The takeaway: generic, "beautiful" content does what ad agency people call "a category job" — it helps sell everyone's product in that category, not just yours. What's most valuable, is a story specific enough that it could only be about one place, one business, one person.
Amazing People I Know
A mate of mine sells islands.
Actual islands. In Fiji.
Right now, he's got one on the books for $60 million, owned by a guy who made his money with fingerless gloves. Another for $10 million from a cannabis company. A third, also $10 million, from a bloke who built his fortune in coat hangers.
Coat hangers. See! The simple ideas are the best.
We got talking about the trouble he's having finding buyers. I asked to see what content they'd already shot.
What did I find?
Just about every listing uses the same drone shot: green island, blue ocean, up and down, repeat. Beautiful. And completely forgettable, because it's exactly what every other island looks like from 100 metres up.
In advertising, we call using these kinds of generic images to sell your product "doing a category job." Essentially, you're helping everyone else who's selling something similar.
So, I told him what I'd do. Get on the ground. Yes, of course we want the beautiful beach, but we also need to show the local market at 6am, the kids running on the beach & the local staff. We need to show the kind of smile you only get from someone who's genuinely glad you're there. Not AI, and not performing on camera.
Here's the thing. Anyone can shoot beautiful scenery with a drone. What's rare, though, is a story that makes someone feel something real about a beautoful place before they've even set foot on it.
That's true whether you're selling a $60 million island or a $4,000 testimonial film.
Ngā Mihi,
Dave
Hot Butter Productions
A couple of questions people ask about this one
Is this a real story?
Yes - a real estate agent Dave knows, currently selling three private islands in Fiji. Names and identifying details left out.
What's a "category job"?
Advertising shorthand for content so generic it could be selling anyone in that category - the same drone shot every island listing uses, the same stock-photo warmth every real estate ad reaches for. It doesn't lose you business exactly, but it doesn't win you any either, because it's not actually about you.
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