4 Video Ideas to Elevate Your Higher Education Brand
October 15, 2019

HIGHER EDUCATION: Each year of the past decade, Gatehouse has measured communications practices and trends across the globe in the largest survey for internal communications professionals.

For the first time in its history, Gatehouse listed video as a top digital channel in 2019. The announcement was a shock to some, but not to all. After all, video is:

  • quickly and easily consumed,
  • mobile friendly,
  • boasts a high entertainment value
  • and can help audiences consume information on-demand on their own time – and almost anywhere they are.

Higher education institutes around North America have already seen the benefits of using video in creative ways to attract prospective students and alumni – as well as engage with current faculty and students. Here are seven ways we’ve seen video being used to great success, to interact, inform and entertain.

  1. Culture/Social Media Video

Social media gives brands and institutes a chance to put out video content that is less focused on direct messaging and more about showing a unique culture. The tone of these videos tends to be more quirky, creative and funny. They give audiences a valuable chance to see what the day-to-day lives at the institute might be like. The University of South Carolina presents a great example in this video that shows their faculty out of their element – trying to comprehend “Millennial vocabulary!”

  1. Marketing “Hype” Video

“Hype,” “Traditions,” “History,” or “Promo” Video – this kind of video has many names and ways to go about them. However, the overarching purpose of these videos is to generate excitement and school pride amongst students and staff. Videos that excel at this, like McMaster University’s YouTube video with 127K views, emphasize their traditions and history through its people and places. Depicting the diversity of the people, the sights on the campus, and the shared singular experience is how these videos portray a real, authentic message.

  1. Professor/Team Spotlight Video

The accomplishments and breakthroughs made by faculty and students are sources of immense pride and elevation – and these videos give them just the recognition they deserve. See one of the UWaterloo’s YouTube videos highlighting Professor Donna Strickland – 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics.

  1. Welcome Video

Incoming students and staff are going to be nervous about their fresh start in a new setting. They know little about their expectations, the new policies and even where the simplest things are. Welcome videos are great to show your environment and culture, and excite them about the next few weeks as they get to experience new things and become acclimated to their new environment. This video from St. Lawrence University is a simple concept – taking shots from their orientation that shows how much their volunteers care about spreading their school culture.

Have these samples given you an idea, but you don’t know where to take it? We can help.  At Arc and Crown we focus on and understand your higher ed audiences, and create content  that speaks to them. If you have any questions about how we can help you,  give us a shout!

(Blog originally written by A+C and posted on higheredcommunications.com )

 

April 8, 2026
Self-recorded video is becoming one of the most effective ways for Toronto-based companies to communicate internally, train teams, and build a strong, authentic brand presence—without relying on full-scale production for every piece of content. But most teams hit the same challenges: What should we say? How do we make it look professional? How do we keep it consistent across teams? This guide breaks down a simple, repeatable self-recorded video process designed specifically for businesses in Toronto looking to scale their communication. In fast-moving industries like finance, healthcare, and tech across Toronto, video has become essential for: Internal communication across hybrid teams Employee training and onboarding Leadership messaging Company-wide updates Self-recorded video allows organizations to: Move faster without production bottlenecks Create more authentic, human content Reduce ongoing production costs Build a scalable internal content system The key is having the right structure and support in place. Step 1: Start With Clarity, Not Guesswork Before hitting record, successful teams align on strategy first. What Toronto Businesses Should Focus On: Define your objective Are you creating training content? Internal updates? Executive communication? Choose the right format Talking head, screen recording, or guided presentation? Work within your team’s capabilities Whether you're a downtown corporate office or a growing startup, your process should fit your resources. Structure your messaging clearly Simple, direct communication performs better than overproduced scripts. Get expert guidance when needed Strategic support early on prevents wasted time later. Clarity upfront saves time, budget, and internal friction. Step 2: Capture Content Your Team Feels Confident Creating Once the plan is clear, recording becomes easy and repeatable. Most Toronto teams are already equipped to film using: Smartphones Laptops or webcams Basic lighting setups What Makes the Biggest Impact: On-camera confidence Professionals aren’t always natural on video but some training can dramatically improve delivery. Simple technical setup Clean audio, proper framing, and lighting matter more than expensive gear. Test recordings A quick trial run avoids common mistakes. Flexible workflows Recording should fit into your team’s schedule, especially in busy corporate environments. The system ensures consistency and quality. Step 3: Turn Raw Footage Into Branded, Ready-to-Use Content This is where your videos become valuable business assets. Post-Production That Elevates Your Content: Edit for clarity and engagement Remove filler, tighten messaging, improve pacing. Repurpose content Turn one recording into multiple internal or external assets. Add branding Graphics, captions, and visual consistency reinforce your company identity. Deliver ready-to-use videos Content that can be immediately shared across teams or platforms. For Toronto organizations, this step is key to maintaining a professional standard at scale. Make Your Video Content Work Across Your Organization Creating content is only part of the equation—distribution drives impact. Teams often integrate self-recorded videos into: Internal communication platforms Learning and development systems HR onboarding processes Marketing and employer branding With the right system, your content doesn’t just get created—it gets used consistently across the business. Build a Scalable Video System (Not Just One-Off Content) The most effective companies in Toronto don’t treat video as a one-time project. They build a repeatable workflow that allows them to: Produce content consistently Maintain quality without slowing down Scale communication across departments Self-recorded video becomes a long-term business tool. Looking for Self-Recorded Video Support in Toronto? If your team is exploring how to implement self-recorded video effectively, having the right structure can make all the difference. From planning and on-camera training to editing and delivery, a clear process ensures your videos are not just created, but actually drive results. Contact us for more info https://www.arcandcrown.com/contact
Group of people in a meeting around a table, laptop in the center, discussing ideas, and taking notes.
March 26, 2026
Discover how Toronto businesses can use corporate video to improve internal communication, engage audiences, and strengthen their brand with Arc & Crown Media.
A professional in a white shirt types on a keyboard while working at a desk in a bright, modern office.
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Learn how corporate videos enhance communication, simplify complex messages, and strengthen brand identity—crafted by Toronto’s video specialists.
January 19, 2026
"Volunteer advocates are at the heart of Diabetes Canada’s efforts to bring about positive change. They represent the voice of the 11.7 million Canadians living with diabetes or pre-diabetes and speak for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Advocates help raise awareness of diabetes and the daily burden of living with the disease. They participate in Diabetes Canada advocacy campaigns and events across the country, and they help influence public policy by building relationships with elected officials in their ridings and promoting Diabetes Canada’s policy recommendations through their personal and professional networks. To support and grow this vital community, Diabetes Canada launched a new advocacy training series designed to make it easier than ever for people to get involved: Speak up & speak out Getting involved is easy Introducing Diabetes Advocacy 👉 Watch the videos and learn more here: DIABETES CANADA Bringing Advocacy to Life With Video Arc + Crown Media partnered with Diabetes Canada to help bring this important advocacy training to life through strategically designed animated videos, we helped make the training: 🎥 Clear and accessible Animation helped break down complex concepts into simple, visually engaging sequences, so viewers instantly grasp key ideas — like what advocacy is, how it works, and how they can participate. 📈 Action-oriented and motivating The pacing and progression were intentionally structured so someone watching could move from curiosity to confidence — ready to take action. Our approach ensured the advocacy training wasn’t just informative — it felt welcoming, inclusive, and empowering to volunteers from all walks of life. Why Animated Training Content Works Training and onboarding content — especially for volunteer programs and advocacy initiatives — needs to be engaging, easy to understand, and repeatable. Animation is uniquely suited to this because it lets you: Illustrate abstract ideas visually (e.g., advocacy processes, decision pathways) Keep attention with motion and visual cues Streamline complex information into digestible chapters Adapt content for web, social channels, and virtual learning platforms By combining animation with thoughtful narrative structure and live footage, Arc & Crown Media helped create a training resource that volunteers can come back to again and again — whenever they need a refresher or want to share training with others. How Arc + Crown Media Can Help Your Organization At Arc + Crown Media, we specialize in strategic video production that helps organizations educate, train, and inspire their audiences. Whether you’re working with: Volunteers Clients or customers Employees and stakeholders Advocates or community members …we can help you build animated and live-action video series that turn complex ideas into clear, compelling content. We specialize in corporate and nonprofit video production that supports long-term communication strategies, not just one-off campaigns. Organizations work with us to create: Animated explainer videos Training and onboarding video libraries Internal communications from leadership teams Culture and employer branding videos Educational and advocacy content This is especially valuable for companies and nonprofits that need to communicate consistently across departments, locations, or audiences. For many of our clients, video becomes a recurring communication asset — helping them save time, improve message clarity, and increase engagement. Here’s what we bring to every project: ✨ Message strategy & script development 🎬 High-quality animated and live action production 📊 Content designed for multi-platform use 🤝 Collaborative creative process tailored to your mission Video isn’t just storytelling — it’s a strategic communication tool that scales your training, expands engagement, and aligns audiences around your mission. Ready to Make Video Work for You? If your organization needs: Training and onboarding content Advocacy or awareness campaigns Educational or mission-driven storytelling Animated explanation videos …video can be one of the most effective ways to communicate. Looking for Animated or Training Video Production in Canada? If your organization is planning: Volunteer or employee training programs Advocacy or awareness initiatives Internal communications strategies Educational content for clients or stakeholders Professional video production can dramatically improve how your message is understood and remembered. Arc + Crown Media is a Canadian video production company specializing in animated and live-action video content for training, internal communications, and advocacy. We help organizations communicate complex ideas clearly and connect with their audiences authentically. 👉 Contact Arc & Crown Media to learn how video can support your communication goals. Arc + Crown Media creates video content that helps organizations communicate clearly, connect authentically, and scale their impact. Let’s talk about your next video project and how we can help you achieve your goals.
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