Why Brightcove rebranded during a pandemic

Brightcove is one of the hidden platforms that power online services – sometimes little known to consumers, yet integral to the workings of many digital services.

The business has rolled out its online video platform widely across the Web, with an A/NZ roster of customers includes Nine Digital, Seven Network, TVNZ, Stuff Limited, SEEK and Xero.

With online video growing exponentially, Brightcove decided the time was right to unveil a complete reimagining of its brand. With video demands changing, and Brightcove wanting to evolve with those changes, it has made a significant investment to ensure it can continue to be a trusted partner to all the companies and organisations it serves.  

Brightcove CMO, Jen Reddy, said that for 15 years, it has been a leader in building and defining the video industry. “Along the way, we have built a truly global company,” Reddy told CMO.

Rather than a new brand launch, the latest effort is an evolution of who it is and what it stands for. “This next chapter for Brightcove demonstrates our passion for video and our strong partnerships with customers who understand the power of owning the moments that matter most, virtually. This is a celebration of all that we have accomplished with our customers and our ambitions for the future,” Reddy said.

This new brand is designed to connect with those who understand the power of video as a strategy to own the moments that matter - today and in the future. The new, bold messaging and vibrant re-designed visual identity is intended to position the video platform as an innovative partner to deliver reliable, safe, and seamless experiences to audiences.

To start with, Brightcove engaged creative partners who understood its desire to create a unique and bold brand platform, without abandoning the foundation it had already built.

“We chose Godfrey Dadich Partners [GDP] because they believe great brands are publishers and that stories create true audience engagement,” Reddy said. Having a shared vision and philosophy was key to an effective collaboration between them GDP and Brightcove.

“GDP worked side by side with us to carve out a space that felt true to who we are and also where we want to go,” she said. “From our brand ID and social posts to our advertising campaign and media strategy, our goal is to engage with those who understand the business of video. The response to our campaign so far has been fantastic and has fueled our company to a record quarter.”

Brightcove has seen first hand how the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of video and provided an opportunity for people to stay connected through this medium. Reddy told CMO it has found there is a highly engaged audience who wants to hear the Brightcove story and how video can help their organisations thrive in challenging times.

“Our engagement with the brand has been very strong right out of the gate. Our team took a very creative approach to how we would show up in the market. And, in many ways, this has been an optimal time to tell our story and the importance of video,” she said.

“As our CEO, Jeff Ray, recently said, ‘this is video’s defining moment’. It is no longer a nice to have, it is a must-have for organisations who want to connect with their audiences in a meaningful way. Our product ecosystem is designed to deliver the best solutions to companies who are adopting video as a key strategy for their business.”  

According to the data from an upcoming Brightcove Global Video Index, video isn’t going away. The stats show that in the third quarter, video views were up 46 per cent year over year, and viewers globally increased the time they spent watching video by 47 per cent when compared to the same period in 2019.  

Reddy said its results over the past three quarters have been beyond what could have been imagined “and we don’t see that changing”.

“Our goal is to help companies communicate to their target audiences in meaningful ways - and video is the ideal mechanism to stay connected. As we look to 2021, and the conversation around physical, virtual, and hybrid events and workplaces, video will remain a key ingredient for businesses,” she said. 

While the first wave has launched, the second wave of the campaign will launch in late November and will highlight its virtual event experiences.

“Beginning in January, our brand story will be truly global with the campaign running in key markets such as Australia, Japan, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It’s an exciting time for Brightcove and we look forward to telling the important stories of our customers all over the world,” Reddy added.

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