Continental Tyres are a global tyre manufacturer with facilities across all continents, hence we were ecstatic, to say the least when they selected our media production team to produce a series of Whiteboard Animated videos.
Continental Tyres were looking at a way to communicate key information about their processes and procedures and how these changes will positively affect staff in their day-to-day duties. These videos were to be used as internal training messages across their organisation, in different countries.
The message needed to be consistent and concise and easy to understand. We proposed a series of scribed/animated videos with a narrated audio. This would allow us to visually illustrate and focus on key messages, whilst also allowing the videos to be narrated in different languages with minimal changes to the core animation.
Our brief was to work with the senior Continental Business Teams and help to define the key messages. Studiowide had also previously been involved with the production of the initial businesses handbooks. This meant that we had a good knowledge of their systems and could translate this quickly into a meaningful storyline.
Challenges
The story had to be easily relatable to by Continental employees, demonstrating issues and solutions to problems. Whilst showing the benefits of incorporating new practices into their workplace.
To successfully deliver the CBT content we proposed a series of Whiteboard Animation videos. The senior project team from Continental visited our offices, where we held a creative workshop to discuss storyboarding and concepts.
This face-to-face time allowed us to discuss the exact requirements and offer suggestions on what to include in the videos and how the message would be delivered. We also held a series of conference calls and video chats to finally settle on a set of storyboards and a script, which would be the beginnings of the video series.
We have worked on similar remote projects previously with International customers so whilst this was a challenge, we did already have quite a bit of experience in managing creative briefs via video conference and email.
The biggest challenge for us on this project was stepping into the shoes of the Continental employee in order to understand how they may perceive the messages being communicated. We had to carefully animate scenarios that were ‘understanding of the issues’ employees’ face, whilst offering up solutions in an empathetic way.
We will be collaborating with Studiowide in the future and certainly recommend them for their ability to listen, adapt and quickly turn around new ideas.
Solution
The core messages were animated through a narrative style, character-driven video with additional screen information and an audio overlay. The characters were fictional Continental employees. As the videos progressed the viewer would meet these characters and hear their worries, concerns and issues.
Our solution to provide scribed Whiteboard Animation videos worked very well on this project. It allowed us to be flexible with our storytelling, but more importantly, the viewer felt familiar with a scribed ‘visual representation’ of their issues, rather than filmed.
Results
These types of corporate videos immerse the viewer in a far greater way than reading from a page could. So, whilst the material is available in handbook format, they now have a creative and visual video alternative to communicate their new processes and procedures.
“We recently commissioned Studiowide to create two animated videos that we needed to communicate a shop-floor management concept across our organisation worldwide. The project was a very creative and constructive one and we wish to express our appreciation for a professional experience whilst working with Studiowide. The team took us through the whole process from storyboard and content, to flow and animation in a fun yet structured way and were very flexible in making changes along the way.
The end result is two fantastic videos which we love! Studiowide also produced the videos in different languages which have now gone on to be used throughout our regions. We will be collaborating with Studiowide in the future and certainly recommend them for their ability to listen, adapt and quickly turn around new ideas.” Britta Krueger, CBS Coordinatior. Continental Tyres, Germany.
