What is a deepfake?
A deepfake is a video that has been digitally altered to make it appear that a particular person may be saying or doing anything. In recent years, deepfake technology has developed and become increasingly prevalent thanks to the proliferation of video content on social media platforms. The development of this technology poses a new threat both to video consumers and producers. The value of film, even when it’s manipulated, is that it generally reveals some sort of truth. Obviously film can be edited and clips left out, but for the most part, film’s value resides in the notion that seeing is believing. The American perception of videos as “truth” faces a new challenge because deep fakes have the potential to make people believe they can’t trust video.

What does this mean for video marketing? 
If people believe they are no longer able to trust video it will likely succumb to the same fate as photography. When consumers look at photographic ads they know what they are seeing is photoshopped. Some see through it, and others choose to ignore its effect. Video is scripted and acted, like a photo is posed, but there is still something more dimensional about it that might be lost if people no longer believe in the “truth” of film. However, this is not entirely bad news for video marketers, it simply means that the meaning of video as a marketing tool has shifted.

The future of video marketing
In the age of “fake” photo and video, consumers have placed a higher value on the “real.” Aerie’s #real campaign featuring untouched photos is an excellent example of how marketing can bounce back in the era of so-called fake media. Going forward, I believe that similar principles could be applied to videos. Giving consumers a greater view into raw, unedited footage may give producers and marketers more credibility. 

Sources:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-are-deepfakes-how-to-tell-if-video-is-fake/

BY: CHARLOTTE MILLER