The Challenge
Raven Housing Trust needed to communicate annual rent increases to tenants clearly and efficiently.
Traditionally, these videos focused on explaining:
- Why rents were increasing
- Where the money was being spent
However, tenant feedback showed a clear issue:
The content wasn’t answering the questions people actually had.
Tenants needed:
- Clarity on their situation
- Simple next steps
- Reassurance on what action (if any) was required
Our Approach
We restructured the project from a general explainer into a targeted communication system.
Instead of one video, we created a series of audience-specific videos, each tailored to a different payment scenario:
- Tenants who pay rent directly
- Tenants on Universal Credit
- Tenants receiving Housing Benefit
Each video was designed to:
- Remove unnecessary context
- Focus on relevant information only
- Clearly explain what the viewer needs to do next
Social-First Delivery Strategy
We prioritised how the content would actually be consumed.
- Primary format: 4:5 (mobile-first)
- Optimised for:
- Social media distribution
- Mobile viewing
- Silent playback (captioned)
From this, we then:
- Created a stitched master version
- Delivered a 16:9 edit for website use
Multi-Asset Output
From a single production, Raven received:
- Multiple targeted videos
- Platform-specific edits
- Captioned social versions
- A master website video
This ensured the content could be used across:
- Tenant communications
- Website
- Ongoing annual updates
The Outcome
The new approach delivered:
- Improved engagement through social-first delivery
- Clearer tenant understanding of next steps
- Reduced confusion and repeated queries
Most importantly, the content aligned with user need, not internal messaging priorities.
Key Takeaway
This project demonstrates a core principle: Video should be built around the action the viewer needs to take — not the information the organisation wants to share.
By structuring content properly and delivering it in the right formats, a single production becomes a repeatable, high-value communication tool.
