Committee reviews new short promotional videos; requests voice, audio and transition revisions

Cesar from Unidose Marketing Network presented draft 30-second videos for museums, historic houses, dining and downtown streets during the Aug. 15 meeting. Committee members provided detailed creative feedback and requested revisions before final approval.

Why it matters: The videos will be used on the tourism website, shared with local businesses and in Comcast placements. Committee members said the clips must be both attention-getting and clearly representative of featured locations.

What was shown: Short promos included Weber House & Garden (Streator), a Victorian-era mansion tour, the Heritage Center, Clark's Run antiques and wine, Camp Takabachi, and several LaSalle County Historical Society properties. Cesar said the 30-second spots are intended as attention-driving clips to persuade viewers to look up more information at enjoylasallecounty.com.

Committee feedback: Members repeatedly requested changes to the voice-over and music — “it felt too robotic,” a member said — and asked for slower or smoother transitions in several spots that felt “jumpy.” For the downtown dining spot, members asked Unidose to replace a rooftop shot with a clearer outdoor-dining image from Starved Rock/Utica or other Mill Street footage and to prioritize visible crowd or festival shots where available.

Production and distribution: Unidose said the videos will live on the tourism website and will be provided to the businesses featured for use in their channels; longer one-minute and four-minute recap videos are planned as follow-ups. Committee members volunteered local voice talent options and asked staff to supply previously filmed outdoor footage to replace certain frames.

Ending: The vendor will revise voice-over, music levels and transitions and return with updated cuts. No formal vote was required; this agenda item was a creative review and direction to revise.