From 106 YouTube subscribers to over 160k, and 60 million views on her music video, Tori Vjumped on a fast-track to stardom by collaborating with two powerhouse companies.
Director Zane from Zane Productions and Holly Davidson & Ruthi Davis from iConnectYou.Today (ICT) are directly responsible for the success of the Independent Artist viral music video that helped her rise from zero to hero with a virtually nonexistent advertising budget.
Our editors caught up with the team responsible for hermassive success. Take a closer look at our insightful interview.
You have shot for many household named brands and signed artists. Did you know this video was going to have the reaction it did once it was placed?
Zane Productions:
I actually didn’t expect this video to receive the attention it did, but like any other project, I gave it my full attention as a director and made sure to make it as appealing and entertaining to young people as people!
iConnectYou.today:
Yes, and that is exactly why we developed the concept in the first place. Perhaps the most important facet of the process is analysis of the product, in this case the artists, and their greatest appeal and relatable aspects among their target demographic. From there, we zone in on the concept and strategize on every detail—from the lyrics, ages, demographics, etc. As long as we are part of the overall project, it typically hits and yields significant results, and in this case, organically.
What is your recommendation for emerging artists who are looking to receive similar success so quickly?
Zane Productions:
Easy: KNOW YOUR BRAND! Without knowing that, you don’t know you image, you don’t know your market, and eventually you won’t know what to create and sell. Everything is a sales pitch, and if you’re not in this industry to sell, probably it’s not for you.
iConnectYou.today:
Hire our team! Collaborate with experts and stick to what you are good at doing. If you are the artist, stay as the artist. Stay in your lane and trust others with specific expertise outside of your lane.
We understand that some videos go viral despite the budget allotted?
Zane Productions:
Some of the most popular viral videos were created on mobile phones. It’s all about the concept! It’s all about the content. ICT had an amazing concept and as a director I was fully on board to develop the best treatment possible, hire the right crew, and bring it to life shot by shot.
iConnectYou.today:
Correct. Having money to help with ads, clicks, retargeting ads, giveaways, etc. does help, but it’s not always the case. We see so many products and/or artists who have great videos, but when they don’t include a strategicPR and/or marketing engine behind the video, it goes nowhere. You not only want to produce a good video, but also know your market—that is everything—and you don’t always need a large budget. For instance this Barbie video had zero dollars for advertising and marketing, and is now grossing over 60 million views. Concept and delivery is everything.
Have you worked on other concepts with this artist?
Zane Productions:
Everything we do at ZANE Productions is conceptual. We don’t move forward with a video shoot unless we have a concept, a clear direction, a visual style, and a solid video treatment. We’ve delivered many videos that have gone viral and can’t wait to deliver more.
iConnectYou.today:Yes, we unfortunately advised another concept over the phone and spoke for about five minutes regarding the overall idea. However, Zane Productions and iconnectyou.today ( ICT) were not involved in the project. While the concept could have yielded huge results, it was spun wrong and only received 400k views. PR and marketing are the backbone for success. In this case, the song choice, video director and producer were not the right choice for the concept, and sadly didn’t yield the same results it should have.
What other concepts have you’ve developed for other artists and/or brands?
Zane Productions:
Not sure where to start; we’re currently working with Disney, Marvel, Ubtech, EZ Inflatables and many more to deliver commercials and branded content to promote their products and services.
iConnectYou.today:
We have a huge concept for Coca-Cola. Our commercial concept will blow Gatorade brand execs’minds—and drastically reduce their advertising budget with a premise/concept that will be flipped upside down. We have also developed concepts for General Mills, and believe it or not, the NRA….
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you got started started?
Zane Productions:
Back in 2015, I quit my full-time job and went through an exploration phase to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and most importantly what I would excel doing. After dabbling in a few things and nearly spending all of my savings, I met an independent artist who needed a video and barely had any money to shoot it. I jumped right in and volunteered to do it and even pay for part of the production expenses. I had absolutely NO IDEA what I was doing, but I knew that we lived in LA and all the right resources were here to make a video with no budget. After lots of research, reading, youtube tutorials, workshops, and guidance from experts, I directed my first music video on August 13, 2015. It’ll be 4 years next month since my directorial debut, and I’m proud to say that I have built a very successful video production company – ZANE Productions, LLC – and delivered over 100 videos to date!
iConnectYou.today:
Our experts have worked in the advertising, marketing, TV/film, music, and branding space. Some of our former clients include:Nike, Microsoft, Dr. Pepper, Panda Express, Tecate, CBSetc. We have implemented some of the most notable campaigns that often got picked by worldwide news to then realize it was a marketing and/or advertising concept.
How can we keep up with you?
Zane Productions:
I’d love to invite you to visit us at www.zane-productions.com
iConnectYou.today:
Tap into our website at www.iconnectyou.today
Watch the Barbie Girl Aqua Official Music Video Tori V Rap Remake here: