I recognize that there have been some excellent amateur videos syndicated from YouTube that have gained quite a following. I’d also say that any excellent video wins fans by either the virtue of its content or the fact that, for the sake of the subject’s social life, the video probably should have never been uploaded in the first place. One thing is certain-- you can always tell a professional actor from an amateur.
When a company is putting their brand on the line in social media, I recommend using professional talent on all sides of the production process. With professional talent, you get the shots that you need, and in the time in which you need it. The end product looks polished enough -- even if it is intended to look rough -- to slap a logo onto it, and you can feel confident that the consumer will be able to tell the difference.
Example of amateur talent
Another tempting tactic is to contract with an online personality who has already garnered attention for their videos; but, unfortunately, there are a lot of online personalities who may act unprofessionally. They have typically earned their stripes through either anti-establishment tactics or by being the first in a particular space. Neither of these completely qualifies them to represent a respectable brand. I’ve heard clients who’ve considered latching on to some existing online personality without really digging in to their background; they don’t realize that, just like a standard celebrity like Tom Cruise or Mel Gibson, by them endorsing you, you endorse their tactics/beliefs. It may offer a certain degree of “street cred” similar to what a product placement might do for a product in a movie, but there is not a lot of reliability in this burgeoning space.
