Adding your credentials onto clients videos?

Stratospheric · Nov 27, 2018

My business partner and I are having a of a disagreement on the below subject And we would appreciate some expert advice.

On all our previous videos either at the beginning or at the end I have added a 10 second video clip animated logo Which includes our business info. I have just finished a video for a local golf club but I haven't include this animated logo at the end.
The reasons are as follows.
If the client is paying us to produce a video for them the last thing they want is another companies information on the video.
Even a freebie video like this one is I feel it might detract from the message of the video if continue to put this animated logo at the beginning or the end of the video.

My partner thinks we should add this animated logo and business information at the beginning or end of every video.

Any opinions on this would be welcome

Whitestone · Nov 27, 2018

I'm in the same dilemma. My thoughts are to ask the client first.

The Editor · Nov 27, 2018

Moved to General Discussion since this is not Inspire 2 specific

SWINDY · Nov 28, 2018

IMHO- Depends on your biz. If you’re working for free - it seems a credit at the end would be appropriate or a good negotiating point.

Most clients are trying to sell their “widgets” and don’t want to detract from their selling/branding message. It’s a relationship biz so you want your client to succeed - rehire/recommend.

Weddings, real estate, golf club vids seem like credits could be acceptable. 10 seconds can be a long time where a title card may be more appropriate - all depends.

All the best!

TwentyEightNovember · Nov 28, 2018

Back when I was doing video and burning it all on a DVD, I used to put an intro on every one I did that popped up when the client first put the disk in the player, but everything else that was the client's actual content, I never put any kind of branding of my own on it. Once I started putting video onto flash media, I quit putting any intro on it. I know it would have been a great 30 second advertisement but I always figured the best advertising was a happy client and word of mouth from them to someone else.

Steve@AerialImagesPro · Nov 28, 2018

If you’re supplying the video for free you’d be silly NOT to put your info anywhere you want. If the ‘client’ doesn’t like it tell them they have to pay you if they don’t want it there.

Whenever I do a freebie! I always watermark the entire video with my web address. Having bus info in front or back could easily be edited out with any freeware video editor.

Donnie Frank · Dec 1, 2018

Stratospheric said:
My business partner and I are having a of a disagreement on the below subject And we would appreciate some expert advice.

On all our previous videos either at the beginning or at the end I have added a 10 second video clip animated logo Which includes our business info. I have just finished a video for a local golf club but I haven't include this animated logo at the end.
The reasons are as follows.
If the client is paying us to produce a video for them the last thing they want is another companies information on the video.
Even a freebie video like this one is I feel it might detract from the message of the video if continue to put this animated logo at the beginning or the end of the video.

My partner thinks we should add this animated logo and business information at the beginning or end of every video.

Any opinions on this would be welcome

This one is pretty easy to answer. My qualifications: I have produced 800+ videos (most of which are on YouTube), so I've been down this road.

Your credentials are okay IF:

1) You made the video gratis.
2) If you discounted your price
And/or
3) If you made arrangements ahead of time (usually in a contract - verbal or written).

Your credentials are NOT okay IF:

1) The client pays full price and you did NOT make previous arrangements.

Something else to consider is if you use duty-free music (creative commons), you MAY have to credit the music artist as part of the terms of using said music for free. I have told some clients that I had to give a music credit as one of the conditions of using free music - the alternate being they have to pay. Most clients like free, so they choose the former.

Here's an example.

At the end you can see I credit Kevin MacLeod. It's subtle, but it's there.

I hope this helps.

D