The Brand Storytelling Masterclass

Storytelling has taken such a prominent role in business video marketing campaigns. This practice has enabled brands to share their passions. And it has allowed advertisers to create a culture that can be explored further online. When done effectively, this practice can greatly increase audience interest and engagement.

But what is video storytelling, really? It is most certainly not about inventing something to catch the audience’s attention. A brand story is not just a simple narrative. It reflects everything that the brand stands for. It tells the story of the brand’s very existence: why it was created and why it continues to exist for such reasons.

Continue reading this guide to understand why and how storytelling has become so important in marketing, and what your brand can do to adopt the changes to the market:

The Power of Video Storytelling!

What’s so great about video storytelling that companies, large and small, are starting to build their marketing campaigns around this practice? Here’s how brands can benefit from the medium:

It creates a lasting impression.

We live in an era where consumers prefer to experience everything, including brands. Since stories can involve audiences and their personal journey with the brand, these narratives should hold more depth and should leave a more lasting impression.

It connects you to audiences.

Humans are emotional creatures as well as social animals. If brands are able to incorporate those two truths into their marketing campaign, brands can establish a connection with consumers, and over time, build a loyal following. Take Apple, for example.

Their marketing strategy pretty much revolves around their passion for innovation and the desire to become part of something bigger. In Apple’s case, it’s to be part of a lifestyle movement. When one buys into this certain mindset, they identify with the brand and become part of that bigger tribe.

It sets you apart from the competition.

Many products in the market today, unfortunately, do not have stories to tell. It would seem as if these products are suddenly there, competing with the best in the market. But what sets Apple apart from the rest of the pack is that in every brand that it puts in the market, there is an accompanying story. Here, nothing is spared. Even failures become part of the tale of the brand. And that sets it apart from its competitors.

It provides authenticity.

Stories can be based on personal accounts from customers. If each product is accompanied by a narrative such as this, the brand, as well as their products, become more authentic in the eyes of their target audiences. The product ceases to become just another item on the shelves but has a life of its own, with stories of success and failures.

In this sense, it looks more real. Unlike other products with similar functionalities, your product has arrived precisely because it has undergone the ups and downs of product development. Because of that, the audience is inclined to believe that the holes have been somehow plugged.

It makes brands more personal.

Brands that create narratives that consumers can connect with or feel inspired by can gain loyal followers. By telling the story of their passion for their trade or their social responsibilities, brands enable audiences to identify with the values that they stand for and connect with them on a personal level.

It encourages audiences to take an interest.

A narrative that is woven around a certain product certainly creates more interest in that product compared to others that do not have such stories. For instance, a pharmaceutical firm that tells of its research in the Amazon forests to be able to discover a vaccine against a particular virus should stir up more interests than a simple drug one knows nothing about. Narratives spur curiosity and trivia. They create more conversation. They certainly help market the product.

Types of Marketing Videos

There are different types of video content that can be used to relay a brand’s story. Before choosing one from the list, be sure to consider who your target audience is and identify the goals you want to achieve in this marketing campaign. Here are six types that are commonly used by leading brands:

Demo Videos

This format can help brands explain how a product works. By highlighting how certain items can solve the target audiences’ problems, consumers are encouraged to make a purchase.

Brand Videos

These are best for building awareness and for attracting target audiences. This format is used to convey the story of the brand: how they came to be, what their goal is, and what they do.

Customer Testimonial Videos

Testimonial Videos, ideally, feature actual customers’ stories. By letting your best advocates narrate their own personal journey with the brand, it creates a more authentic experience. Your video becomes more than just a marketing prop.

Expert Videos

This type of content can help brands establish authority in their respective industries. When you can get experts or thought leaders to convey how great your products or services are and why they are great, audiences should be more trusting. These experts’ opinions might be able to turn potential consumers into actual paying clients.

How-To Videos

Educational videos help brands establish connections with their audiences. It should also get potential consumers to engage more. This video format is best used for supplementing audiences’ knowledge perhaps about the industry or the products that are made, which should ultimately help them have a better grasp of your brand.

Explainer Videos

A fictional journey of the brand’s core buyer persona is the content that explainer videos convey. It is usually about how a problem is overcome by using the brand’s product or service.

Live Videos

Given that most social media hubs have a live video feature, this format should help brands save so much of their resources. Brand ambassadors or employees can be the main storytellers in this video format. They can share their experience, for instance, about growing up with the brand. Since these are broadcasted live, potential consumers can ask questions and the storytellers can respond real-time.

Tapping The Most Effective Medium

There was a time when brand advertisers primarily thought of television when they wanted to reach their desired audiences. But this is now a multi-platform world where individuals are more likely to reach for their phones than their remotes.

The fact is: people no longer want to wait for their shows to come on. They want to consume content in their own terms. And because of that, they are spending less time watching television. According to Google, one out of three consumers no longer have cable or never had cable. By 2025, it’s estimated that half of the viewers who are under 32 will not have a pay TV service subscription.

Although people are watching less TV, their love for good video content remains. They simply have turned to a different medium. If you’re wondering where your audience went, well, YouTube has become that go-to platform for watching online videos. Compared to any cable TV network, YouTube is able to reach more consumers who are 18 to 49 years old. The time that people spend watching YouTube on smart TVs has also doubled over a year.

Additionally, HubSpot Research found that 54% of consumers watch video ads before deciding to support the brand. They also learned that videos are 43% more memorable in comparison to other types of content.

Hence, instead of wasting resources on dated traditional marketing practices, embrace digital media.

Tapping Into The Millennial Market

Traditional marketing isn’t as effective as it used to be. That’s probably because millennials, who make up 25% of the population, hate it. Research conducted by the McCarthy Group revealed that 84% of millennials hate traditional marketing. Not to mention, they don’t trust it. The digital natives, however, are willing to tolerate these ads if their favorite influencers are featured. A study conducted by Adweek revealed that 57% of millennials will watch sponsored content as long as authentic personalities are included in the narrative.

Millennials crave authenticity.

This generation doesn’t trust corporate brands especially when they appear more interested in making a sale than catering to their consumers. One way of reaching out to this market is by partnering with digital influencers, who they believe can give them their honest opinion about a brand, their product or their services.

Millennials love supporting an important cause.

Brands that are serious about their social responsibilities should have the support of the digital natives. They would not only be interested, but willing to pay for the brands’ goods.

Conclusion: Animated Explainer Videos: The Storytelling Masterclass

Video storytelling is not a fad. As you can see, millennials have reshaped the market and will continue to. If you want to tap into this growing market, it’s time you embraced video marketing and use it as a means to tell your brand’s story. Before you begin your video production, remember to let your brand’s vision and mission guide you. Pick a video format based on who you want to reach and what you want to achieve. Finally, create, innovate, and motivate.