Death to the Corporate Video

Videos mentioned in this podcast: Oransi Googleheimer

A year after Veo 3 changed the video world, what’s actually happened? In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Guy Bauer breaks down where AI video stands today - from rapidly improving quality to why AI performances still feel strangely “non-human.” Guy shares his thoughts on: Why AI video is becoming its own category of animation Why great ideas are still the hardest part Why the novelty...

Most marketers think they have a creative problem. They don’t. They have a clarity problem. In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Guy talks about why clarity is the single most important - and most overlooked - ingredient in effective video ads. Borrowing from Dave Ramsey (“to be unclear is to be unkind”) and filmmaker Errol Morris (“subtlety is for amateurs”), Guy breaks down why confu...

In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Guy Bauer breaks down four major B2B video trends shaping 2026, and what they actually mean for marketers trying to stand out. From the rise of AI-written scripts (and why they’re making everything feel painfully average) to the explosion of Apple-style product launch videos, Guy unpacks how sameness is creeping back into B2B, and how you can use th...

Guy Bauer shares why he stepped away from client work to make his first feature film - and how breaking big projects into small tasks makes the impossible doable.

For our 100th episode, host Guy Bauer shares the real secret behind Umault’s best work - a lesson sparked by a surprising message from Ann Handley. Instead of starting with strategy or “what works,” great B2B creative begins with three things: joy, experimentation, and fearless truth-telling. In this episode, Guy breaks down why most brands get this backwards, how honesty creates connection, and w...

Takeaways Defining a clear, specific “enemy” sharpens your brand, your briefs, and your creative. Don’t fight the generic category problem; fight the quality or approach that sets you apart. Your chosen enemy naturally filters in the right customers and filters out the wrong ones. Try it now Write one sentence: “Our brand fights against ________ by ________.” Then sanity-check your site, sales dec...

In this episode, Guy Bauer, founder and creative director of Umault, shares the single biggest lesson he’s learned about marketing: never stop. Through analogies ranging from hand-pumped water wells to Top Gun, Guy explains why consistency matters more than perfection, why most marketing efforts will fail before they succeed, and why hitting pause is the most dangerous move a brand can make. If yo...

AI video ads are here, but are they ready for prime time? In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Umault founder and creative director Guy Bauer shares the five things you need to know before diving in. From the murky legal landscape, to the limits of what AI actually solves, to the backlash (and wasted credits) you should expect - Guy breaks down the realities of making AI-generated ads...

In this episode, Guy Bauer — founder and creative director of Umault — breaks down the three essential ingredients that make B2B video ads actually work. Guy kicks things off with an exciting personal update: he’s making his first feature film, documenting the journey on YouTube under the playlist Guy Makes a Movie. Then, he dives into the core topic: #1 - Characters with a Point of View Guy expla...

In this episode of Death to the Corporate Video, Guy Bauer, founder and creative director of Umault, breaks down the three biggest shifts shaping B2B video marketing in 2025: -The Liquid Death-ification of B2B – Everyone wants to be the next Jester Brand like Liquid Death or Duolingo, but should your brand be funny? Guy explores why brand honesty matters more than trend-chasing. -The Death of the...

AI-powered video tools have made glossy production values a commodity, so what’s left to set your brand apart? In this punchy episode, host Guy Bauer (founder & creative director of Umault) serves up a hard truth: entertaining your audience is now non-negotiable. Guy unpacks how next-gen platforms like Veo 3, Kling 2.1, and a flood of other text-to-video engines have leveled the playing field. Any...

Guy's Star Wars film made with AI: https://youtu.be/A_8Md9j2uXQ?si=CZqEBp-OqqDLF4Qu

Is there a formula for creativity? Should you be A/B testing your way to brilliance? Or should you… just trust your gut? In this episode, Guy Bauer, founder and creative director of Umault, takes us on a winding (and delightfully unfiltered) journey through the unpredictable world of creativity. From Reddit deep-dives on The Godfather to JFK conspiracy theories to rejected scripts that went viral,...

1. Introduction (00:00 – 00:00:22) Guy welcomes listeners back to the podcast, “Death to the Corporate Video.” A quick note on Chicago’s unpredictable spring weather, jumping from 70° to snow in a week. 2. The “like” challenge (00:00:23 – 00:00:50) Guy shares his personal goal to reduce the filler word “like” in his speech. Emphasizes taking a brief pause instead of using verbal crutches. 3. Why i...

Focus Your Attention on One Channel Pick the platform where you already have the highest engagement (LinkedIn, YouTube, X, etc.). Funnel all traffic—emails, social shares—through that single post for maximum algorithm impact. Mention or Message Influencers Research a list of relevant influencers ahead of your launch. Tag them or send them direct messages when you go live. Even if they don’t respon...

Key Takeaways Originality over “safe jokes.” Recycled humor feels stale and won’t get shared. Take risks to stand out. Uncertainty is a part of creativity—lean into it for bigger payoffs. Avoid forced funny faces and clichés. True comedic impact comes from authenticity and fresh perspectives. Embrace your doubt. Sometimes, your biggest second guess might be the thing that resonates most with an au...

Key Takeaways Incremental Creativity You can’t jump from a “zero-risk” corporate video to an ultra-creative ad overnight. Start with small creative experiments to help your stakeholders get comfortable with new ideas. Big Brand vs. Challenger Mindset Larger organizations often have more to lose, making them more risk-averse. Challenger brands with fewer constraints can take bigger leaps faster—but...

Show Notes: Opening & New Year's Resolution (0:00) Guy's resolution to be more socially proactive with friends Choosing achievable resolutions over typical ones Main Topic: The B2B Marketing Mistake (1:36) Why focusing solely on product differentiation falls short The reality of product similarity across competitors Examples of AI companies (ChatGPT, Sora, Google's Vo2) The Solution: Prioritizing...

Key Takeaways: Storytelling is King : A compelling narrative with conflict keeps viewers engaged. Authentic Performances : Great acting brings the story to life and makes it believable. Realistic Dialogue : Writing that mimics natural speech enhances relatability. Visual Excellence : Aesthetically pleasing visuals attract and retain audience attention. Quality Audio Matters : Good sound design is...

Show Notes: Introduction to Chris LeClerc and his company, Territory6 (0:00) The meaning behind the name "Territory6" and its connection to storytelling (1:30) Discussion on the simplicity and power of storytelling in marketing (3:45) The importance of visual storytelling and showing vs. telling (9:00) Trends in brand storytelling: from mini-documentaries to narrative films (11:30) The "barbell ap...

Here are the 5 tips for making an obligatory corporate video feel less cringeworthy: Get out of the office for interviews Shoot outside or in interesting locations, not just stale office settings Frame shots creatively, not typical corporate talking heads= Never use stock footage Plan ahead and storyboard to avoid relying on generic stock clips Get creative with illustrations, animations, or recre...

In this episode, Guy breaks down what he believes is the single most critical step in producing an effective B2B video ad campaign. He reveals it's not the initial concept, scriptwriting, storyboards, production, or editing - but rather successfully getting buy-in on the script draft itself. Guy likens this script review phase to the "max q" moment during a rocket launch - the point of maximum dyn...

Don't get bored or try to be too creative if your current formula is driving results. Key Points: Umault received a comment pointing out their frequent use of movie trailer parody videos, suggesting they had become formulaic Initially, Guy wondered if they were overusing that concept, but realized the flaw in that thinking The goal of marketing is to deliver your message effectively to the audienc...

Tired of chasing trends that quickly become irrelevant? This episode offers a contrarian blueprint for crafting marketing that resonates with fundamental human truths that never go out of style. See why enduring creative work like Monty Python connects by satirizing eternal experiences, while topical trend-focused content often dates itself rapidly. Learn more about Guy and Umault at umault.com