New Approaches to Private Equity and Investment Bank Marketing: How Video is Turning Heads

In the fast-paced and competitive world of private capital online marketing, differentiation is no longer just a buzzword—it’s a necessity. As private equity, M&A and flexible capital firms vie for the attention of prospective portfolio companies, investors, intermediaries, and partners, the need for innovative digital marketing strategies has never been more apparent. Enter the game-changing world of custom video and photography and its latest iterations in the forms of remote production and location-based techniques.

As a creative partner with a wealth of experience, MVP Marketing + Design, a Minneapolis- and Boston-based website design, branding and digital agency has evolved as a trailblazer in the realm of private capital videography. At MVP, we’ve spent over two decades at the forefront of private equity, investment bank, and junior capital website design since our entry into the market on behalf of Churchill Capital, which later sold its funds to the Carlyle Group. Grounded in branding, print, and website design, and with major league marketing communications experience for Fortune 100 3M since 1986, we’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of visual storytelling. Today, we’re taking you behind the scenes to explore how new approaches to videography and photography are revolutionizing private capital promotion and why these state-of-the-art visual tools can make a difference in your brand-to-web marketing outreach.

A New Era of Engagement

The digital age has brought with it an abundance of information, but capturing and retaining attention has become an increasingly complex challenge. Traditional visual and verbal brand architecture elements, from company logos and website design to voice-of-customer (VOC) and brand architecture statements, while important and highly recommended, can now be super-charged by technology-enabled emotional video and photo connections that drive stakeholder engagement with embedded calls-to-action (CTAs).

According to Forbes, 59% of executives prefer video to text. Moreover, research by Insivia reveals that viewers retain an impressive 95% of a message when delivered via video, compared to a mere 10% when conveyed through text. The implications for private capital firms are clear: video is the medium of choice for engaging audiences and influencing them to take favorable action on your behalf.

Crafting Compelling Narratives: The MVP VideoMate℠ Approach

Based on a combination of both onsite and our new remote video techniques, the MVP approach is rooted in the tradition of our “Most Valuable Partner” ethos: working closely with clients (our partners) to understand their unique vision, values, and objectives.

One of the most powerful forms of video is testimonial content (Wyzowl). Through personal testimony, current and former PE firm operating partners and portfolio company CEOs come to life as they express the intellectual and emotional sides of their exit strategy success stories. One such example is our on-location Private Equity company testimonial video produced for Jacksonville-based Shoreline Equity Partners, which has over $1.7B+ in historical transaction value. The video demonstrates this PE firm’s focus on helping founder-owned businesses accelerate growth.

These MVP-portfolio company CEO testimonials were produced in combination with interoffice and location-based team visuals. Their authenticity and emotion validated the PE firm’s credibility and commitment to the success of each of its portfolio company CEOs. Introduced in combination with Shoreline’s new MVP-designed website, the videography and new photography helped the client to project a differentiated approach that would appeal to prospective business owners and management teams. Interestingly, the MVP team completed on-location video the very day that the Covid-19 outbreak received prominent national news coverage, which leads us to the next chapter in our story: remote videography.

Remote Videography Options

During the pandemic, Svoboda Capital Partners approached MVP to conduct remote CEO portfolio company video interviews and testimonials that reflected their investment philosophy and team dynamics. Due to geographical constraints, schedules, and health concerns, on-location CEO videography was not possible. However, by leveraging MVP’s remote video approach, Svoboda successfully repurposed their previously MVP-produced onsite B-roll footage with our new remote CEO portco success stories. This innovative solution allowed them to showcase their firm and teams with high-quality footage while minimizing executive time and team travel expense.

Similarly, we used remote video to supplement onsite video production for Wind Point Partners. Our collaboration with Wind Point initially began during a one-day on-site video and photoshoot at their annual portfolio company conference in Chicago. This event brought together Wind Point portfolio company CEOs from across the US, providing a unique opportunity to collect testimonials in one location. We were able to capture twelve 30+ minute interviews in one day and planned to capture additional onsite testimonials later, but this soon became unfeasible due to the onset of CV-19 travel restrictions and health concerns.

In response to these challenges, we transitioned to remote video production to continue meeting the needs of our client. Wind Point was excited that we had the capacity to seamlessly segue and continue their production using a combination of remote interviews and existing footage.

Our team conducted virtual interviews with portfolio company CEOs, maintaining the same level of professionalism and visual quality as our high-definition on-site work. By utilizing remote (GoPro camera) video production techniques, which were supplemented with value-added motion graphics and performance metrics, we were able to create a cohesive narrative that showcased Wind Point’s investment strategy, team dynamics, and commitment to growth. The final product not only served as a testament to their adaptability during challenging times but also reinforced their brand identity and highlighted their dedication to fostering strong partnerships. Stay tuned as we include three portfolio company and one sector investment video on WPP’s new site, anticipated to launch this summer.

By embracing remote video production, MVP enabled Wind Point to maintain their marketing momentum and effectively communicate with their target audience despite the unforeseen obstacles. This experience underscores the resilience of video as a medium and its ability to pivot and adapt to the ever-changing business and environmental landscape.

Beyond portfolio company CEO testimonials, MVP utilizes video to develop dynamic website background videos. These range from incorporating a combination of stock video cityscape flyovers such as the one we produced for Brentwood Capital (Nashville) to a more individualized approach as in the example for Mason Wells (Milwaukee) which uniquely combines drone footage with portfolio company B-roll. Variations on this theme include our onsite office video on behalf of Clearsight Advisors (Washington, DC), a world-class investment banker for leading business services and technology-enabled services companies, featuring an “industry first” with one of their investment bankers doing a backflip in the conference room!

While your next website video need not be as daring as Clearsight’s, the MVP team can offer a range of options to help elevate and differentiate your brand and secure the commitment of all stakeholders both inside and outside of your company, including those young professionals you’re no doubt seeking to recruit.

The Road Ahead: Unlocking the Potential of Video

As private capital firms navigate an ever-evolving brand-to-web landscape, embracing the power of video is more than just a trendy marketing tactic—it’s a strategic imperative. Videography has the unique ability to capture genuine emotions, communicate authenticity, and reinforce a firm’s reputation. Furthermore, it can be used to energize your LinkedIn marketing efforts, which will be subject of a future blog post.

At MVP, we take pride in our ability to craft compelling video content, often supplemented with team portraiture and office environments. These visuals will resonate with your target audience and showcase your firm’s team DNA. Our partnerships with leading private equity firms, investment banks, and mezzanine capital providers have allowed us to explore new creative possibilities and deliver video content that truly makes a difference.

In conclusion, the future of private capital marketing is visual as well as verbal, and video is the ticket that will drive success in the years to come. Whether you’re seeking to showcase your unique company culture, values, and identity, or highlight your success in acquiring and growing companies, MVP is here to help you achieve your vision.

In a world where attention spans are shorter than ever, video has the power to cut through the noise and make a lasting impression. By partnering with MVP, private capital firms can unlock the ultimate value of video and make their business and brand “invaluable.”