Media Teacher Symposium
Hudson Collective’s Founder and President, Nicole Hudson, delivered a keynote presentation at the 2022 Media Teacher Symposium. Topics of discussion included the start and evolution of Hudson Collective, the marketing industry’s shift to video content, and how social media has changed the industry.
The 10th annual Media Teacher Symposium was held at the Motion Picture Institute in Troy, Michigan. Sponsored by the nonprofit, Digital Arts Film and Television (DAFT). Media professionals and teachers propose and develop these engaging workshops each year to provide relevant tools for continued audio and video literacy in a fast-changing field. Many teachers who attend run nationally recognized programs with alumni covering all aspects of news, entertainment, and other areas of media.
The Marketing Industries Shift to Video Content
Video content has skyrocketed in the digital marketing landscape and is now the number one form of content across all platforms. When asked where Nicole believes video production will end up, she suggests we are going to see much more storytelling content emerge due to the evolution of social media platforms and the use of Stories, Reels, and Instagram TV.
Nicole explains, “One of the reasons that we’ve really shifted to our clients talking about a video first strategy… not that design or images don’t have a place in marketing anymore, but I feel like we are evolving in real-time biologically. Our attention spans have decreased, and we’re connected to our phones. Now whether or not that’s good, I’m not here to debate, but that is where we are now. And so the type of media must fit the demand for who’s viewing it and how we’re viewing it. And that’s ultimately how we’re connecting together.”
Storytelling in the Digital World
Nicole goes on to discuss how companies are often faced with the problem of how to craft content that embodies the vision, mission, and values of what the company does and stands for. She explains that many executives feel they need to show up with the idea and find the solution on their own. However, Hudson Collective aims to bridge this gap with executives. As there is an immense amount of thought and strategy that goes into marketing through storytelling.
Nicole explains, “Companies are also really starting to think about what an actual story looks like? What is the story of the company, the story of the leader? How do you create a narrative and produce something that can explain the who, what, when, where, and why of the company, or the products or the services? And we’re trying to break that down for executives to say you need to start representing your companies in a much smaller fashion than what major motion pictures produce.”
Careers in Video Production and Digital Marketing
With video production growing in the digital marketing industry, careers and opportunities are growing as well. Nicole explains her take on the qualities that Hudson Collective and other marketing agencies may look for in an employee. And teachers can share with their students in terms of what they should embody when starting a career in video production and digital marketing.
Nicole states, “Young folks need to understand that production or creativity, while important, isn’t always everything. Just doing the most creative thing, or the most amazing thing isn’t necessarily the right way to approach it. Understanding what the goal is and the audience that you’re trying to connect with is.”
Nicole continues, “Sometimes your skill set and the piece that you play in the whole production is so important, even if it feels small. The ability to collaborate and work together is really important. I’ve watched productions happen, from the lowest PA to the director… kindness, respect, empathy, and a clear understanding of how everyone’s working together. These are the soft skills that truly make magic happen…”
Nicole emphasizes that teachers can take this information back to their students to give them perhaps a different thought or a different direction within their future careers. She states, “I’m really excited for what teachers like you can start to infuse in your students. There’s a whole world out there; where you can be storytellers.”
The Bigger Picture of Video Production
Hudson Collective believes that the narratives told and the skills that educators are instilling in the next generation can change the world.
Nicole states, “We are all somewhat responsible for the telling of our own stories, and largely the reporting of our own news and information. Sadly, we all understand what’s been happening in the media world now and the retraction of that. And as citizens and people, I do believe it’s our job to craft and share those narratives that are important to us. And that’s kind of how we move forward as a society. And the more trained you are and the more people that can understand how to produce those types of things… I really think the opportunities are only going to grow and expand.”
Nicole emphasizes, “And I think one of the things to remind students that are considering this career is, it’s so much more than just the skill that they’re learning. They’re a part of a bigger world and a bigger system. And if they’re attracted to that, their skill set in storytelling truly can make an impact on the world. And I know, that’s one of the reasons that we do what we do, and we love it so much.”
The Evolution of Hudson Collective and Hudson Media Productions
The development of Hudson Collective began well before it was the Collective. It actually started as a different company, Inbound Lead Solutions, which was largely a boutique marketing consultancy.
Nicole explains, “The Collective really came about because I wanted to have a company that was more focused on social impact and focused on storytelling. And I wanted the time I spent doing work to matter in the communities.”
With that, Hudson Collective was born. As the world changed, much of what the Collective does now is centered on the development of content, sharing stories, and maintaining connections with communities and organizations.
Video production and content has become a large part of the marketing that Hudson Collective provides. Nicole explains, “I started the division of the company, Hudson Media Productions, seven months ago… clients just kept asking, can you do this video. Can you do this production, can you create this content?”
Nicole continues, “What the client cared about was how do we tell their story? How do we create this content and capture this narrative, and deliver it to an audience?”
Therefore, the Hudson Collective team developed the media productions division to meet their client’s needs.
Hudson Collective’s clientele has evolved in a very exciting and profound manner. The company provides marketing services to many organizations within the education field including local school districts, higher education, the Michigan Department of Education, and even their largest client: the National Education Association.
Nicole states, “We do a lot of work on behalf of teachers and unions, and try to make sure that the issues that are important, the contracts that educators need to negotiate, and the working conditions that teachers want across the nation are appropriately communicated.”
Hudson Collective’s Initiative
Nicole reaffirms that Hudson Collective is growing and with that, she looks forward to building partnerships with schools and communities to help kids experience and learn media production. She states, “Kids get jobs by experience. I think the biggest thing is you must have these opportunities for them to learn in real life; for them to develop those communication skills because so much learning and experience happens outside the classroom. I’m excited and I hope that companies like mine can start to bridge that gap.”
Watch Nicole Hudson and other Hudson Collective team members discuss their thoughts on the topic of media production in the full video presentation.
