When Ajay Patel, Telecom Mobile's Channel Communications Manager had only a fortnight to put together an internal launch of the company's new GO27 campaign to his sales teams the latest digital technology had very little to do with it.

The main purpose of the video was to help the Dealer and Call Centre teams feel that the campaign- to entice consumers to trade up to New Zealand’s most advanced mobile network- was worth supporting because of the benefits to them.

Our solution was frighteningly low-tech: creating a script which answered the hard questions and then delivered the message in a stimulating and logical way, and then making sure that 3 different senior mangers in Auckland and Wellington not only looked good but were recorded with minimum disruption to their busy schedules.

The benefit to Telecom was a video with an engaging presentation and strong recall. Using Video Promotions to manage delivery of this important message was also Ajay's guarantee of getting an internal communication tool which not only delivered its message clearly and effectively, but which attracted attention for its points of difference. Click here to read how Ajay found our approach to his problem.

"Under The Microscope" has scooped another major story that no other programme would touch. The team at "Under The Microscope", fronted by Jeremy Corbett, have followed up reports of the use of a "performance enhancing" stimulant at national chain Office Products Depot.

Using every device of the modern TV journalist, he interviewed a ‘secret’ witness, recorded examples of enhanced in-store service with a ‘hidden’ camera, and, in an example of breathtaking television (he was counted taking as many as 30 in one minute alone), he confronted the CEO of the company in a candid, unannounced interview.

Don't worry if you've never heard of "Under The Microscope", only a select group of NZ companies have, including Repco Auto Parts and Corys Frasers Electrical. It's Video Promotion's own creation, and one which has been awarded 4 video communications awards in the US and NZ over the last 5 years.

The benefit to companies who utilise the concept, and the reason the "U.T.M" format is consistently successful as an internal- and even external- communication piece is because it uses a recognisable genre (it's a send-up of the "20/20", "60 Minutes" style of programme) and humour (the programme's host and reporters are all experienced comedians and presenters) to present information which the audience might not always feel excited or even positive about.

The interviewees, and all the other characters in the programme, are all actual employees of the subject company playing themselves.

Of course Office Product Depot's new "Flying Colours" programme – referred to by its "unofficial" nickname "P" – may be performance enhancing, but it's also perfectly legitimate and of great benefit to the dealer teams. Jeremy's increasingly confused interviews – talking at cross purposes to his interview subjects – are what keep the audience entertained, and, in the process, delivers the message more clearly and effectively than the traditionally sober corporate video.

Some of the raunchier scenes at the TV commercial shoot for Auckland Theatre Company's production of "The Graduate" occurred off camera. As director Simon Prast was only days away finishing as the company's Artistic Director to helm the Auckland Festival, and the cast had already enjoyed a successful preview night, the luvvies were a bit excited (but always professional!).

Putting a bunch of thespians in a bedroom for an hour (albeit on set) with a fair bit of creative license meant that getting people to "work with me" was a challenge, if an entertaining one. As an official sponsor of the ATC since 2001, Video Promotions has producing the company's TVCs and annual awards nights for some time now, and it certainly makes a change from supermarket training videos and corporate communiqués.

I regularly take parties of clients and theatre fans to the latest ATC production, and to be included, all you have to do is email me with an enquiry on a video communications project to join us at the next show with drinks before hand.