Case Study: Pulseway Mobile App

Dublin-based Pulseway makes a snazzy mobile app that gives IT pros power over all their systems, no matter where they roam. Pulseway came to us with a very focused mission: Synthesize all the features and benefits of the app into a short, fun, and enticing explainer that moves people to take action and try the product. Before I explain the process, I’ll share some client feedback we received from Edgar Zacharjev, Pulseway’s head of digital marketing.

Working with Planet Nutshell was an absolute breeze; every part of the process was extremely smooth. Planet Nutshell allowed for numerous changes but we didn’t have to use them, as Joshua really took in the brief we sent him, he took time to understand our customers and the product. The end product was exactly what we wanted, everyone at the office loved the video. Would recommend Planet Nutshell highly, not only for the professionalism, but for their creativity and attention to detail.

Edgar was also kind enough to share some interesting statistics about their return on investment:

The video was a huge success, we use it at presentations and our partners use it worldwide as an introduction to the product. So far we have mustered up about 2,000 views.

We have seen our home page bounce rate improve by 4.3 percent after the video had been implemented. Thus simultaneously it has also improved our page sessions by 3.6 percent.

Week 1: Discovery

The great folks at Pulseway gave us lots of background information: They filled out our new client questionnaire and sent over white papers, as well as current and former marketing materials, including the inventive comic below. I liked the impulse to use a superhero theme, but I was a little concerned that it’s something audiences see a bit too often. As the process developed, we moved to a subtler presentation that was a bit fresher but still captured the notion of the heroic IT specialist.

Week 2: Script

The script for this project moved really quickly; three revisions and we were all set. The final word count was 106, which is right on target for a 45-second video (150 words equals one minute). The goal with this one was to quickly introduce the product concept in paragraph one, then shift to a quick scenario that embodies a compelling use case for the product. Reassert the value proposition in paragraph three, and then say goodbye with a strong brand statement. Simple and concise; just the way we like it on Planet Nutshell.

Week 3: Storyboard

As you’ll see, the storyboard didn’t reflect the final design of the video at all. The look and feel of our IT hero protagonist didn’t take shape until later. What this storyboard does represent, however, is our meticulous attention to detail; nearly every word of the script has a corresponding frame. This gives clients (and us!) a very clear view of the timing and action.

Week 4: Visual Concept

Now we got to have some fun with character concepts and style. The “hero” has superhuman proportions, but he’s also accessible and human. We also aimed to harmonize with the Pulseway brand colors while delivering a style that was fresh and relevant to audiences in the tech industry. Here’s some artwork we later animated. Note that we changed the red color on the water cooler in the final animation, as it distracts the eye. Details matter!

Weeks 5-6: Animation

Once all the artwork was completed, we got down to animating. Here’s the final product:

Deployment

Pulseway’s web site integrates the video quite nicely; the blue band just above the fold on the homepage draws the eye to the video link. The use of a lightbox for the video player is a nice choice, as it allows the viewer to exit the video and instantly re-engage with the page — and most importantly, the “Get Started Now” button.