Canon is weaving emotion into their products through video

A Canon printer might not spark emotions on its own, but Åsa Törnquist is changing the game, using Storykit video to weave stories that stir feelings and foster understanding for their products. The outcome? Amplified video production and a notable surge in engagement.

Check it out!

“Anyone can use Storykit. Almost nothing can go wrong, and the video will come out as we want. And with just two clicks you can have your video with a different aspect ratio, adapted for different channels.”

Åsa Törnquist - Canon

See how they Storykit it

Most people know Canon for their cameras, and no wonder: since 1937 they’ve been creating quality cameras for a broad audience. Today they’re a multinational corporation specializing in optical, imaging and industrial products, such as lenses, cameras, medical equipment, scanners, printers, information management and so forth. Canon has over 180,000 employees over more than 220 countries and regions.

The Challenge

In the busy feeds, every company needs to find a way to not only reach the audience but also make an impression.

This is something Åsa Törnquist, Brand and Event Specialist at Canon is working hard to accomplish:

– Of course we need to make the audience see what Canon is doing and how we can help them, but the true challenge is to make them feel something. A Canon printer in itself might not evoke feelings, and that’s why our job is to tell a story that creates emotions and understanding.

Telling enticing stories about products is one important challenge to overcome, another is to make the employer brand shine, says Åsa. 

– To find and keep talent, a company needs to be more than a place where you work from nine to five. That’s why you need to convey the mission and vision. 

Since the founding days, Canon has had a strong company philosophy, which became official in 1988.

– It’s called Kyosei and means that we are all living and working together for the common good, and this truly shapes the whole company.

To be able to accomplish all of their goals, Åsa and her colleagues were convinced that video would be the best format.

– Video is such a quick and easy way to tell stories and a format that can create emotions in the audience. Human beings are hardwired to watch things that move, and we knew that it would be a great way to reach out.

But with limited time and budgets, and high demands on brand adherence, they weren’t able to create the videos they needed. 

– I’m quite skilled in the Adobe suite, I work a lot in Photoshop and InDesign, and can absolutely edit videos using advanced video software – but that would have been too time-consuming, and not scalable at all.

The Solution

Storykit enabled the simple, scalable video production Åsa and her team needed, while still adhering to the brand guidelines.

– It’s incredibly smooth and easy to handle. Storykit always gives you something to start with and the results are always visually appealing. The demand for quality within our organisation is really high. Every video needs to be approved by headquarters, and the Storykit videos always measure up.

The ability to scale video production has also been an important factor for Åsa.

– With just two clicks you can have your video with a different aspect ratio, adapted for different channels, and also – anyone can use it. Almost nothing can go wrong, and the video will come out as we want.

Åsa and her colleagues have an internal asset library with images and videos that they can use, but they also use the Storykit libraries to add some flare.

– The asset libraries are great, and it’s so convenient to have them in the tool.

How was it getting started with Storykit?

– Super quick and easy. Setting up the brand profile was smooth, and the interface was easy to learn. 

– We also got, and still get, all the help we need. We have people from Storykit helping us to develop our content, and we also have access to support that will always give us quick answers.

The Results

Storykit empowered Canon to elevate their video production, deliver localized content to reach several markets, and significantly boost engagement.

Before Storykit, Åsa and her colleagues struggled to get attention on the Canon EMEA channel on LinkedIn, where several markets and languages share the same feed.

– Now, when we share our Storykit videos in the local language, we get a whole new level of engagement and a broader reach.

The amount of videos they produce has increased a lot.

– We did use video before, but almost only for special internal events. Now we’re using Storykit videos for short films on LinkedIn, employer brand, webinars and events, articles and press releases, and also for internal things.

This year, Åsa made their internal "look back of the year video" completely in Storykit rather than relying on an external agency.

– We’ve always used an external agency to do that for our yearly event, but this year I did it myself. And even though it took me some extra time, I also saved a lot of time and effort going back and forth with an agency telling them what to focus on and which imagery to choose.

I’m guessing you saved some money too?

– Haha, oh yes we did.

Åsa has also used Storykit to create videos for information on internal screens, instead of letting it sit in a document.

– After the pandemic we got a PowerPoint with loads of good information about things to think about when everyone came back to the office. I turned that into a number of videos, including the same information, but in short videos that could play on our internal screens. They were really appreciated. 

In the future Åsa is looking forward to onboarding new colleagues in Storykit, and to do even more.

– One really nice thing I see is how much the organization loves what we are doing in the tool. They are really appreciating the videos I’m making. This also means that we see more and more internal video requests, because more people see the possibilities. 

– And that is one of the greatest things with the tool. I know I can ask a colleague at another department to create those videos, and be certain that they will turn out well. Cause that’s how simple Storykit is.

See for yourself

Give us a few minutes and we’ll show you just how easy life can be when you Storykit it.