Are time-lapse videos the next big retail marketing thing?

Instagram, the world’s most popular photo app owned by Facebook, released its second standalone app last week, Hyperlapse, which brings time-lapse videos to the smartphone.

Typically shot on expensive cameras placed for hours on tripods, time lapse videos are largely associated with hyperactive fast-forward videos of night turning to day or vice versa, flowers blooming, people rushing around town, and traffic. The technique often replicates the comedic shorts from Charlie Chaplin and Benny Hill.

With Hyperlapse, time-lapse videos can be done fairly well without a tripod or expensive camera. The app features built-in stabilization technology that smoothes out much of the hand shaking and imperfections often seen as the bane of taking videos with smartphones.

The app records up to 45 minutes at one time. Users pick a speed between 1x-12x and can quickly share the video on Instagram or Facebook. With the action sped up, the soundtrack is eliminated.

The app—only available currently for Apple devices for now—quickly shot to the top five of the most downloaded apps on the iTunes chart.

Instagram cited uses such as documenting an entire commute, preparing a dinner from start to finish, or capturing an entire sunset as it unfolds—all with the video length running close to seconds.

"The app has quickly struck a chord with folks—from Nickelodeon artists showing how to draw SpongeBob Squarepants really quickly, to the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas and even the White House, people are having lots of fun with the Hyperlapse app," Instagram wrote in a press release.

Digitalstrategicconsulting.com noted how brands such as Bud Light, AriZona Beverage Co. and Burton Snowboards had already found creative ways to use Hyperlapse. Most people are using it for quick, fun videos less than ten seconds that are popular on Vine.

"Watching people zip around town at top speeds never gets old," wrote Jefferson Graham for USA Today. "But at its core, the app is basically just a fast forward speed gimmick."

More encouragingly, Jenna Wortham, writing for the "Bits" column in The New York Times, believes time-lapse videos may expand how people express themselves on social networks beyond showing photos of their dinner plates or the dreaded selfie. She wrote, "Time, like camera filters, provides a new prism through which people view and present themselves to the world."

Apple is also widely expected to include a time-lapse feature on its new mobile devices.

BrainTrust

Discussion Questions

Do you think time-lapse videos offer potential as storytelling or communication tools for retailers and/or brands? Where do you see the greatest potential use for retailers?

Poll

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Ed Dunn
Ed Dunn
9 years ago

Time-lapse videos are currently used in retail marketing on YouTube to show renovation work or the creation of a pop-up store or exhibit.

I can see time-lapse video used for retail marketing videos to highlight events such as store openings, Black Friday rushes or new product launch parties.

Ryan Mathews
Ryan Mathews
9 years ago

The key word here is potential. Yes, the potential exists for a flood of cinéma vérité work that will bear the soul of 21st century humanity.

My bet?

We’ll see lots of videos of those meals disappearing in fast-forward time.

I’m really not sure I see any particular benefit for retailers per se, i.e., without combining the technology with other technologies. Storytelling is about content and impact, not just speed. Contrary to Jefferson Graham, just speeding things up does get old, especially if 10 million people are doing it.

Brian Numainville
Brian Numainville
9 years ago

This seems like something that could be used in various circumstances, like showing the build of the crown during an event or grand opening. It could also be used to show local produce growing, for example. There is always an application for these types of things but to what degree remains to be seen for this one.

Camille P. Schuster, Ph.D.
Camille P. Schuster, Ph.D.
9 years ago

Time-lapse is certainly a fun tool for many videographers to experiment with as part of their storytelling process. For awhile it may show up in many videos as people begin experimenting. However, it is not something that works as part of every story or every circumstance. I do not see any particular application that has great potential for retailers.

Mohamed Amer
Mohamed Amer
9 years ago

Time-lapse videos are a natural fit in communicating a sense of action, thrills and accomplishment. They can emphasize product characteristics (speed and handling of a new car model) and outcomes (making a meal, baking a cake, assembling a dollhouse or a patio set, etc.).

They are another tool to convey the story, they play a role in doing so but have no exclusivity on the topic.

Vahe Katros
Vahe Katros
9 years ago

Challenge customers to create their own before-and-after videos that highlight the transformative effects of the stuff they sell. The winner of the “Cinderella” contest has a night out with a celebrity (which is also shot in time-lapse) becoming another viral video. When the 15 minutes of this approach is over, RetailWire can ask: “What can we learn from the demise of time-lapse videos in retail?” and Ryan Mathews will be right again.

Dan Frechtling
Dan Frechtling
9 years ago

Hyperlapse is part of a larger trend—the increasing pervasiveness of video. Video is now in the mass market mainstream due to a few factors:

  1. It’s easier with compression technology to enable sharing, stabilization technology to smooth out the flaws and increasing smartphone penetration.
  2. It’s cooler with hyperlapse and other visual effects, built into apps and smartphone OS versions.
  3. It’s more distributed, starting with YouTube, now Facebook in-feed video and premium Vvdeo ads and the increasing use of UGC videos in brand broadcast and online campaigns.

Retailers and brands should harness the authenticity of user-generated videos like hyperlapse from their own shoppers. They can encourage social sharing by posting, tweeting and even creating forums for shoppers to post videos. Because seeing is believing—video is far more persuasive than the conventional “happy quote” testimonial.

Lee Kent
Lee Kent
9 years ago

It’s fun! May not stick around as a great marketing tool, but it sure is ripe NOW!

Retailers need to jump in with both feet right now IMHO. It’s easy and it’s cheap. What more do they need?

And that’s my 2 cents!

Ralph Jacobson
Ralph Jacobson
9 years ago

Can some creative people drive some compelling messaging for retailers with this new capability? Certainly! Is it a game changer? Not really. This will be one more “Flavor of the month” marketing/advertising tool to use until people tire of it. It will be a step on the path toward the future of retail marketing communications.

Chuck Palmer
Chuck Palmer
9 years ago

To Dan Frechtling’s point, we are seeing moves toward a highly-visual environment. Hyperlapse is just another option for retail creatives and consumers to tell stories. Its adoption, use and “success” will be dependent on the platforms on which it will reside and be consumed.

I could see these mixed with other user-generated content in stores to show how customers enjoy a brand’s products and lifestyle.