Have you ever wondered what it takes to make videos that are memorable and emotive? Does it require oodles of cash? A huge team of videography experts? Not necessarily – although these things certainly don’t hurt!

What’s important is a thorough understanding of your target audience, a willingness to do something different when it comes to video, and a good network of ambassadors. Today, we’re looking at three brands outperforming their competition to see exactly what they do with video.

Red Bull

In the days before video was a must on every marketers’ to do list, Red Bull were were already video heroes. Remember Felix Baumgartner’s breathtaking free fall from space?

At the time of writing, this video had almost 42 million views on YouTube. Enviable engagement for any organization, but Red Bull capitalized further on the event by making yet another amazing video. In addition to allowing viewers to watch the supersonic free fall live, they also showed a video of the skydive from Baumgartner’s chest-mounted camera:

Events take so much time, money and energy to organize, it makes perfect sense to maximize the exposure they give your brand. Capturing the main attraction is the obvious step to take, but think of this as a starting point.

Use the event as an occasion to interview employees, exhibitors, sponsors and speakers, and get humorous behind the scenes footage. You can even use them to build up your library of b-roll. Our post 25 Cool Places and Spaces to Shoot B-Roll will get your creative juices flowing.

Dove

Is there anyone who hasn’t seen the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty? I doubt it!

There’s a reason why this campaign has become not just globally popular, but synonymous with the brand. It’s about the message rather the the product. The team behind it focused on their mission – celebrating their customers’ real beauty – rather than trying to sell them products.

Of the 13 million viewers who watched the Dove video above, how many do you think felt empowered after viewing it? Most of them, I’d say. Dove have realized that connecting positively with customers through video is a great way to build brand affinity.

An effective video might be one that makes your viewers feel good about themselves – like the example from Dove. Or, it might encourage them to use their skills or good fortune to help others (a technique used by many non-profits). The important point to take away from Dove is that a real, meaningful conversation with your audience is worth far, far more than a pushy hard sell.

GoPro

GoPro are the kings of user generated content. It’s the most obvious – not to mention cost-effective – type of content for this brand. It gets their target market actively involved, and shows off the product’s functionality.

Have you tried reaching out to your audience and asking them to contribute videos? User generated videos provide a new, impartial, voice for your brand. They’re an opportunity to build trust with your target market.

But, the video that GoPro is best known for has nothing to do with high adrenaline sports:

With almost 35 million views on YouTube, this video’s success is about more than a cute kitten. It tells a compelling story, cleverly integrating the product. With this video, GoPro reached out to viewers who up to this point had been outside their typical demographic. It was a brave move, but that’s something every brand has to consider in order to grow.

If you find that you’re repeatedly making the same type of video, take some time out from the production process. Reconsider your brand’s goals (particularly with regard to connecting with new customers) and how your video marketing strategy can help reach them.

Conclusion

We have a challenge for you. It’s one we’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy! Spend some time watching videos from your favorite brands (told you it was a good one!). See what you can learn from them:

  • How have they built on this video campaign? (Competitions, calling for user generated content, follow-up content)
  • How have they tried to connect with viewers? (Storytelling, emotive content, featuring real people)
  • What have they done in this video that’s a bit different? (Pushing boundaries, thinking outside the box, unexpected perspective)

Who are your video marketing heroes? Share with us in the comments below.