All advertising tells a story in some way or another, even if that story involves a drumming gorilla or a spaceman (Cadburys and Levi’s, we’re looking at you). But it takes a special strategy for brands to tell their story in a way that audiences respond to on an emotional level.
Perspective Pictures may be a playful and creativity-driven studio, but we take storytelling seriously.
That’s why we’re sharing some of our secrets for how and why video storytelling is becoming indispensable for leveraging audience interest and customer loyalty in a digital world.
Understanding audience engagement, emotional resonance, and the power of visual storytelling is the key to unlocking successful branded content and bridging that difficult gap between traditional advertising methods and the stuff that’s really going to make a splash on social media platforms.
We’re also elaborating on the relevance of narrative-driven visual content and tips on how brands can apply these principles to their own video content strategies. Let’s get to it!
CREATIVE BRAND STORYTELLING WITH PERSPECTIVE PICTURES
Visual storytelling forms a big part of what we do at Perspective Pictures. Through a broad-reaching arsenal of content creation and content marketing services, our aim is to build connections with client audiences through dazzling, emotion-driven visual content that inspires customers to act.
We create branded content that conveys brand values and identity clearly and taps into a brand’s more emotive side to drive its message home and compel audiences into action.
That’s what gets consumers really excited—and more likely to follow your journey going forward. Visual storytelling goes beyond conventional advertising by introducing a clearer narrative to branded content.
The familiar structure of an emotional storyline helps brands connect with customers on a deeper level and engage audiences in a way that feels genuine and memorable – both of which are qualities that contemporary customers love to see online.
VISUAL STORYTELLING 101: 5 KEY STRATEGIES BEYOND TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING
It’s time to look at the storytelling techniques and narrative structures our team uses to create compelling video content that stands out in a crowded digital landscape and demonstrates the power of truly innovative visuals—perfect for building relationships with the contemporary consumer.
Content marketing has moved far beyond basic social media posts and banner ads. Nowadays, it can often feel like consumers demand Oscar-worthy content filled with all the finesse and gravitas of a full-length feature film. The Lego movie is a brilliant example.
But we promise you, they don’t.
Contemporary consumers want creative, striking, and well-packaged content that makes them feel something. While that can often seem like a big ask, there are ways to give consumers exactly that—and agencies like ours are here to help you do it easily.
Whether you’re working solo or about to embark on a successful branded content journey with the energised team at Perspective Pictures, here are some key strategies we use that everyone operating in the world of brand values and visual storytelling can benefit from.
1. Work with a small, diverse, and culturally savvy team
Having the right team to conceptualise a strong visual storyline is fundamental to achieving brand content strategy success. Smaller, tighter-knit teams are often more adept at designing emotive visual narratives, allowing for easier distillation of creative ideas.
Perspective Pictures is a diverse, dynamic group of inspired creatives with far-reaching experience in content creation and consumption, making us a good fit for brands who want to approach the nuanced world of digital advertising in an intuitive and effective way.
2. Bring abstract stories to life with animation
Interactive graphics are a defining aspect of current content marketing. Animation is one of the most visually impactful digital mediums, and its boundless nature allows for more ambitious and inventive visual stories to be told to a wider audience.
Where traditional ads can lack oomph and imagination, animation certainly delivers. With this medium, there is a much higher ceiling for character development, creative expression, and more specific branded content to grow in, which is part of why it is front and centre of Perspective Picture’s services.
3. Focus on empathic, emotive character design
When you watch a film or video advertisement, it is human nature to seek a character to identify with. Bearing this in mind, brands that can express their identity in emotionally relatable characters are far more likely to gain traction with new customers and establish lasting relationships with existing ones.
A creative branded content strategy requires both an understanding of the brand’s values and an ability to convey those values and sentiments via empathically crafted character design. Let emotion lead the way!
4. Use humour and contemporary content marketing strategies
Humour can be a tricky element to work within the contemporary digital marketing world. Memes, internet jokes, and social media content trends can be fickle, complex, and difficult to keep track of. While some, like ‘weird flex but OK’ and the ‘change my mind’ meme have stood the test of time, LOLcats and the old chestnut One Does Not Simply memes have vanished into the annals of time.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth experimenting with these strategies from time to time.
When done right, merging great visual storytelling with a sharp sense of humour is a winning combination; you just need to find the ideal approach. Working with a team of people who understand current internet trends can help mitigate the risk of Gen Z scorn while still presenting something meaningful and brand-aligned.
5. Nail the building blocks of visual storytelling
Mastering the art of visual storytelling doesn’t happen overnight. It is an ongoing creative mentality and skillset that takes many different shapes and forms over time.
Your brand values are likely to undergo changes as they and the world around them evolve, and as exciting as that is, it can also be daunting, especially when you are aiming for visual consistency and a well-defined brand identity.
But instead of allowing the prospect of change to overwhelm you, use it as motivation to double down on the basics of storytelling so that even your whackiest ideas are ready to launch once they’ve got the boss’s approval.
Forgotten the basics? Here are some reminders to keep you grounded:
- Vary your storytelling methods. While consistency of brand theme and identity may be important to your marketing campaigns, shaking up the way you convey these things is just as crucial. Use a rotation of visual formats like animation, infographics, images, and videos to keep your audience’s interest piqued.
- Know your target audience. Having a clear, regularly updated understanding of who your audience is and what they want from you as a brand is a timeless storytelling tip-off. Use data analytics, surveys, and deep research to learn more about your consumers and how you can best tailor your branded entertainment to appeal to their emotional expectations and needs.
- Keep things simple. An overcomplicated visual storyline can be off-putting to the average consumer. Most crave digestible, bite-sized storylines. Hors d’oeuvre storylines, if you like. Keeping things simple allows more room for personal interpretation and emotional connection.
Just like any product or service, branded content marketing takes time to perfect. But through narrative-driven branded content campaigns, you can give your target audience more opportunities to bond with your brand story and use its creative power to have a lasting impact on the greater digital scene.
By creating a connection between your brand’s products and your company’s values, you can directly promote your business without coming across as pushy, spammy, or, dare we say…boring.
LET PERSPECTIVE PICTURES TELL YOUR STORY (AKA our brand plug)
People have been sharing real-life stories and made-up yarns since the dawn of time; our mediums for telling them have just changed. We used to gather around fires and pass down ancient wisdom. Now, we promote great brands with cool videos using advanced technology. Isn’t life beautiful?
But change is the way of the world, and sometimes, that’s a good thing. By incorporating visual storytelling into your brand marketing strategy, you can leverage this powerful medium to elevate your online presence, build awareness, and connect with audiences on a deeper level.
If you’re ready for change, Perspective Pictures is here to tell your story. From Red Bull to Buzzfeed, lululemon, and Adobe, we’ve created digital-first, social-first content for brands on YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, and just about every other platform you can imagine.
Get in touch with our fully equipped creative video production company to start sharing your narrative with the world now.
