Video producer Lou Harness talks about how narrative structures help tell brand stories and shares some examples of how this can be done.
A brand video is a powerful tool to create a connection with your audience, telling the story of who you are and what you stand for in a short two-to-four-minute format.
It’s designed to create an emotional engagement with your audience and help them see you as their trusted expert.
Unlike other marketing videos, brand videos highlight your values, personality, and mission making them powerful tools for authentic storytelling and brand building.
Brand video also offers these benefits:
- Build trust quickly. A well-crafted brand video fosters trust by showcasing your authenticity and values.
- Speeds decision-making. Potential customers quickly identify if your values align with theirs.
- Evergreen content. Use your brand video across the platforms for lasting impact.
Crafting your story
- Understand yourself and your audience
Deeply understand your audience’s needs, challenges and language. Identify your unique strengths and qualities and what your best clients love about working with you. Look for where your story intersects with what your audience needs to feel. This can help to develop a story that engages and creates an emotional connection – and demonstrate how you understand and care about your audience’s challenges. - Develop your story
Two powerful story angles to explore are the ‘journey story’ and the ‘passion story’.
Journey stories, passion stories
Journey story: This is a story about how you’ve faced and overcome challenges like your audience face. It uses classical narrative structure to take the audience on a journey: the old normal, a turning point, overcoming challenges and learnings and a return to a ‘new normal’. These kinds of stories are ancient within us all. They resonate because audiences relate to the courage and resilience it takes to overcome, iterate and grow. Share your own or customers’ journey stories and the challenges you’ve worked to overcome. Testimonials are another way to implicitly showcase brand values and build trust through authentic narratives.
Passion story: Your skills and experience may be different to your audience, but you see them and you’re passionate about helping them. Share personal anecdotes that shaped your values and mission. Have the courage to be vulnerable and give relatable examples to create emotional connection. For example: “Growing up my family struggled financially which fuelled my passion for empowering others with financial literacy.”
Brand video examples
This video is an example of a narrative that incorporates elements of journey and passion stories. Maru Nihoniho’s determination and passion has driven international success with her gaming company Metia Interactive.
In this video story start-up community GridAKL celebrate and showcase “Oritain”. The story is set up by explaining a global issue Oritain’s offering helps address and outlines their journey of growth and expansion. And through subtle testimonial, the audience gains an implicit understanding of the GridAKL values and offering.
How these narrative structures relate to brand videos
- Emotional connection: Passion and journey stories in brand videos help create a strong emotional connection with the audience. By showcasing real people (or characters) overcoming challenges, brands can evoke empathy and inspiration.
- Brand values: These stories align with and reinforce the brand’s values. For example, a wine producer explaining their efforts to convert to organic viticulture emphasising values of sustainability and a passion for the land. An educational institution highlighting the journey of a student who overcame personal hardship to succeed.
- Product or service showcase: A Journey story can subtly demonstrate how the brand’s product or service played a role in helping the protagonist overcome their challenge.
- Authenticity: Using real customer stories or employees’ experiences can lend authenticity to the brand’s message.
- Trust: By showing how the brand or its products have helped real people overcome obstacles, the company can build trust with potential customers.
- Relatability/memorability: Compelling stories are more likely to be remembered and shared by viewers, increasing the video’s impact and reach.
- Differentiation: A well-crafted story can help a brand stand out in a crowded market by creating a unique, emotional narrative around their offerings.
- Brand building. Brand stories have an implicit call to action, encouraging viewers to relate and engage with the brand to overcome their own challenges.
Where to share your brand story to maximise impact
To maximize the impact of your brand video, pin it on social media profiles, include it in your email signatures, feature it on your website’s homepage and “About us” page, add it to your email welcome sequences for new subscribers and use it in DM automations for new social media followers. Ensure people see your brand video as soon as they connect with you or your business. This early connection will underpin your entire suite of marketing efforts.
Brand videos are more than just marketing tools – they invite connection. In a world increasingly driven by algorithms and automation, genuine human narratives help us stand out and make a lasting impact. Brand videos are a powerful tool brand-building tool.
