver them to the appropriate outlet. Any delay in receipt of your dealer forms could lead to a missed deadline.

 

 

Posted in CRG Auto, CRG News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

What To Expect When You’re Expecting CRG

Posted on October 25, 2011 by jbanis

So… you’re just about to embark on a brand new journey! Destination, video! And the pros from Creative Resources Group are scheduled to come out and shoot your business. Great! But you may be thinking to yourself, “Wait, what? CRG is coming here?! What does that mean? What do I have to do? And how should I dress?”

Don’t worry! Everyone’s nervous before their first shoot… sometimes even before the second and third shoots, and there are always a ton of questions and concerns to be addressed. That’s why at CRG, the most important part of video production is the pre-production. Pre-production is a carefully designed plan that orchestrates your entire shoot. And often times, this planning process begins before your shoot is even scheduled!

Step 1: Location Scout

To properly assess equipment and crew needs as well as scheduling requirements, CRG may need to check out your facility. The scout won’t take long. Our Creative Director will tour your location, take some photos, and make recommendations to help the production run as smoothly and easily as possible.

Step 2: Understanding CRG’s Shoot Philosophy

Let’s face facts. Despite our best intentions to stay as out-of-the-way as possible, a CRG shoot inevitably turns your entire day upside down. It’s for this reason that we don’t like to come out and shoot you very often. We do not want to interfere with your business.

Therefore, when CRG comes to shoot – we go all out. We shoot every single possible thing we can think of, from every single possible angle… even if we’re not planning to use it all for the project at hand.  For our automotive clients, for example, we shoot an entire year’s worth of sales events, from the New Year Kick Off Sale to Summerfest to the Season of Savings Holiday Extravaganza! We do it all during one shoot. In this way, we avoid returning again and again, month after month. And believe it or not, all that extra material does end up being used. It may not be this month or even this year, but someday, you’ll be thankful we have it!

Step 3: Shoot Lists, Storyboards, and Scripts

There are three main types of CRG shoots. The first is a General B-Roll Shoot. (B-Roll: supplemental or alternate footage intercut with main shots, audio, or music.) For this type, there is no script. (Usually, because there will be more then one video or commercial produced using the footage.) CRG compiles a list of shots to be filmed and talent one-liners if needed. (One-liners: short, often one-sentence sound bites from either hired actors or your staff. For example, “Toyota of Braintree saved us over $100 a month!” or “I’m Strength in Numbers!”)

The second type of shoot is a Storyboard/Script Shoot. This type follows a previously written script or developed concept. CRG will usually create a storyboard to illustrate the script/concept for you, and aid the videographers in correctly capturing it on location. Though the crew primarily follows the storyboard/script, a shoot list of additional b-roll shots is also always included.

The last main shoot type is an Interview or Testimonial Shoot. This is a documentary-style type of shooting. CRG will prepare a list of questions and/or statements for your interviewees. The questions are designed to generate a targeted response and give you the answers you need to help sell your product or convey your point of view in the final edited video.

There is a fourth type of CRG shoot – the Live Event, however, this we will leave for a subsequent blog.

Step 4: De-Briefing

So at this point, CRG has scouted your location, determined the basic shoot concept, and written out your script, shoot list, and storyboard. And now, we need your help.

CRG will review with you everything that needs to happen leading up to and on the day of the shoot. We may make recommendations for setup and cleaning of your facility, staff dress code, etc. You may have additional specifics to add to CRG’s shoot list – certain equipment that must be featured, people or areas that are off limits, or various in-house compliance regulations that must be followed. CRG is always glad for your input and detailed thinking when it comes to location shoots! After all, you know your business best!

After the de-briefing, CRG will provide you with a detailed document with all the information you need to prepare yourself, your location, and your staff. Your shoot list will be included as well as Talent Release forms for anyone who will be seen on camera. These need to be completed and signed before the day of the shoot. (Anyone who refuses to sign cannot be filmed, no exceptions.)

Step 5: Scheduling and Resources

Once the shoot list/script has been finalized, CRG schedules all the necessary crew, equipment, talent, and props. Depending on the size of your operation, multiple days of shooting and a larger crew may be required. (CRG often employs two to three videographers to further help compress shoot time.) Any special equipment, props, or costumes will be provided for you. CRG also makes all the travel arrangements. All you need to do is arrange a space at your location for CRG to temporarily house our gear during the shoot. Ideally, we also like to have a loading dock nearby for easy setup and cleanup. (We don’t travel light!)

Step 6: Shoot Day!

The day has finally arrived! Your pre-production document has you well prepared for the day’s events, but you still may feel nervous. Your staff may not be as excited as you are about this video. No one knows what to expect.

Then, CRG arrives in their production van. We offload our equipment and organize it neatly in the space provided to us. Our crew meets briefly with you to review the plan and any last minute changes. Then, the crew goes to work, checking off each item on the shoot list one by one. (FYI, each member of our crew wears a CRG Crew t-shirt as well as a CRG name badge for easy identification.)

You and your staff quickly discover that this is actually a whole lot of fun. CRG’s Creative Director and crew make conversation to break the ice as they move from person to person, room to room, or shot to shot. They may ask you to “do that again,” or “pretend to push that button,” or “say it one more time – and smile!” There are always laughs and bloopers along the way. Sometimes you may have to wait a few minutes as the crew adjusts lights or wires you with a microphone. If you have any questions, the crew is always happy to answer. They all share a real passion for video production and love to share it. If we can, CRG will even replay some of your best shots for you to see, or, we may have you watch the action live on a monitor.

At the end of the day, CRG packs their equipment and meticulously cleans their staging area. It’s our goal to leave a room neater then we found it. The last step of the shoot is CRG’s famous Idiot Walk – so called because we don’t want to forget anything, no matter how stupid! So whether it be a piece of tape left on the floor or headset left on a table or microphone left on a talent, one of our production assistants will double check for it.

That’s it! The shoot is over and CRG’s production van is driving away into the sunset. With proper pre-production, you can rest assured that CRG shot everything you needed and more – and it all came out great! Thanks to CRG, you and your staff were well prepared and your facility really shined! Now just wait until you see how we edit it all together….

Posted in CRG Services, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Congratulations to Paul “Harky” Harkins On Your Retirement!

Posted on October 4, 2011 by admin

CRG would like to congratulate Paul Harkins on 16 years of dedicated service to the Massachusetts RMV! We have worked with Paul for several years on a number of RMV and school bus safety PSA’s.

CRG had the pleasure of creating a video to commensurate this event.  We interviewed several of the RMV staff, colleagues, friends, and local Police and law enforcement personnel. Our video was presented to Paul at his big surprise dinner last Friday evening at The Weymouth Elks Club. The whole CRG Team was invited and had a great time! We were happy to be a part of the celebration. The turnout was amazing and the crowd really enjoyed our video. Thanks go out especially to Gina for all her hard work and editing to put together such a great piece!

Congratulations Paul and HAPPY RETIREMENT from your friends at Creative Resources Group.  We wish you all the best!

Posted in CRG News, Fun! | 1 Comment

Creative Resources Group is Changing!

Posted on September 8, 2011 by admin

With the change of season approaching, CRG is also changing, and it’s pretty exciting!  Stay tuned as we get ready to launch new and exciting projects!  Also, CRG is proud to be going into our 21st year!  We are looking forward to 2012 and all the amazing things that we will be embarking upon.  We hope that you will join us in getting the word out that Creative Resources Group is no longer Plymouth’s “Hidden Jewel” , but a major player in today’s Advertising world – and so much more!  Details soon!

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CRG’s Green Screen FAQ

Posted on August 12, 2011 by jbanis

A green screen. What is it? And why is it green?

After catching a glimpse of CRG’s onsite green screen studio, these are visitors’ two most commonly asked questions. A green screen is better known in the industry as a Chroma Key wall or background. When a subject is filmed against a green screen, the green can be removed, or “keyed out” using professional editing software. This allows the editor to put the subject on a different background.

Here is a still frame from a CRG shoot featuring Denise Bruno, owner of Route 44 Toyota and Route 44 Hyundai. She is standing against the green screen.

Here is the same still frame in the finished commercial. All trace of the green is gone. Denise now appears against an animated background featuring the Route 44 Hyundai logo. She has been re-sized and left justified to allow room for text on the right side of the screen.

With a green screen, an editor has the freedom to put a subject absolutely anywhere! Below, you see that Denise is now at the beach… all without ever leaving CRG’s studio! Sure, we could all hop on a plane and shoot Denise on location in Maui – but the green screen gives us the same effect without the cost.

The green screen also allows an editor to layer separate elements on top of one another. Without backgrounds, the elements can be easily moved, re-sized, duplicated, and even animated!

Now Denise is in Maui AND on a television.

Now Denise is reporting Live from the White House! And her identical twin sister is hanging out up on the White House roof. And it’s all thanks to the magic of the green screen!

So why is it green? In truth, with today’s sophisticated software, an editor can key out any color. Green and blue screens are  traditional. But, there is one thing you always need to take into consideration when shooting Chroma Key:

You cannot shoot a green subject on a green screen. The editing software does not know the difference between a green table and a green background. It only knows to remove all green. The table, therefore, will disappear. Likewise, a person cannot wear a green jogging suit on the green screen. The suit will disappear and you’ll be left with a floating head and hands. (Weird!)

So now, think about which color you’d choose for your Chroma Key wall. Blue is very common – blue eyes, blue ties, blue striped shirts, jeans, etc. Bright lime green… not as common. Green is the safer bet.

CRG’s onsite studio is currently painted in the industry standard Chroma Key paint, Rosco Green. However, we can customize to suit your needs. For field shoots and corporate events, CRG also employs a portable green screen!

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The “NEW” CRG!!

Posted on August 4, 2011 by admin
CRG is changing! Excellent meeting this morning! You’ll want to be a part of this! We can’t wait to show you! Stay tuned and join us!
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CRG’s Now On Twitter!

Posted on July 25, 2011 by admin

CRG is pleased to announce that we are now on  Twitter!  We are all very excited about the new projects happening and hope that you will check out our new social media venues!  We’d love your feeback, so feel free to send along your comments.

http://twitter.com/#!/MeetCRG

 

 

 

 

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