Lower the wall.

That was the directive given to the Pinnacle Promotions (asi/295986) marketing team for creating a video that would connect the company with potential clients. Instead of focusing on services and products, the business development team wanted to show the people and faces behind the Georgia-based distributor.

Video

Watch the winning video from Pinnacle Promotions.

“We wanted to show clients that we aren’t just trying to make a sale – we’re actual human beings that have a passion for this industry,” says Benjy Rose, content marketing manager at Pinnacle Promotions.

Pinnacle pros took a camera around the office, asking the musicians, tennis pros, bike enthusiasts and dog lovers who comprise the company a poignant question: “Who made the biggest impression on your life?” Employees became genuinely misty-eyed recalling how parents, grandparents and teachers influenced their careers, fueling their determination and encouraging them to pursue their passions. The testimonials come off like a virtual high school yearbook, playing off the company’s tagline, “Making the right impression.”

“It’s not only on our products, but the products themselves are bought by our customers to make an impression on their own customers,” Rose says. “And of course, our customer service team makes an impression on our customers.”

The video also pays tribute to the company’s Southern roots, emphasizing that while Pinnacle Promotions is not merely regional, it still prides itself on teamwork, family and Southern hospitality. “We have an interesting melting pot of Atlanta natives, Southerners, Northerners, Midwesterners and West Coasters,” Rose says. “We wanted to show why so many people chose to come here.”

Within six weeks, the video was ready for viewing at the beginning of client meetings. After the nearly three-minute clip ends, it’s common for smiles to flash across the room. “It’s worked in changing the way potential clients look at us,” Rose says. “It made you feel something.”

These days, the video continues to impress, racking up industry awards, including Counselor’s 2018 Best Marketing Video – an honor earned by beating out six other finalists in a competition determined by industry peer votes. In addition to warming up clients, the short clip has become a great recruiting tool, being shown during interviews with potential employees.

“We ended up using it externally as well as internally, having human resources use it to show people what the vibe is really like here,” Rose says. “This is what the outside world needs to see, and what we need to see of each other.”