“Vertical Video Syndrome”. The originally derisive moniker is slowly but surely becoming a trend in modern marketing communications.Videos shot in landscape simply don’t cut it anymore.
What no one could have imagined just a few years ago, and what many laughed at just a few months ago, is a reality. It is even a trend. Social networks have been taken over by portrait-oriented videos. What is it? And have wide-angle videos really gone away?
Why are vertical videos trending?
The boom in portrait videos is of course driven by smart phones. For many people today, the smartphone is an absolutely normal part of life. Far more common than television used to be, not just the “old-fashioned” 4:3 format, but also the modern, widescreen, 16:9 format.
The natural ergonomics of mobile phones then dictate unequivocally – rotate vertically, it’s more comfortable.
Are widescreen videos a thing of the past?
Every change hurts. Just as some remember the disillusionment of moving from 4:3 to 16:9, many will find it hard to get used to the vertical format.
But it is becoming a standard part of marketing communications, especially on social media. Facebook Live broadcasts have long been impossible to capture in anything other than portrait format, and the recently introduced Instagram service IGTV also does not allow any format other than vertical.
If you want to keep up with the times, you’ll have to embrace the trend, dubbed by detractors as “Vertical Video Syndrome.” Include video preparation and production in your marketing plan. And if you don’t know what to do, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always watching trends in the online world and are ready to help.