“Your Brand story is more than what you tell people. It’s what they believe about you based on all the signals your brand sends out. The story is a complete picture of the facts, feelings, and interpretations, which are shared about your business by you, your customers, your community and the public in general.” –Smallbiztrends.com
So, what’s the secret to enhancing your Brand’s storytelling?
*loudly whispers*
Video.
Videos are kind of like poetry, but with surround sound and moving images. They can pack a punch in a short amount of time, driving home a message, an idea, or even a feeling, in a matter of seconds. Not only are videos easy to digest, but they translate well across devices and can be re-purposed or shortened for social media — hello 7-second videos, or my personal favorite: GIFs!
Video, specifically video storytelling, brings ‘connection’, ‘conversation’ & ‘character’ to the table–but with a twist.
“Storytellers broaden our minds: engage, provoke, inspire, and ultimately, connect us.”
-Robert Redford
If you’ve ever watched a film, you’ve witnessed a story come to life. You felt invested in the stories of the people on screen, and you most likely had a conversation or two about your favorite scenes and how they made you feel.
When crafting your brand, be intentional with the signals your brand sends out. By doing so, your brand story will come to life and more accurately reflect your brand’s values and intended image.
Whether you have a scripted video, an interview, or a powerful short about self-love, videos are a great way to engage your audience, ignite their emotions, and spark a dialogue.
Take this eBay video for example. Not only does it express the emotional connection some users have to eBay, it also creates a sense of community by opening up the floor for people to share their “eBay Stories.”
You can craft a video to make your audience feel a certain way utilizing story, sound, editing, and pacing — which all plays into the video’s tone. It can be serious, uplifting, nostalgic or — in the case of this Barbie video — playful. Not only does this video effectively express the message “You can be anything,” which is in line with the Barbie brand values, it also sparks a dialogue between young girls, and even between Barbie fans across generations.
Check out this brilliantly written and produced video that pokes fun at the ad tech industry. It’s really, truly, exquisitely executed. Somebody should give the brilliant minds behind it an Emmy (or a box of chocolates)—stat! Anyway, even if you’re unfamiliar with ad tech (me), or the industry surrounding it (also me), it only takes one watch to get a sense that Centro isn’t a stuffy agency — they like to work hard and play hard.
Both the content and presentation of a video allow you to showcase who you are and what you’re about in a creative, seemingly indirect way. Whether you choose to create a web series, a ‘buttoned up’ company video with sleek graphics, or a short product video — it all says something about who you are as a brand.
That being said, when you feel ready to spice up your brand’s storytelling with some expertly crafted video, you know who to call!
*loudly whispers*