The marketing department will thank you: how to make a video about a complicated product for a B2B company

In February 2020, we got a request from Integral Systems. This company is developing passenger service systems for airports and needed a video to convey basic information about their main products – to show it to customers and pave the way for further dialogue. Look what we did:

Studied the background

Previously, the ambiance at the airports was pretty much the same as at the railway stations. The passenger was coming there to buy tickets, drink a glass of cognac at the canteen and walk straight down the takeoff runway to the plane with a bag.

Over time, the systems have become more complex. There were more and more control points to increase security: check at the entrance, check-in counter, security check, etc. The standard of living was rising, tickets became cheaper, and airports were getting more and more crowded.

Back in 2018, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) predicted that the average growth in global passenger traffic in the near future would be 4.1% per year (source link). 

This means that in 10 years (or maybe even 8) airports will have to serve one and a half times more passengers than now. But even today, many airports are overcrowded, and there are long lines in the check-in and control areas. Companies like Integral Systems are helping airports to solve this problem.

Dug into the process

A high-quality video cannot be made if you don’t understand how the company works. To find it out, we flew to Riga, where Integral Systems is based. Yes, we were lucky – we made it before the general lockdown.

We looked at how Integral Systems works, talked to the employees, and identified the main tasks that the company solves at the airports:

- alters the infrastructure without rebuilding the premises;

- automates the pre-flight routines – check-in, seat selection, baggage check-in;

- increases the throughput of terminals;

- creates a system that controls the schedule, finances, and ground handling.

As this was happening in 2020, we added one more point: it ensures social distance between passengers.

Chose the appropriate format

We decided to make an animated video (Full CGI). With animation, you can show not only existing processes and technologies but also the ones that are still at the project stage. In addition, there is no need to organize shooting and involve actors, which is also important in the situation of a pandemic. .

Integral Systems wanted to use the video at trade shows and other occasions where the video is shown at minimum volume or without sound. Therefore, it was necessary to do it without voice-over and convey all important information with graphics only. A suitable visual style was described as Nice & Clear, in tune with the company's philosophy: external simplicity with a complex and thoughtful internal structure.

Built the structure

The structure of the video was based on the company’s areas of work, which we identified after diving into the company's processes: rethinking the infrastructure, maximizing the automation of routines, expanding the capacity of terminals, ensuring social distance, and developing a unified management system. Here's what it looked like.

1. Brief introduction. We described the trend and the general problem that customers may face in the near future and mentioned that Integral Systems can solve it. After that, we got down to specifics. 

2. General scheme and designation of common problematic areas. The main clients of Integral Systems are small airports with a classic two-story structure: the first floor for arrivals, and the second floor for departures. We took this scheme as a basis, simplified it, and designated the main areas of passenger congestion. After that, we gave a detailed description of the solution for "traffic jams". 

3. Detailing of each zone, from check-in to boarding, with solutions. We identified the problem and described the Integral Systems products that can solve it. In each product, we briefly designated the functionality and utility for the client. Operation of the baggage sorting system 

4. Overview of Integral Systems IT systems, which link together all airport services, allow you to keep everything under control and quickly respond to possible problems. 

5. Summing up. Based on the identified areas of the company’s work, we showed the utility for the client: efficient use of space, fewer queues and baggage losses, increased passenger loyalty, etc.

And here’s what we got:

The whole process from the application of Integral Systems to the moment when we uploaded the video on Vimeo took 3.5 months.

We needed to do something more than a basic corporate video describing the advantages of the company. Instead, we made a story about the real benefits of specific products.

We asked Integral Systems for feedback. Here's what they said:

"This video has definitely made life easier for the sales department, and the processes are faster now. Customers watch the video and immediately understand what exactly we can offer them and how our systems work. After the video, they may have questions – but this was the goal, as this way we start to discuss specific options instead of conducting abstract conversations about the capabilities of Integral Systems."