What's the second largest search engine next to Google? Yahoo? Nope. Bing? Not even close. The second largest search engine happens to be the largest video content provider, YouTube. Online buying is increasing in size every day - why not sit in your pyjamas and shop?! - and 90% of consumers watch online video, who are twice as likely to buy when they do. Don't take our word for it, the people at Conductor Blog have recently released a comprehensive article about the power of online video for your business and how to create a marketing juggernaut from your video content.

Online video introduces you and your brand to a wide audience, but don't think that your video content ends there. Use video content to stay in touch with customers and to maintain brand awareness and - as Conductor Blog says - have content for every stage of the "buyer's journey."

This article is an invaluable resource to comprehend video content as marketing value and to implement it to raise up your brand. Check it out here! 

    So many things are one thing on paper, and yet another in real life.  
On paper, The Autism Support Network is a parent-led organization that provides education, support and treatment information to families across British Columbia.  
What it truly is transcends that. 
We were proud to shoot a promotional video for the network this past weekend, and what we discovered was a tightly-knit second family of people brought together by their experiences with autism in their lives. Talking with the directors of the network, themselves parents of children with autism, other parents and Behaviour Analysts that work with the network, it became evident that this group of people have bonded deeply through their common experiences, although varied, and the support they provide one another and spread outwards is extraordinary.
 They have learned and grown so much both independently and together, and that wealth of knowledge and experience is what they want to share as they expand their family to include those who are looking for education, support, treatment information or just someone who understands their situation.
   They provide a save place to talk and learn for those who have something to share in common - the love of their children. For more details visit their Facebook Page. 

 Over the entrance to the Queen of Angels school in Duncan is their motto, To Build In Love. We visited recently to shoot an instalment of a video series for BC Egg, #farmersgiveback. The farmers giving back in this case were Ian and Jen Woike of Farmer Ben's Eggs. As quickly as Jen and her children, Campbell and Emma, could bring in their eggs, Red Seal Chef Andrea McIntyre was cracking eggs, creating the breakfast burritos for the students'  breakfast.

The breakfast club feeds the students of the school every morning, and a breakfast staple is Farmer Ben's eggs. The students aren't just getting a healthy meal; they’re  also being given a lesson in giving back.

To Jen, serving the community is crucial to sustaining it, and she and Ian have passed that down to their children. Farmer Ben's Eggs is a family affair, but so too is the volunteer spirit. Judging from the smiles and thanks from the students, it's clear the lesson is not lost on them, either.

Programs such as these and people like the Woikes aren't just filling stomachs, they’re filling hearts.


To Build In Love, indeed.

    We recently visited the Cariboo and Chilcotin region, and the turn of the season in the picturesque landscape was a breathtaking backdrop to our new video series for BC's Best, a new premium raw pet food. We were treated with such warmth and generous hospitality, and told simply "That's what Cariboo people do." Our gracious hosts were also the contributors to BC's Best, a food aimed at bringing premium, fresh, local ingredients to your pet's bowl. 
    We met with the veterinarian responsible for the formulations, the ranchers providing the meat and the orchard operators who provide the apples for the cider vinegar, and when we weren't play with their dogs, we interviewed them for the video series to introduce BC's Best and the people who make it happen.
   Watching the apples being hand picked, washed and sorted was a beautiful reminder as to the simplicity of the formulations and the transparency that comes with the brand. Knowing where your food comes from is so important. Friends, including those with four legs,  are family, and taking care of family is what Cariboo people do.

Tourism Surrey has put together an unbelievable program highlighting the culinary scene in Surrey. With over 9 weekly prizes available head on over to their facebook page to enter. We were fortunate to film over 9 videos so far in this series, and each one is an amazing story and a place we know you will want to visit. Learn more at Food With Thought.ca 

It's Finally Here! Tourism Surrey has launched their Food With Thought program which celebrates the region’s burgeoning culinary culture and its status as a dining destination. In the video clips to come, which we were lucky enough to create, we not only showcase the best of what Surrey has to offer, but also tell the stories behind the local businesses that comprise the scene. There are some laughs, tears, smiles and, of course, good food. I hope you watch each week and enter in their contest to win 9 weekly prizes. Bon Appetite! 

Leah LaVanway from Essence of L Medi Spa talks about her unique treatments and passion for what she does in her boutique style spa in White Rock. Interested in getting your glow on? Well, talk to Leah today!