One of the most powerful, yet difficult, elements to master in is capturing emotion and feeling that feel real. In a world filled with a growing number of distractions, brands today are engaged in a constant battle to capture people’s attention. A great video is one that conveys a mood and pulls the viewer into the scene. If a video tells a story and tugs at the heartstrings, it is successful.
The creation of a great, sharable story transforms a mere trademark into a touchable brand that inspires, fascinates, and turns advertising into a hands-on experience. Relatability and high quality are the elements that
What Is Video Storytelling?
Video storytelling uses the naturally engaging video format to tell a story about a brand, company or product. It guides viewers through relatable narrative-based content that gets to the heart of their pain points, ignites an emotional connection, and presents a satisfying solution. People get pulled into what’s happening due to a combination of factors, ranging from camera angles to the soundtrack, the characters and the emotion of the story itself.
Emotions in the World of Storytelling
Video storytelling is much more than a sales pitch, as it focuses on a story rather than a product. It is immersive and powerful, and very effective in driving engagement. Emotional storytelling is about creating a feel-good story and slotting your brand into that experience.
In recent years, many mid-sized brands have recognized the importance of positive emotions as message conveyors in connection with their brand. Short stories and feelings about life, which previously only mega brands such as Coca-Cola, Vodafone or Visa conveyed in their commercials, are now making their way into other market segments with great success.
The presentation of advertising in an emotional context is demonstrably more appealing and sustainable through the use of videos. A number of sample videos bear this out. In recent years, supermarket giants have been competing with emotional videos (e.g. Lidl and Edeka), especially at Christmas time. Edeka’s „Heimkommen“ video campaign, released in December 2015, is best practice. Without a doubt, the video is emotional. It reached 50,000 clicks on YouTube and Facebook within a week. After several weeks, the clicks went into the millions. Some call the video a touching story, others a tightrope walk. Whether ingenious or borderline provocative, the film is on everyone’s lips thanks to „emotional storytelling“.
The 4 P’s of Storytelling
As a storyteller you have the opportunity to connect with your audience on a very deep level, to make people feel, think, and act.
Delicious.PX always makes sure to have a firm understanding of what we call the Four P’s: People, Place, Plot, and Purpose.
1. People: Who is in the story?
Characters are what make the viewer emotionally invested in a story. We aim to keep the audience to root for the protagonists and against the antagonists.
- The character can be an object and not just a person
- Sometimes the characters are not the obvious ones
2. Place: Where does the story take place?
Location can add depth and intrigue to the characters and the story, and can visually communicate a great amount of information in a short period of time. When choosing a location, Delicious.PX keeps the following in mind:
- Relevance: Does it relate to the character or overall story?
- Comfort: Will the characters feel at ease and act naturally?
- Production friendly: Is the space, lighting, and noise level conducive to a good shoot?
We always aim to think creatively with location as well, and to go beyond the first or most obvious location that might come in mind.
3. Plot: What is the conflict and the journey
We believe that every piece, even a commercial, needs a conflict to drive the narrative. That doesn’t mean every story needs a villain. Conflict and tension can come in many varieties. A conflict is important because it allows the audience to ask questions. Once the viewers have no unanswered questions, they’ll lose interest.
4. Purpose: Why should anyone care about this?
ur mantra here is “know what you need to say before you speak.” Throughout the production process it’s important to always be going back to this essential purpose, reminding ourselves why we’re telling this story and why others will care about it.
We approach our clients projects with the same passion that we have our personal projects. Even before the first shot, we try to state the purpose in one clear, succinct sentence.
How Delicious.PX use this powerful communication tool
In today’s noisy marketing landscape, the right concept can turn a simple story into a powerful marketing tool. To communicate the entire character of a brand in a few minutes we focus on:
- Creating a strong arc
This makes it easy for audiences to follow along with the story, become immersed with the twists and turns, and keep them watching through to the end.
- Making characters lovable and relatable
People should ideally see parts of themselves in the video’s stars. We avoid using polarizing characters because that may turn off certain audiences and prevent them from appreciating the message.
- Making it visually beautiful or appealing
We use camera angles, scenery, and eye-catching fonts to help that the video sticks in the mind of a viewer and makes them want to watch it again.
- Telling a unique story
By emphasizing the values and distinctive features of the product and brand, we ensure that each video has its own unique and exciting character. This way, the viewer is surprised every time and wants to discover more.