Over the years, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks that people have used to maximize the fun and the impact of gifting a group video:
1. Use Your Own Email Address
When you sign up to Memento, use an email address that only you can access. Some spouses or families share an email address - now that’s love! When you’re planning a surprise group video, however, a shared email address can put you on a path to a spoiled surprise very quickly.
By default, we send you an email:
- when you set up your Group Video celebration
- each time your invited participants upload a new video clip
- when your group video is completed.
If you share your email address with the loved one that you’d like to surprise, there’s a very good chance they’ll see some of these messages. So, it’s best to have your account associated with an email address that only you use.
Don’t have a private email? Don’t worry! In your Memento profile, you can disable all notifications. While this offers another way to keep your group video a secret, it also means that you’ll have to sign in to your Dashboard to check whether you received any videos, or to check whether your Group Video is ready to send.
2. Tell your invitees that it’s a secret!
No one likes spoiling a surprise, even accidentally! When you send out your Record & Upload Invitation, asking participants to add a video clip, make sure that you let everyone know to keep it hush-hush. You can send the Link through any text-based communication channel you want - email, messenger, WhatsApp, text, or other social media apps.
Our default Group Video description says to keep it a secret, so even if you don’t write your own description, we’ve got you covered - but it’s always a good idea to include a line or two with the invitation to drive home the point!
3. Using the Face Collage/Show Faces Option
A collage of people in the video was designed with a surprise party in mind!
Imagine the thrill of walking into a room to see everyone you know and love wishing you happy birthday! It's the best part of a surprise party. The collage delivers the same impact, virtually. Selecting “Show Faces: YES” when creating your group video is a great way to give the recipient the excitement of seeing how many different people have sent in a greeting as soon as the group video starts!
On the other hand, choosing not to show faces in the collage can also lend itself to the surprise. If you choose “Show Face: NO” when creating your montage, the recipient won’t know who has participated until their group video plays. It can lead to a string of mini-surprises, rather than one overwhelming surprise. Choose the one that you think is best for your recipient!
4. Add a Message from their Favorite Celeb!
Arrange a Special Appearance. Unless you’re a superstar, you probably don’t count celebrities amongst your close friends and family - but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get them to appear in your Group Video! Celebrity Video services like Cameo and Memmo offer personalized videos from a wide range of celebrities - actors, sports celebrities, and more. For a fee, you can have them create a special video for your recipient and add it to your group video.
5. Keep the Big Reveal for the Ending!
Save the best for last. You’ve received a video clip from a long-lost best friend from high school, or the brother who has spent the past year out-of-touch while hiking through Nepal. Put their video clip at the end of the group video! Just when the initial thrill of receiving a personalized group video is setting in and the recipient is thinking they know what to expect - SURPRISE!
Likewise, we’ve seen people use the opportunity of a birthday group video to share exciting personal news, like telling the recipient they’re going to be an Aunt/Uncle, or Grandparent, or doing a gender reveal. For extra special surprises like that, adding them at the end can leave a lasting impact - and it won’t distract from videos that come after!
6. Plan the Best Way to Present Your Group Video
Go big or go home! You have this incredible tribute ready and it’s time to share your Group Video with the honored recipient, so how are you going to do that? Sure, you could send them a link so that they can watch the video on their phone, tablet, or computer. To make it more impactful, however, we recommend that you share it on a big screen, in a room full of friends, family, and colleagues - a room full of love and respect. Connect your computer to your TV or Projection Screen using an HDMI cable, or use a SmartTV or Casting Device to play the group video on a big screen. Watching the special heartfelt messages pour in, while surrounded by loved ones, is and incredible way to make memories and one of the best surprise gifts you can give.
