Before I showcase seven brands that will inspire you to create more awesome content, let me explain why you should be creating more awesome content that will inspire your target audience.
There is a lot of research that shows an emotional response is important in driving further cognitive or behavioral responses.
Reactions to social videos – or video ads – are rarely purely rational.
If you want to read some original research on this topic from more than two years of work, five different data sets, around 1,000 videos, and nine individual studies by a large team of researchers from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, then I recommend reading Viral Marketing: The Science of Sharing by Dr. Karen Nelson-Field, which is published by Oxford University Press.
You need to create exceptionally awesome content these days to generate an intense emotional response.
Even above average content just won’t do.
Why?
According to Tubular Labs data, 24.9 million videos were published by 3.6 million accounts over the last 30 days on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.
But, only 547,000 of these 24.9 million videos (2.2%) were uploaded by brands.
That means that brands not only have to compete with their competitors’ videos, they also need to compete with about 45 times more content created by influencers and media and entertainment companies in their industry, who are generally much better at generating an intense emotional response from the same target audience.
So, what do most brands do?
They try to be funny – because they believe that “hilarity” is a “sure-fire” creative device. Well, they’re partly right.
Hilarity is one of the ways to generate an emotional response – if you are laughing-out-loud funny.
But, it’s really hard to create branded content or a video ad that is laughing-out-loud funny, especially if it needs to be approved by a committee of risk-averse humans ahead of time.
Ironically, there is an alternative way to generate an intense emotional response: Inspiration.
Dr. Nelson-Field says in her book:
“The most successful creative approach appears to be to feature personal triumph. When a video included a creative story of personal triumph, it was shared more than other creative devices.”
However, despite the research that shows “inspiration” represents the best way to ensure that a video goes viral, Dr. Fields observes:
“Content creators rarely use personal triumph as a creative device.”
But, when brands do use personal triumph, their inspiring stories of courage and bravery change hearts, minds, and actions.
This why I want to highlight seven brands that can inspire you to create more of this type of awesome content.
1. Google Search
Google Search: Reunion was published on November 13, 2013, and is 3:33 long. It currently has 15.1 million views and 117,000 engagements. Its description says:
“The India-Pakistan partition in 1947 separated many friends and families overnight. A granddaughter in India decides to surprise her grandfather on his birthday by reuniting him with his childhood friend (who is now in Pakistan) after over 6 decades of separation, with a little help from Google Search.”
2. Thai Life Insurance
“Unsung Hero” [ภาพยนตร์โฆษณา ปี พ.ศ.2557 ] [Official TVC 2014: Thai Life Insurance] was published on April 23, 2014, and is 3:06 long. It currently has 52.8 million views and 408,000 engagements.
Translated into English, its description says:
“Ever wondered? What do we need? Why do some people have so much money … Still not happy? This clip is not the answer, but it may be the beginning.”
3. Sainsbury’s
1914 | Sainsbury’s Ad | Christmas 2014 was published November 12, 2014, and is 3:41 long. It currently has 20.9 million views and 167,000 engagements.
Its description says:
“Inspired by real events from 100 years ago, this year’s Christmas ad from Sainsbury’s – Christmas is for sharing – was made in partnership with The Royal British Legion. It commemorates the extraordinary events of Christmas Day, 1914, when the guns fell silent and two armies met in no-man’s land, sharing gifts – and even playing football together. The chocolate bar featured in the ad is on sale now at Sainsbury’s. All profits (50p per bar) will go to The Royal British Legion and will benefit our armed forces and their families, past and present.”
4. Samsung India
Samsung India Service (SVC) – We’ll take care of you, wherever you are was published December 30, 2016, and is 4:01 long. It currently has 211 million views and 197,000 engagements.
Its description says:
“This video shows a story of how a young Samsung Engineer undaunted by rough terrain, attends to a customer complaint in a remote hilly area. His efforts help bring up smiles on the faces of a group of children, for whom their Samsung Television is the medium to celebrate their special moment.”
5. LG
LG Innovation Story – Brand Film 21 Years Celebrations was published on May 16, 2018, and is 4:40 long. It currently has 195 million views and 106,000 engagements.
Its description says:
“LG celebrates 21 years in India with a special treat for its customers with its latest brand TVC – LG Innovation Story, a delightful message that touches the heart of billions.”
6. Hyundai
Hyundai | Celebrating 20 Years of Brilliant Moments was published June 27, 2018, and is 4:46 long. It currently has 223 million views and 130,000 engagements.
Its description says:
“In the journey called life, there are a few moments that are treasured for a lifetime. Hyundai celebrates 20 Years of Brilliant Moments. Join this celebration by sending in your stories to http://www.brilliantmoments.in/ and get a chance to win exciting prizes.”
7. Southeastern Guide Dogs
Pip | A Short Animated Film was published on October 22, 2018, and is 4:06 long. It currently has 93.0 million views and 617,000 engagements.
Its description says:
“‘Pip’ animated short film presented by Southeastern Guide Dogs. A heartwarming tale for underdogs everywhere, Pip is the story of a small dog with a big dream—to become a Southeastern Guide Dog. Does she have what it takes?”
Takeaway
The fact that so many different brands have been successful using personal triumph indicates that inspiring your target audience isn’t as hard as getting them to laugh out loud.
And getting a committee of risk-averse humans to approve an inspiring story has got to be infinitely easier than getting them to okay a funny video that might offend some segment of your target audience.
So, why aren’t there more inspiring stories of personal triumph being created – especially in the United States, where the “rags to riches” stories that Horatio Alger Jr. wrote in the late 19th century helped the population believe the myth that anyone could work hard and become rich?
Well, maybe that myth has gone out of fashion in the early 21st century. But, I have another theory.
Note that the videos showcased above range in length from 3:06 to 4:46. Maybe too many of the best storytellers in the United States – especially ones who work at big ad agencies – focused their talents on making 15- great 30-second television commercials.
This gives you enough time to tell a funny story, but not enough time to tell an inspiring story that:
- Starts high.
- Includes subtle branding clues.
- Has unexpected shifts.
- Features multiple peaks.
- Tells viewers there’s more to the story for those that want it.
This emerging story arc maintains and builds interest over several minutes, which lends itself to social video, where you aren’t charged extra for longer-form content.
I hope the seven brands that I’ve just showcased will inspire you to create more awesome branded content that will inspire your target audience.
The alternative is to keep making videos that look like repurposed TV commercials. Hopefully, they are as funny as the content being created by late-night comedians.
I’m not saying this is impossible to do. I’m just saying that it’s harder to do well.
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