A case study on a better way to do case studies.

We’ve seen a lot of case studies. A lot. And boy, are most of them a snoozefest. There’s a somewhat nervous customer looking away from the camera (What are they looking at? Who are they talking to?). Their statements are obviously chopped to hell (Why did the scene just shift to them patting a co-worker on the back in a cubicle? Why did we just cut to a closeup at a different angle?). It takes forever for anyone to get the point.

In a lot of instances, this is a product of limitations. Not everybody is great on camera. Some people are reluctant to speak freely for concerns over company policies or legal approval. Maybe the budget is incredibly tight.

In our opinion, the biggest limitation can be a lack of imagination.

It all came together.

Like Hannibal from the A-team, we love it when a plan comes together. Luckily, in this case, boy did it ever. We had a brave client ready to try something better. We had a rad customer who crushed it on camera. We had a great story in cutting edge technology that (get this!) can reduce Co2 emissions and keep passengers connected to high-speed internet during an entire flight. We just needed the execution sorted out.

A ton of things influenced how this came together. Some non-linear storytelling from Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and classic “caper” movies where you see how the plan was executed after the success. A bit of YouTube editorial videos that use papercraft and models to explain how things work. And lastly, showing what the conversation was that led to Intelsat’s partnership with Alaska Airlines, versus simply retelling it in an interview.

At the end of the day, with extra polish, attention to detail, and a sprinkle of imagination we were able to create a case study that’s pretty different.

And that’s…pretty cool.