Facebook-owned mobile app, Instagram last week delivered an exciting new feature to its users with the option to record videos which can last up to fifteen seconds. And true to Instagram, 13 video-specific filters have been designed to choose from, along with the option of choosing a still from the recording to be used as the video’s cover.
Upon hearing about this latest feature, I instantly thought: copycats. The development seems to be a reaction to Vine – the video app from Twitter at the beginning of the year.  Vine allows its 13 million (not a huge amount) users to record a looping clip which lasts six seconds. Unusual and entertaining it can be used to showcase anything, from advertising a new product to making a marriage proposal.
So, will the ability to post video on Instagram be a threat to Vine? While Instagram has scale (100 million monthly users) I highly doubt it. After having a play with the new option to video, I do have to admit that it is useful and fun, but unlike Vine, it doesn’t amaze or delight me. The ability to add effects to your video recording does create a better finish – but this is nothing new, with vintage video apps being a around for a while.
Vine’s stop-motion feature means a video you record becomes looped and therefore a lot more interesting.  Your recording almost becomes a piece of art and a product of your individuality, while the six-second restriction demands a creative approach. Instagram on the other hand seems rushed and unfocused – is it about making videos appear prettier, or about telling a story, or both?
Of course, there is nothing wrong with Instagram’s video feature, but I expected a much more innovative development.  As a regular user of Instagram to edit photos, I would have liked to see features to make videos faster, slower or more distorted. Maybe that’s work in progress, but for now, I’m sticking with Vine.
Here’s a little Vine of the Prohibition PR‘s office by Chris.