Earlier than turning into a marketer, I used to be a journalist who beloved the chance to inform tales about my group and share views that may in any other case go unnoticed.
![Download Now: 150+ Content Creation Templates [Free Kit]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/5478fa12-4cc3-4140-ba96-bc103eeb873e.png)
After I left the journalism enterprise, I believed my storytelling days had been over; nevertheless, visible storytelling is important within the advertising and marketing world.
Visible storytelling permits manufacturers to attach with audiences on an emotional and private degree by sharing tales accompanied by gorgeous imagery.
So, hold studying to discover ways to incorporate visible storytelling into your advertising and marketing marketing campaign. I‘ve included a few of my favourite examples to assist encourage you. Let’s go!
Desk of Contents
What’s visible storytelling?
Visible storytelling entails utilizing visible parts to reinforce or inform a narrative. These parts will be video, pictures, graphics—any media that generates visible curiosity. Certainly one of my favourite examples of visible storytelling comes from Airbnb.
The corporate, which makes a speciality of brief—and long-term homestays, posted a video on its YouTube channel telling the story of a displaced household that bought a contemporary begin by securing momentary housing by way of Airbnb.
The YouTube video interweaves interviews with the household with b-roll footage of their day by day lives, former residence, and the pure catastrophe that modified their lives ceaselessly.
The story tugs at my coronary heart, and the wealthy imagery and considerate edits improve it. All whereas advertising and marketing Airbnb as extra than simply a substitute for inns; it’s an choice for individuals who want momentary shelter.
Why is visible storytelling vital?
Visible storytelling can construct an genuine, emotional connection between your model and its viewers, resulting in loyal customers who’re invested in your story, merchandise, and companies. Let’s return to my Airbnb instance.
Customers may even see this heartwarming story of how Airbnb helped a household in want and will resolve to ebook their subsequent trip stick with Airbnb not simply due to its companies however as a result of they need to hold the enterprise thriving to allow them to assist different households.
Visible storytelling can even construct model recognition that may final for years to return. My favourite instance of lifelong model recognition is Daybreak Dish Cleaning soap’s “The Massive Image” docuseries—which I am going to discover extra in-depth later.
Parts of Visible Storytelling
So what parts do it’s essential to flawlessly execute visible storytelling in your marketing campaign? Properly, let’s begin with the plain —the visuals and story.
Visuals
Whether or not you are telling a narrative by way of graphics, pictures, or video, compelling imagery is crucial to bringing your story to life. A few of my favourite examples of beautiful visuals come from the Sydney Opera Home.
The world-famous opera home quickly closed its doorways through the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the primary time in years, the venue was empty of tourists and performers.
Throughout this time, the opera home underwent repairs and updates, and a neighborhood photographer, Daniel Boud, was invited inside.
Boud took beautiful photos of an unusually empty Sydney Opera House, a website most individuals could by no means see once more.
The pictures conveyed a way of nostalgia for the numerous performances which have taken place on the decades-old opera home.
In addition they instructed a narrative of unease and melancholy, reflecting the wave of uncertainty that swept the world of reside efficiency in the beginning of the pandemic as many venues closed their doorways (some for good).
Images of building employees updating the opera home additionally mirrored a glimmer of hope for the long run as they spruced up the venue for future performances regardless of not understanding after they’d ever occur.
Story
In fact, you need to consider the story you are attempting to inform earlier than you possibly can even get your visuals collectively.
The Sydney Opera Home needed Boud to inform the story of how one of the crucial full of life and loud locations on the planet stood silent and empty however nonetheless confirmed hope for the way forward for its livelihood and that of the efficiency artwork trade.
What story do you need to convey to your viewers? Maybe you need to share how your model got here to be or how your group has made a distinction in the area people.
Maybe your model has skilled some dangerous press, and also you need to present the way you‘ve turned issues round and massively improved your services or products, like Domino’s Pizza.
Years in the past, the corporate acquired backlash for the standard of its pizza and was the butt of many jokes.
Within the video beneath, Domino’s makes use of interviews, a b-roll, real client reactions, and a peek behind the kitchen to point out that the corporate is utilizing a brand new recipe and that buyers can now take pleasure in their newly improved scrumptious pizza.
Feelings
Your visible story should make your viewers really feel one thing that generates an emotional connection. As I mentioned earlier, the pictures of an empty Sydney Opera Home made viewers uneasy.
How might such a powerhouse turn into so desolate? How might issues change so immediately?
The pictures additionally conveyed isolation from artists, the performing arts group, and the world.
These emotions fostered an emotional reference to viewers as a result of they had been the identical emotions that folks felt worldwide because the pandemic compelled many to remain indoors and keep away from gatherings with family members.
Take into consideration a problem your viewers is experiencing and discover a solution to inform a narrative that illustrates their emotions and reveals that, above all, you perceive them.
Authenticity
No matter story you‘re attempting to inform wants to return from a real place. What’s an actual drawback that your viewers usually experiences? How will you visually present that your model provides an actual answer?
What’s the actual story of how your model got here to be? Can actual prospects supply testimonials of how your services or products helped them?
The Sydney Opera Home actually did shut down quickly through the pandemic, and the pictures taken throughout its time of silence had been actual and never staged. So, for lack of higher phrases, hold it actual relating to visible storytelling.
Objective
Lastly, what would you like your viewers to do after discovering your story? On the finish of its articles that includes Boud’s pictures, the Sydney Opera Home included a hyperlink calling for viewers to donate.
The pictures had been taken to point out viewers that the opera home’s doorways had been closed however would reopen with a complete new look; within the meantime, donate to maintain the efficiency arts iconic beacon alive!
Domino‘s Pizza needed its target market to know that it acquired their suggestions and made constructive adjustments to its recipe, so that they’re prepared for a second probability to impress.
What is the goal of your story?
Use Visible Storytelling for Advertising
The examples beneath will provide you with perception into how you need to use visible storytelling in your advertising and marketing technique, off the highest of my head, I do know you need to use the idea in advertising and marketing to:
- Share your mission and imaginative and prescient together with your viewers
- Mirror on constructive adjustments coming to your model
- Present different makes use of to your product and companies
- Present the place your model stands on vital points regarding your target market
To encourage you, I‘ve compiled an inventory of my favourite examples of visible storytelling, each previous and new. Let’s dive in!
Visible Storytelling Examples
1. Daybreak Dish Cleaning soap – “The Massive Image”
I instructed you I might revisit this instance! This marketing campaign is an oldie however a goodie as a result of it stays a core a part of Daybreak’s branding to this very day.
In 2013, the dish cleaning soap firm launched a nine-part documentary known as “The Massive Image,” which adopted rescuers and volunteers utilizing Daybreak to scrub and look after wildlife.
The primary episode famously confirmed rescuers utilizing Daybreak to scrub geese caught within the crossfire of oil spills.
Greater than a decade later, ducklings dubbed “the Daybreak Geese” are pictured on virtually all of Daybreak’s merchandise and are nonetheless featured in ads.
What I like: The docuseries options interviews with actual rescuers interspersed with a b-roll of oil birds being cleaned utilizing the cleaning soap.
I additionally love how the documentary cleverly confirmed how the cleaning soap is hard sufficient to chop by way of oil however light on the pores and skin.
2. Dove – The Code | Dove Self-Esteem Undertaking
In 2024, Dove launched a brief movie known as “The Code” as a part of the Dove Self-Esteem Undertaking. It reveals a younger lady of shade asking AI to generate photographs of what stunning, assured girls seem like.
The younger lady is then proven AI-generated photographs of white, blond-haired girls who match inside very slender, unrealistic magnificence requirements. She later varieties in the identical question however as an alternative provides “in line with Dove Actual Magnificence Advert.”
From there, she is proven extra various, lifelike photographs of assured and exquisite girls.
What I like: The movie drives residence Dove‘s level in only one minute, capturing the viewers’s consideration with out overstaying its welcome.
I additionally love that Dove included statistics about AI in the beginning and related it to the advert‘s goal: to point out that Dove is not going to use AI to create or discord girls’s photographs.
This movie was a artistic and heartwarming solution to set up belief and transparency between the corporate and its viewers.
3. Airbnb
I already lined why Airbnb‘s YouTube video about Ula and her household is a wonderful instance of visible storytelling, so I gained’t rehash the identical particulars.
As a substitute, I encourage you to consider methods your model or group has proven up to your group or these in want.
Then, attain out to the folks or households who’ve benefited out of your companies and spotlight their testimonials in a visible medium like movie or pictures.
4. Gemini
Coinciding with the 2024 Olympics, Google launched an Olympic-themed advert showcasing the numerous makes use of of AI, Gemini. The advert contains a father telling the story of how his daughter is impressed by Olympic sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
As the daddy narrates the advert, viewers are proven fast clips of Gemini producing a coaching routine for his baby.
The advert ends with the narrator asking Gemini to assist his daughter write a letter to Sydney saying she‘s an inspiration and he or she plans on breaking her file when she’s older.
What I like: Google discovered a solution to join a present, trending matter (the Olympics) to its product whereas showcasing Gemini’s many makes use of.
5. Amazon – “Saving Sawyer”
Amazon’s “Saving Sawyer” advert reveals a canine who enjoys spending time together with his household as they lock down through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, after the lockdown ends and the household returns to high school and work, the canine quickly turns into stressed, lonely, and damaging.
The advert reveals the household purchasing for a canine kennel on Amazon because the canine (and viewers) nervously appears on.
Luckily, it seems the kennel wasn’t for the canine however for a brand new pup that may be becoming a member of the household and protecting lonely canine firm.
What I like: Amazon does a wonderful job of connecting a relatable state of affairs to its service. Throughout the pandemic, practically one in 5 households nationwide adopted a brand new canine.
These pets turned used to their households being residence with all of them day, and plenty of Individuals struggled to undertake their animals to being residence alone as folks started returning to high school and work.
Amazon integrated this truth into its visible storytelling and confirmed audiences that Amazon carries many merchandise that may be useful for pits, together with an digital deal with distributor and a kennel for bringing a brand new pet residence to maintain your authentic fur child firm.
I additionally admire how the advert performed on emotion by making the viewers fear in regards to the canine‘s destiny (I’m assuming his identify is Sawyer?).
6. Purina Service Canine Salute
Purina’s transferring documentary follows three real-life veterans and their service canine.
All through the documentary, the veterans describe their time within the army and their wrestle to maneuver ahead into civilian life whereas managing their psychological well being.
The documentary reveals the distinction service canine make of their lives. Whereas telling the tales, viewers can see fast pictures of the canine consuming Purina pet food to have the vitality and vitamin to assist their house owners.
What I like: The documentary options actual interviews with actual veterans, and photographs of Purina baggage is integrated into the movie in a pure method.
And, because the daughter of two veterans, I used to be capable of emotionally connect with the video’s topics.
7. Gibson – “The Course of”
Gibson Inc. desires its customers to know the guitars they promote are expertly crafted and of the very best high quality.
To drive these factors residence, the guitar firm began a digital sequence known as “The Course of,” which takes viewers behind the scenes of crafting a Gibson guitar.
What I like: I benefit from the unique look into the artwork of crafting a guitar. It‘s a peek behind a curtain that even probably the most gifted gamers aren’t at all times granted.
Take into consideration the method of making your product and think about methods you possibly can take viewers behind the scenes.
8. Nike – What Are You Working On?
Every episode of Nike’s net sequence “What Are You Working On?” highlights an athlete as they share their distinctive journeys. The topics narrate the episodes, which present them enjoying their sport, coaching, and dealing to realize their targets.
What I like: Every athlete is seen lacing up their Nike sneakers and sporting Nike gear as they practice, exhibiting the viewers that Nike performs a job of their journey as nicely and is designed with athletes in thoughts.
9. Subaru – Subaru Loves Studying
A variety of the examples I‘ve proven you contain large, costly productions, extremely stylized footage, and virtually movie-level modifying.
However don’t fear; Subaru‘s short-form video for Subaru Loves Studying proves that you just don’t want all that for impactful visible storytelling.
The video options actual voice messages from educators thanking Subaru for adopting their lecture rooms and offering the requirements to their college students.
The uncooked voice messages are accompanied by pictures of the school rooms Subaru adopted and the provides they acquired.
What I like: Making a video like Subaru’s is easy and fast to make. You solely want audio, pictures, and primary modifying expertise (or an intuitive app to edit the video for you).
10. McDonald’s Anime Industrial
I‘m an enormous anime fan, so I actually loved this McDonald’s anime advert that aired in Japan a number of years in the past. The animated advert reveals a younger lady who will get a job at her native McDonald’s and is mentored by her supervisor.
As time goes on, the girl develops vital expertise that assist her mentor the subsequent era of staff and transfer on to higher-paying alternatives sooner or later.
The advert encourages folks to use to their native McDonald’s to achieve expertise for different careers.
What I like: I like that the advert makes use of beautiful animation to painting McDonald’s as greater than a quick meals restaurant, however as a spot younger folks can go to develop and develop key expertise.
Take into consideration what your model brings to its group that goes past services.
As you possibly can see, visible storytelling can be utilized in some ways to get folks invested in your model. Simply begin with a imaginative and prescient, story, and goal.
Editor’s be aware: This submit was initially printed in Could 2016 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
Source link
