Creative Uses of Instagram Stories by Regal Cinema & HBO

When you think about Instagram Stories, you immediately think about things that are happening right now. It’s supposed to be done in the moment. Being a brand you don’t always have the luxury of posting things as they happen, you need to wait for the launch. This won’t give anything away. Or you want to create content to share on the service.

Two brands doing the second option are Regal Cinemas and HBO. Each went about it in different ways. The first company I saw using Instagram Stories in a new way was Regal Cinemas. They did a quiz. It may sound odd but it actually worked. It was focused around Tom Hanks, since his new movie in the Da Vinci Code series is being released this holiday. Here is what they did:

First you go through and answer each question. They timed it so each picture was posted the longest time possible. The questions are below:

After you added up your score, then they posted which Tom Hanks Character you were. See below:

This was a great way to use Instagram Stories. It took me aback when it first came on and I had to circle back through it. It was taking the static poll and making it fit the medium.

Next Compnay that that used Stories on Instagram is HBO. They used it to tell followers how to create Halloween Costumes of some of their most iconic characters. They included Game of Thrones, Sex in the City, True Blood and more. Here are all the Halloween Costume Suggestions:

You maybe asking how do you create images for Instagram Stories from you phone? Well, there is a slight trick. If you go to create a new story. Then swipe down when you’re in the “create a new story.” You will see all the pictures and videos you have created in the last 24 hours.

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You can create images and upload them directly to your stories. This is great for brands. All you need to do is edit them and then save to your camera roll and they are eligible for uploading. It’s a secret!

Pics created with app LongScreen

 

Tim is the founder of Element33. A social media agency specializing in education, management and strategy for small businesses. He comes from a traditional marketing agency but has embraced all things digital. He considers himself a marketing nerd and believes that all marketing is tied together. This means no matter what silo you are in, social, email, seach, etc, changes in one will affect the other!

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