What is a vox pop and should your brand use them?
Vox pop is a popular tool in journalism, but it can also be used in branded content. Learn what a vox pop is, some of the best examples, and more.
Curious about using vox pops in professional or branded content? You’re not alone. Let’s cover the basics today.
We’ll discuss:
- What is a vox pop?
- What’s the point of a vox pop?
- What does ‘vox pop’ mean?
- What’s the difference between a vox pop and an interview?
- What are the rules for filming a vox pop?
- Should your brand use vox pops?
What is a vox pop?
A vox pop is a compilation of short interviews, usually conducted on the street or another public setting. This style is famously used in journalism, taking short opinions and soundbites from multiple members of the public.
Most vox pops will feature just a few short questions, rather than anything in-depth. Each interviewee is asked the same set of questions, likely about a popular topic, brand, or product.
Sometimes, a vox pop may take place in a closed setting, like an office. This would only really happen if the question revolves around something in that workplace. For example, it would make sense to ask postal workers about their thoughts on delivering mail in the rain, rather than something generic.
Vox pop participants aren’t scheduled guests — they’re literally people on the street. For that reason, you’ll rarely vox-pop a celebrity, unless you’re awake at the crack of dawn in Dublin.
What’s the point of a vox pop?
A vox pop isn’t a traditional survey, but journalists use them to get a lay of the land. If they ask a broad range of people from different backgrounds, they can create a varied, interesting piece of content that offers a range of views.
Vox pops are often used in the run-up to significant political events like debates, referendums, and elections. They can also test public opinion about, well, anything and everything else — the hot new streaming boxset, animal rights, Timothée Chalamet’s hair.
Brands also use vox pops to hype up their products or cast opinion polls, while influencers film them to create viral moments.
What does ‘vox pop’ mean?
The term ‘vox pop’ comes from the Latin proverb ‘Vox populi, vox dei,’ which roughly translates as: ‘The voice of the people is the voice of the gods.’ Put plainly, it means that regular people are the real people who matter — they sway opinion, they vote with their wallets, they stand up for what they believe in. All of these raw, emotional points can be conveyed through a vox pop interview.
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What’s the difference between a vox pop and an interview?
Most interviews are planned. More often than not, prep for a traditional media interview includes a raft of briefing notes, talking points, no-go topics, and more — they run like oiled machinery, and take hours of work behind closed doors before the cameras even start rolling. An interview is contextualized, informed, structured.
On the other hand, vox pops gather genuine, first-time reactions from members of the public, usually at the drop of a hat. There’s no hair or makeup, either — most vox pop interviewees look exactly how they did when they left the house. Vox pops are more quickly edited than regular interviews, too, jumping between subjects and striving for a snappy, bite-sized viewing experience.
Vox pops don’t have to be hyper-edited, though. Take The People Gallery. Maurice Kamara started the channel to create vox pop-style content, searching Brooklyn’s streets to find fashion gems. His style is effective: one take, pretty much sixty seconds to assess the outfit, wrap it up.
The People Gallery has become a runaway success, now dealing almost exclusively in celebrity fit checks — some are planned, while others are still chanced upon in the street. The video below went viral because, well, when Willem Dafoe speaks, people listen.
@thepeoplegallery Willem Dafoe does a quick fit check #willemdafoe #nycstreetstyle #prada #fyp #thepeoplegallery ♬ original sound - The People Gallery
What are the rules for filming a vox pop?
Vox pops are shot in the moment — they feel spontaneous, exciting. However, there are a few dos and don’ts with this kind of content. Here are a few points to remember.
Don’t ask someone you already know
Too many politicians have been burnt by ignoring this rule. No matter how tempting it is, never vox-pop someone familiar to you, your colleagues, or your brand. If people find out, you may look dishonest.
Keep the questions simple
One or two questions, maybe some follow-ups if you think there’s mileage. A vox pop isn’t supposed to play out like Frost/Nixon — you’re looking for short, sharp, direct questions to drive a response.
Keep your questions out of the final cut
You can include the initial question at the start of the vox pop — like The People Gallery — but it could also be presented as a title card. Once you’ve asked that question, though, it’s time to hang back. If you interrupt the interviewee or ask follow-up questions while they’re in the middle of an answer, it may prove difficult to edit.
Consider how you frame the shot
There are so many different camera shots — we get it. It’s hard to choose. Broadly speaking, though, aim for something like a medium close-up shot. It’s tight enough to capture the subject’s emotions and expressions, but still leaves enough background to add color to your shot.
Keep an eye on the lighting
Natural lighting should be fine if you’re shooting outdoors, but prepare for bad weather or dimly-lit areas.
Take several microphones
Something fiddly like a lavalier microphone might not be the best idea for a vox pop. On the other hand, a shotgun mic gets in and out with no trouble. You’re looking to capture audio straight from the horse’s mouth with minimal setup — ambient noise isn’t your priority. Take several microphones in case your primary mic breaks, and bring extra batteries or power options, too.
Obtain full consent
Even if you just ask someone which brand of peanut butter they prefer, they need to be willing to appear on camera and discuss it. Bothering someone for a vox pop they don’t want to give looks bad, and could come back to bite you.
Provide a release form
This ties into the previous point — cover your back with a release form for anyone appearing on camera. Professional news organizations may not provide release forms, as they assume that by appearing on camera, the interviewee’s consent is implied.
And sure, 99% of the time, you won’t need it. But that other 1%? It’s not worth it. The release form can be as basic or complicated as you’d like — either get your participants’ signatures on the spot, or ask for their email address so they can sign at a more convenient time.
Should your brand use vox pops?
Vox pops are ideal for viral clips and news items, but can brands leverage them? To put it shortly: yes. Brands can use vox pops for sheer entertainment value, to highlight a new product, or even to conduct customer research.
The below video from Card Factory is a perfect example of that final point. The UK retailer hired an external research company, Vox Pops International, to canvas Gen Z shoppers. The resulting clip gives an honest, unbiased view on what young people think about greeting cards — it’s authentic, shining a light on the positives as much as the negatives.
Now that you know what a vox pop is, how they’re filmed, and how they can benefit your brand, it’s time to put that knowledge into practice. And if you’re looking to streamline up your edit, don’t forget the music — after all, the soundtrack can make or break your content. Epidemic Sound’s got you covered.
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