For decades, the moving picture has been a powerful method to convey a message or sense of time and place to audiences.

Every day we see dozens of videos either on a television, computer or cellphone. Some we watch in their entirety. If a video is well produced, filmed and organized it can instill strong feelings in a viewer.

Each year, millions of people wait in anticipation for Super Bowl commercials, due to the reputation they hold for quality work.

Sometimes a certain movie or scene can remind us of something personal, bringing up old memories and the emotions that come along with them.

Videos hold a lot of power, and potential. It’s easy to tell the difference between one that

employs creativity and passion, and one that does not.

The county recently updated its promotional videos, and while they didn’t cost the county a penny, they lack a personal touch.

It’s understandable for the county to want to save money where it can, and they should, but if you don’t know these videos were filmed this year, one could easily think they are the same ones made seven or eight years ago.

Savings are one thing, but if these videos are intended to gather interest in Pearl River County, they could have done a lot better.

While some areas of the county were clearly featured, there are many parts of the community that were left out.

Poplarville took a different route with its video and hired a local filmmaker to feature the city. That decision made a world of difference.

Each have an entirely different style, but in viewing Poplarville’s video, it was more successful in evoking the emotion of a viewer.

It felt like more of a story than an instructional video.

If the county wants to improve its marketing, it should take the extra step to ensure all of its materials are of the highest quality, and task local businesses to make them.