  |
||
Valencia, CA — February 1st, 2002 — “The Dream to Be the Best.” Six words, one mission statement and one powerful corporate video from Joel Miller and Media Soup. The client, Discount Tire Company, approached Miller in 2002 with a simple proposition. After seeing a video he had completed for Supercuts, Discount wanted Miller’s expertise for a project they were already in the process of creating, so much so that they actually halted production with another company to employ him. “They wanted their mission statement captured on video,” Miller said. “They saw what I did with Supercuts and said, ‘Oh, we want that.’” And so, armed with a printed document containing Discount’s mission statement, Miller went to work. As with every project he agrees to do, he began by looking for an angle. “I always try to find a hook or something that’s going to be memorable,” he said. “People will come away from a video with one thing they’re going to hold on to. In this case, the mission statement was what Discount was pushing.” What Discount got, however, was more than that. Oh, the message comes through loud and clear. But that’s not what makes it remarkable. The magic in Miller’s creation lies in its delivery. The video begins, unexpectedly, with children running into a park, toy rocket and rocket launcher in hand. Then comes the narration: Deep in the heart and soul of a child lies something special, the dream to be the best… And you’re hooked. From there, Miller unfolds the story behind Discount Tire. Rather, he lets the men behind the company tell the tale. In a brief series of interviews, company founder, Bruce Halle, and others share their hopes and dreams for the company. “That’s where the magic lies,” Miller said. “The mission statement was my script, but I had to unfold it, transform a business document into a magical document. It comes to life through the stories of the business owners.” Shot after shot, scene-by-scene, the story behind Discount Tire begins to take shape; it begins to take flight. The video itself is less than eight minutes long, but when it’s over, you know what Discount Tire is all about. You know the history. Mostly, you feel its heartbeat. “One of the VPs told me it brought tears to his eyes,” Miller said. “But that’s nothing magical I’ve done. It’s just that I’ve put the magic of their business into a tangible form. It’s always there hiding. My job is to find it. If I just produce a video version of a business document, they may as well just hand out a brochure.” Following the final interview, the video reaches its emotional climax via a return trip to the park, to the children and their rocket, and to the narration. Could it be that all you need is to dream again? The rocket takes flight. To have the courage to be more than you ever thought possible … to take that first step on the moon? To hit the game-winning home run in the World Series? The video ends with the rocket ascending into a blue sky, cutting through the clouds. Insert NASA audio … this is a real flight. This is a home run. “The mission statement for a company is its most important document. It’s the roadmap. When employees have the overall picture of what the company is about, that’s powerful,” says Miller. “When you can dig in and put the magical pieces of someone’s business together in a compelling way … well, that’s why I get up in the morning. That’s why I do this.” And perhaps, also, to be the best. About Media Soup |
||