The Best Brand Uses of Instagram's Cool Time-Lapse Video App Hyperlapse makes it easy for businesses and brands of all sizes and industries to create original, compelling content in an effort to connect with consumers on a deeper level.
By Sujan Patel Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
If you use Instagram as an individual or for your business, you may have heard that the company recently released a new app called Hyperlapse, which lets you capture high-quality time-lapse videos even while in motion.
Like many mobile apps, Hyperlapse makes it incredibly easy for businesses and brands of all sizes and industries to create original, compelling content in an effort to connect with consumers on a deeper level.
Related: Finally: Now You Can Edit Captions on Instagram
In this post, I'll share a few hyperlapses that brands have made so far using the app. Take a look, and start thinking about how you can use Hyperlapse for your business.
Using Hyperlapse for non-profit organizations
If you run a non-profit or civic organization, Hyperlapse can be used to showcase what you are working on and what happens during your normal day-to-day operations, giving users a whole new look into how your organization operates. This may help them feel more connected to your brand and mission, which could lead to more involvement or donations.
There are several great examples of non-profits utilizing Hyperlapse. One such example, as named by a blog post on Hootsuite, is the National Aquarium:
Blacktip Reef via #Hyperlapse!
A video posted by National Aquarium (@nationalaquarium) on Aug 8, 2014 at 10:30am PDT
This Hyperlapse shows blacktip reef sharks and other saltwater animals in one of the aquarium's exhibits. This video not only showcases some of the National Aquarium's attractions, it gives users a reminder of what the organization is all about: showcasing, educating and conserving waterlife.
Using Hyperlapse for consumer engagement
Food appeals to almost all audiences, depending on their preferences. Which is why Hyperlapse has been embraced by many of the most well-known brands in America, such as Bud Light and Taco Bell.
Bud Light made a pun with their first Hyperlapse, saying "that went fast" after all the beers in their video were taken:
By making a joke and publishing this new form of content immediately after it was available, Bud showed it was relevant to its audience.
Another example is Taco Bell, which has always done a great job of being on top of the social-media game. It is extremely popular on Snapchat and are even secure enough in its connectedness with its online audience to have shut down most of its social-media activity temporarily to raise awareness for its new mobile app.
Before temporarily pushing users to its new app, Taco Bell used Hyperlapse to make a few fun videos, like this new packet design announcement:
Using Hyperlapse to showcase an experience
One of the best ways to use Hyperlapse is to put your audience in your shoes and show them what their experience would be like if they drove your cars, stayed in your city or tried your products. This is especially the case for brands that are known for their excellence and quality, such as BMW or Rolex.
Related: The Six-Second Video Is a Big Business for Brands
Ferrari's North Europe Instagram profile does a pretty good job of showcasing the Ferrari lifestyle. In addition to showing macro-portraits of parts of Ferrari cars, it also shows races, vintage cars and the people behind the races.
A video posted by Ferrari North Europe (@fnepr) on Sep 9, 2014 at 6:44am PDT
This video helps users imagine themselves driving away in that vintage Ferrari.
Another good example of showcasing an experience is Copenhagen, Denmark's Instagram.
A video posted by VisitCopenhagen (@visitcopenhagen) on Sep 9, 2014 at 10:13am PDT
This Hyperlapse does a great job of showing not only the city, but also touches on an integral part of many Copenhagen residents' daily lives: commuting via bicycle. The winding path and view over the canals is a great way to show a side of Copenhagen that goes beyond photos of buildings and architecture.
When creating your own Hyperlapse video for a brand or organization, it's important to showcase what makes you unique in a special way (for example, close-ups or "roads less seen"), while also taking the time to visually set up and plan the shot before you start recording. Great examples of Hyperlapses from brands around the world should likely continue to provide us with motivation to be innovative with our own visual social-media-content creation.
Want a few ideas to get you started? Try these:
- Feature new products, stores, or services
- Tell a story with products or employees
- Unbox a new product
- Cover parties or company events
- Show manufacturing or creation processes
Have you use Hyperlaspe to show off your brand? Share an example in the comments section below.
Related: 3 More Reasons for Brands to Use Instagram to Boost Influence and Drive Sales
