Twitter launches “Vine” for our ever-diminishing attention spans

With the proliferation of short-form social media messages, online users’ ability to focus on a particular element of digital communications is rapidly decreasing. Twitter has responded to this trend by introducing their very own 6-second video messaging service, “Vine”.


This introduces a new and potentially very interesting media channel for online marketers, enabling them to think creatively and communicate with their base of followers in an entirely new way. Standard display advertising loops at around 15 seconds of animation so to try to conjure up an engaging ad in just six seconds is likely to be a challenge in which only the most intelligent of creative agencies can succeed.

For example, it opens up the possibility of creating entirely unique messaging, which standalone from other communications (see Diabetes UK – http://vine.co/v/b5tnVIVjt2M – who use the messages to thank donors), but help the brand to interact more personally with its customers.

The Vine activity could also be used for enhancing an existing campaign’s messaging, by integrating the video with other digital and offline ads. Dogs Trust has essentially replicated its offline and other online activity in their Vine ads (http://vine.co/v/b5UAMMaxdbY) adding credence and support to the overall campaign with an exciting additional channel.

Alternatively, there is the option of using the ads purely for viral effect, which can help to expose your brand to a wider audience than using digital campaigns could otherwise reach. A fairly straightforward yet emotionally engaging example of this can be found on Twitter’s own blog page in James Buckhouse’s video (http://vine.co/v/biTaEEwdq2n?1), which although lacking in any branded content demonstrates the level of absorption these short ads can produce.

Whilst the six-second limit may seem fairly constraining in terms of content you are able to include, the short, repetitive nature of the videos can actually play into the hands of the advertiser. Having to make your point in a short space of time encourages you to quickly get to the thrux of what you’re trying to say, and the fact that the point is repeated so rapidly can help to reinforce it in the minds of the customer.

It may be viewed as a bit of a gimmick, and there is every chance that advertisers feel this is too short a message to be able to convey anything meaningful, but it does offer the potential to add to the online marketer’s armoury, providing an alternative channel in which potential customers can interact with your brand. Just bear in mind, as with all other new channels which are introduced to the marketing sphere, that a rush of advertisers all doing exactly the same thing at its launch is likely to kill its effectiveness as quickly as it arises.