June 2024 • Slow Clap

Background

Creating high-quality broadcast commercials on a budget is no easy feat, but it’s something we at Slow Clap thrive on.

When Beck’s Shoes wanted their first commercial to highlight their customer-centric brand and set them apart from big shoe retailers, they turned to Slow Clap for help. Beck’s Shoes is a footwear retailer primarily located in Northern California, with many stores in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is family-owned and operated by the 5th generation of the Beck Family.

Beck’s might not have the big commercial budgets of large retail chains, but we knew we had to deliver something special without breaking the bank. Here’s how we did it.

Approach

Slow Clap really got to know Beck’s Shoes as a brand, diving into their history, values, and what makes them special. As part of the research, our creative director, Daniel Lichtenberg, went into the store and ran through the full customer journey to get the feel of the great white-glove experience first-hand.

The commercial we created was all about showcasing Beck’s in-store experience, something you just can’t find at most shoe retailers anymore. The concept followed a customer’s journey from entering the store and being greeted by a salesperson, all the way through the personalized fitting process, including a 3D foot scan and expert shoe advice tailored to the customer’s needs.

“Beck’s wanted something that was more about trying to get people in the door to really highlight their differentiators. They wanted to make this video all about what makes them different, like an evergreen advertisement for the business.”

– Daniel Lichtenberg, Creative Director at Slow Clap

Throughout the project, we embraced creative problem-solving to stay within budget while still delivering a top-notch commercial. This included making strategic decisions about the shoot location, filming techniques, and post-production process.

One of our most significant cost-saving measures was casting Beck’s own staff as the talent and voice-over for the commercial. This not only saved on hiring professional actors but also added an authentic touch to the video. Beck’s employees already knew the brand inside out, which helped convey the genuine care and expertise customers can expect.

Beck’s Shoes employees (Matt Lopez, Steve Fox, and Shari Fox) acting in the commercial video.

Execution

A key aspect of keeping costs down was utilizing Slow Clap’s owned equipment, instead of renting a big truck full of lights. This decision not only saved money but also ensured we had the right tools on hand to capture high-quality footage without the added expense of rentals.

Filming took place at their newest and most beautiful store in Santa Rosa, CA. Shutting down the store for filming wasn’t an option due to potential revenue loss. Instead, we filmed during regular business hours, working closely with the store staff to minimize disruption. This approach requires careful planning and coordination, but it allowed Beck’s to continue serving customers while we captured the footage we needed.

We put together a small but highly skilled team. With just a director, producer, director of photography, camera operator, and production assistant, we were able to work efficiently and effectively in the active store environment.

“Working with Slow Clap is great because the team really knows their equipment. We used custom light modifiers, which was something Slow Clap came up with. So that was super useful when you don’t have a full grip truck. I also learned a lot from Dan and the team on still getting high quality work with what we had. I didn’t feel at any point restricted to being able to shape the light the way that we wanted to.”

– Jose Alfaro, Director of Photography

[Left] Jake Richard operating camera. [Right] Daniel Lichtenberg and Jose Alfaro reviewing footage on a monitor.

“We were very impressed with the planning and prep before the day of the shoot, and most impressed with the teamwork displayed with the team on the day of the shoot. They were focused from set up to tear down to assure that every shot was captured thoughtfully and kept great organization of their equipment the duration of the shoot.”

– Michell M. Lopez, Director of Development at Beck’s Shoes

With the money saved from casting, we allocated extra resources towards post production. We were able to create social media cuts of the full length video for Beck’s to use on social platforms and advertisements. This was not part of the original scope, but we found ways to add more value to this project as we were wrapping up production.

Drone shot of the Beck’s Shoes store in Santa Rosa, CA.

Result

In the end, Slow Clap delivered a high-quality broadcast commercial without exceeding the budget, plus delivering several social media versions of the video. Beck’s Shoes was thrilled with their first commercial video, which now lives on their website/YouTube, and is also featured in Beck’s Shoes stores across the region.

“I LOVE IT. It’s perfect!” – Adam A. Beck, CEO of Beck’s Shoes

Next time you’re looking for a way to make a big impact without a big budget, remember that resourcefulness can go a long way. And if you ever need help bringing your vision to life, Slow Clap is here to help.

Month: June 2024

Broadcast Commercial Video on a Budget for Beck’s Shoes