An employee may genuinely use the business's product, but their relationship to the supplier is relevant to how the account is understood. If they appear in a customer-style film, make that role clear and keep the statement within their actual experience. Do not present the contribution as an unrelated customer's independent discovery.
Begin by deciding why this person is the right contributor. They may offer a useful example of ordinary use or explain a feature from personal experience. If the reason is simply that an employee is easier to direct into praise, choose a different approach to the film.
Distinguish the two roles
List what the person knows as an employee and what they experienced as a user. Those knowledge sources can overlap, but they should not be blurred when a statement depends on one rather than the other. A claim about company-wide performance is different from an account of using the product at home or in a personal project.
Use an attribution that makes the relationship understandable. Do not hide the employment connection in a way that leaves the main impression unchanged. The appropriate presentation should be reviewed by the business owner and any relevant specialist, rather than improvised by the editor.
Preserve voluntary participation
Make sure the person understands the proposed use and has a genuine choice about appearing. An employee's willingness to help with marketing should not be assumed from their job. Avoid placing pressure on them to express a stronger personal opinion than they hold.
Separate their performance of an employment task from a personal endorsement. A staff presenter can explain the product as part of their role without claiming to be a customer. That may be the clearer and more appropriate format if personal experience is not central to the story.
Keep the example specific
Ask what they used, in what circumstances and what they can describe directly. Include relevant limitations. Their familiarity with the product may make some preparation easier than it would be for a new customer, so do not erase that difference if it affects the account.
Avoid using internal access or special support to imply the ordinary customer receives the same arrangement. If the experience involved a different configuration or assistance, explain the relevant condition or select a more representative example.
Hypothetical example
A fictional employee uses the company's organising product for a personal community project. The marketing team wants to film that experience as a customer story. The employee had early access and direct help from the product team.
The buyer decides to identify the employee relationship and the relevant context. The film focuses on the specific use rather than presenting it as a typical unsupported first-time setup. Alternatively, the team could commission a staff-led demonstration and avoid the customer-testimonial framing altogether. The chosen format follows the evidence available.
Review the complete impression
Check the headline, introduction, quote and supporting visuals together. A small accurate label does not automatically resolve an overall treatment that suggests an unrelated customer. Keep the relationship clear wherever the extract may be reused.
Refer to ACCC review guidance. See Live Images services and share the contributor's two roles when planning the account.
Prepared with AI assistance for Live Images. Planning guidance is general; suitability and production scope must be agreed for your project.