How Niche Modern’s Videos Communicate Authenticity

“Made, not manufactured.” With a mantra like that, it’s no surprise that Niche Modern, a lighting company based in New York, is passionate about showing the process behind their products.

Niche uses video to convey authenticity and show the creativity that shapes each of their hand-blown glass lighting pendants. The company’s videos enrich their viewers’ understanding of the time and effort that goes into each pendant, and offer memorable impressions of their team.

We spoke with Niche’s founder, Jeremy Pyles, about how they are using video to build human connections at scale.

Tell your product’s story

Every piece of Niche lighting is made by hand in the US, and their videos showcase the craftsmanship involved with each piece. It would be easy to describe their manufacturing process in writing, but there is no better way than video to help viewers understand the work that goes into each product.

In this video, Niche walks the viewer through the entire journey of a product, from inception to shipment from their warehouse. With a physical process like glassblowing, there’s plenty for Niche to show. The video above not only highlights the beauty and difficulty of the process — it goes on to showcase a sophisticated installation of the pendant.

Educate your audience

There are various recurring themes that run throughout Niche’s videos. First, they educate individuals about the product itself and the fact that their purchase will be a one-off, handmade item, crafted by talented artisans.

Second, Jeremy Pyles, Niche’s founder, teaches his viewers about architecture and lighting. In the product video for their Cool Haus pendant, Jeremy shares the inspiration for the design — 1920s–1930s Art Deco style.

After watching Niche’s videos, you feel confident that in an economy full of mass-produced items, Niche gives you the power to buy something with real passion and thought behind it.

Set yourself apart from your competitors

Niche has invested in an in-house production team that produces polished, on-brand videos for their website, but it’s not the production value that sets Niche apart from its competitors. It’s the message they communicate with each video: “Made with Hands. Made with Love. Made in the USA.” This concept is what differentiates them from other lighting companies.

Niche’s mission extends beyond each pendant. It’s rooted in the way they treat their employees and in the foundation of how they have built their company. Even if you don’t have access to fancy video equipment or a creative team, ask yourself how you can use video at any level to show the things that set your company apart.

Build super fans!

It’s tough to build a community of super fans without showing who you really are. Niche firmly believes that individuals can sense when a conversation, speech, or presentation isn’t genuine, so they strive to present themselves as authentically as possible. How do they achieve this? Jeremy prefers not to script his dialogues too tightly before being on camera. This works particularly well for him, as he exudes passion and is a naturally good speaker who’s comfortable riffing off of a prompt.

While you and your team might not be complete naturals, there are a few tricks you can use to show your best self on screen. We recommend doing a table read for your scripted videos to make sure the lines feel genuine.

“The people that love Niche really fall in love with the brand and come back to us over and over,” Jeremy told us. Because of Niche’s human approach to online business, they’ve developed a loyal customer base that stands by their mission. If you’re passionate about what you do, share your enthusiasm and the right audience will come to you.