The 6-Second Narrative
It was the beginning of 2013 when the world first heard of a thing called Vine. Like many social video platforms before it, the new app from Twitter allowed just about anyone to create an account and start sharing homemade memories. But unlike its YouTube or Vimeo predecessors, Vine revolutionized the social scene with a different take on storytelling—the 6-second narrative. As the adage goes, what good is content if it’s not engaging? Captivating audiences isn’t a new science, but to do so in only 6-seconds? Seems unlikely.
I remember when I first heard about the app. I was at work at a social media marketing agency, so naturally most of the employees, myself included, had it on their phones within hours. My first Vines were choppy and unplanned. They lacked a plot, substance, or a script. Admittedly, they were mostly of my coworker sitting across from me who, upon noticing I was pointing my phone in his direction, would playfully object. Obviously, there wasn’t really a story there, but I’ve improved a bit since then. At least my 75 followers like to think so.
Almost a year and a half later, Vine has become wildly popular for all the right reasons. From comedy sketches to stop-motion art, its users dove in head first, showcasing their most creative side first in an effort to get noticed. And for a lucky some, they did. If you’re an avid Viner like myself, you’ll know there has arisen a pseudo cult following for a handful of amateur video makers. I’m talking about a group of high-school age boys who have literally made a career out of their 6-second stints. They’re Internet celebrities and we idolize them accordingly—remaking their funniest Vines, doing impressions of them, or remixing their very words into viral beats. So what makes these famous Viners so, well, famous? Sure, they’re dreamy but they’ve mastered the art of being successful on social media. They’re relatable.
Every so often in my feed I come across one of them promoting a product. The weird thing is, I find myself watching these Vines more intently than normal. It’s not because it’s something out of the ordinary. Actually it’s the opposite. To me, Internet celebrities just don’t have that sheen that someone from Hollywood would. They’re tangible, approachable, real. I can talk to them on Twitter, I can like their Instagram photos, and through a screen, I’ve seen the inside of their bedrooms and met their parents. I’m so used to seeing them as I would a good friend, in my mind, that’s what they are. So that 6-second pitch for a new dating app just seems like my friend showing me a new thing they have. It doesn’t feel like what it is: a commercial.
That’s why I think Vine, or at least the shorter form video format, is the future of advertising. Yes, agencies and brands have been trying to achieve that “human” feel for years now, but I think now more than ever, we’re getting a little bit closer. Good advertising makes you feel like you’re a part of something or someone’s world and Vine does just that. The 6-second challenge will force us to be creative, smart, funny, and concise all while sticking to brand. Hey, if a couple of 16-year olds can do it, so can we.