Reflection on 2022: innovation, sustainability, and video
Author
Roland Guijs
Date
January 4, 2023
Reading time
6 minutes
Themes
As an entrepreneur, you are mainly looking towards the future, but from time to time, looking back is also very useful and enjoyable. Because so much happens in a year. And in the hustle and bustle of the day, you might just forget what has already passed.
Looking back on our productions, there are two words that prevail: sustainability and innovation. And that is something we are proud of. Sustainability is an extremely relevant topic, where a lot is happening and also needs to happen. And as engineers, technological development is something that makes our hearts beat just a little faster. Because developing good videos for the technical sector is why we started Indall.
Making Clouds with Wind Turbines
2022 began at the intersection of sustainability and innovation, with The Global Irrigation Project. In a 3D animation film it is explained how wind turbines can cool the Earth. By pumping and nebulizing seawater, clouds are formed. These clouds reflect sunlight and produce rain, which cools the temperature on Earth. It may sound like a moonshot, but the founder is now in conversation with, among others, TU Delft and Siemens Gamesa about setting up a first test. Indall developed, in addition to the animation film, various press releases, a website, and manages external communication. Using visual tools to accelerate technological developments is what we believe in.
Collaborating on videos about sustainability
Last year was also the year in which we started collaborating more intensively with Change Inc. We developed videos together for example for InvestNL and Anders Reizen, but also an explainer video series for their own channels. In these videos covering various topics, such as real estate and waste separation, sustainability is made practical. A few months ago, I wrote a blog in which I delve deeper into this subject, and why video series are crucial for a strong brand reputation.
Partnerships with student teams
Anyone who mentions cars and TU Eindhoven also mentions Lightyear. But much more is happening in this area, such as the development of ZEM by TUecomotive. This is a concept car that captures more CO2 per kilometer driven than it emits. The entire design process considered how the car can be produced as efficiently and sustainably as possible. Indall developed a catchy infographic that makes this visible at a glance. This infographic served among other things as a backdrop for the USA tour of the team, where they also met the Royal couple.
Of course, as former students of the University of Twente, our hearts are still in the east of the country. That is partly why we are also partnering this edition with Solar Team Twente, where we assist the team with the communication of their technological developments. The collaboration was kicked off with a video in which the team and their vision are laid out.
e-Learning for Technical Companies
2022 was also the year when we delved deeper into e-learning. Because in the 21st century, lifelong learning is the motto. Technological developments mean that employees need to acquire a lot of new knowledge about new products. Remco Guijs conducted research on this behalf of the University of Twente. In what way can hybrid learning contribute to the energy transition in the installation sector? The heat pump will be mandatory by 2026, but the schedule at installation companies is currently still filled with maintenance and installation of HR boilers. And due to staff shortages, extensive training on-site is not technically feasible. By offering the theory interactively online, partly in video, the learning process can be organized much more efficiently. He recently wrote an extensive blog about this, with useful tips and insights on how to effectively implement e-learning as a technical company.
Online Video Series and Microstories
Online visibility, for example on LinkedIn, is becoming increasingly important. In times when brands are vying for the viewer's attention, it is essential to stand out and truly provide added value. The use of video series is an ideal way to achieve this. Above, the series for Anders Reizen has already been mentioned as an example, but we also worked on online video series for other brands such as RedLink and Change Inc. For Groot-Jebbink, we developed a variant of this together with LeadLogic, the microstories. In it, different USPs of their video telematics are explained within a few seconds, after which these are advertised online. An ideal way to constantly be on top of mind for potential customers and to highlight the various advantages of the product.
What does 2023 bring?
Unfortunately, we do not have a crystal ball to look into the future, and we are too down-to-earth for that. However, we do have a schedule and planning, and that shows several nice developments. For instance, we expect to do even more this year in the area of employer branding for technical companies. The labor market is still extremely tight, and good technical personnel are scarce. It is becoming increasingly important for companies to distinguish themselves in terms of social relevance and technology. We also see many opportunities for e-learning and (re)training in fields such as the manufacturing industry and installation sector. New staff need to be trained, and new products require new skills and knowledge. The use of interactive video is a very suitable tool for this. We also want to focus more on innovative start-ups. For them, effective communication and explanation of their developments are crucial. Video, 2D animation and infographics are the ideal tools for this. They too are at the intersection of innovation and sustainability, thus completing the circle.
