Audiences don't just love videos. They love branded videos, and 91% of people want to see more content from their favorite brands.
Video content is a powerful way for brands to communicate, connect, and convert. And with 64% of consumers buying something after watching a branded video on social media, video content pays off.
In this blog post, we're showing you how to take the most powerful communication medium and infuse it with your brand's essence, values, and message. In other words, how to create brand videos that make consumers see you, understand you, and choose you over competitors.
What is a branded video?
A branded video is a video that promotes a brand and its products or services. Branded videos are a dynamic way to showcase your brand's identity, values, and key messages in videos. And more than looking to promote, branded video content aims to connect with the audience on a deeper level.
Why is this connection important with all branded video types? Because it builds trust. An overwhelming 81% of consumers say they need to trust a brand before purchasing from them.
So, companies are always looking to brand their content. They can do video branding in a more obvious way, like when they tell a brand story, advertise a product, share customer testimonials, etc., or indirectly, by creating brand videos that subtly align with their image and branding guidelines.
The most popular types of branded videos
The most popular types of branded videos usually combine strong storytelling, novelty, and principles of social shareability. In other words, they're designed to go viral.
With the right idea and execution, branded videos can impact audiences and drive insane results for a company, just like Volvo Truck's "Live Test" video series did. Below is the jaw-dropping feat of Jean-Claude Van Damme performing his epic split between two moving trucks, which netted around 116 million views.
That's an excellent viral branded video designed to attract a broad audience, encourage sharing, and generate online buzz. There were six such videos released in the series, netting, in total, nearly 8 million shares and a staggering 20,000 media reports globally, equating to an estimated $172.6 million in publicity.
But as you can guess, creating viral content is one of the hardest tasks a marketer can undertake. Fortunately, you can explore a few other categories to achieve more consistent and reliable results.
Type 1: Explainer videos
An explainer video often uses animation or straightforward narration to convey a brand's product or service clearly. This type of branded video content is more marketing-oriented than plain explainer videos that walk you through a specific topic. It combines utility with advertising, helping the audience understand your offering and company culture.
Type 2: Company culture videos
A company culture video typically gives a behind-the-scenes look at the company, showcasing its values, people, and work environment. By producing company culture videos, you humanize your brand and create a personal connection with your audience.
Type 3: Product demo videos
Demos are more straightforward, focusing on unique selling points like key product features and benefits. Still, they can be incredibly effective branded videos because they demonstrate the value and functionality of a product in a real-world setting, thus testifying to the value you provide.
Type 4: Testimonial videos and case study videos
By featuring real customers sharing their experiences with a brand's product or service, testimonial videos and case study videos add a layer of trust and authenticity. Using these firsthand accounts in branded video content helps build credibility and can influence potential customers.
Type 5: Brand videos
Brand films are more nuanced. They tell a story, weaving the brand's values and vision into a narrative that resonates with viewers on an emotional level. A great example of a branded video is Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches." This brand film uses testimonials and subtly showcases the company's mission and culture. It's not just an advertisement but a powerful statement on self-perception and beauty.
Branded videos come in many forms, each serving a unique marketing purpose in connecting with audiences and conveying a brand's message.
These branded videos leave a lasting impression beyond traditional advertising, whether through compelling storytelling, informative demonstrations, or heartfelt testimonials. The following quick tips will help you make branded content even more powerful.
Tip 1: Subtly brand everything you can
Use custom graphics and animations, consistent color schemes, typography, and logo animations in your branded videos' intros, outros, lower thirds, and transitions. You'll create a seamless branded visual experience and make a memorable impression.
From all the visuals you could use in branded videos, company colors are the ace up your sleeve. 78% of people will recall a logo's primary color vs. only 43% who remember the company's name. So, using visuals that echo your brand's identity can significantly enhance brand recognition.
Speaking of visuals, don't forget the people in your branded video content. If you're hiring actors, have them wear a branded t-shirt in the video. Alternatively, use video-makers like Synthesia to personalize videos with your brand assets — check out how it works below.
Tip 2: Relate to your audience
Building relationships with your target audience creates an emotional connection, makes your message memorable, and reflects your brand's values. Most importantly, you gain loyalty — 75% of American consumers say they're more likely to stay loyal to brands that get them on a personal level.
That's why, when creating branded videos, you must present your brand's human face in a way your customers can relate to. Tailor your messaging, tone, and content to match your target audience's feelings, thoughts, and assumptions. Storytelling and real people's faces can help your branded video resonate with a viewership.
Tip 3: Remember it's all about trust
46% of consumers would pay more for brands they trust. Wave this trust into your videos by openly communicating what your brand stands for. Even more impactful, show your products in action and share what others say about you with testimonials of satisfied customers and social proof.
For instance, if your brand champions environmental issues, show the trees you've planted — it's tangible evidence of your commitment and resonates deeply with viewers who share those values. If innovation is at the heart of your brand, show behind-the-scenes product videos highlighting how you're pushing boundaries in your field.
The transparency of branded video content leads to trust, especially when it matches what your customers care about. And trust isn't just about convincing people to buy a product; it's about connecting with them on a level beyond transactions. It's about values, promises kept, and a shared vision for the future.
Tip 4: Craft the right story
When people fall in love with a brand story, 55% are more likely to buy the product in the future, 44% will share the story, and 15% might even buy the product immediately. The power of a well-told story is huge, and a brand film is an excellent medium for storytelling.
Every brand has stories to tell. When brainstorming story ideas for branded video content, use classic narratives, like the hero's journey, to make it more engaging and relatable.
Nike's "Margot vs Lily" series is a brand film example that masterfully illustrates a relatable story. The narrative is simple but compelling, involving two sisters who make a bet. Lily is a successful fitness influencer but doesn't have any friends. Margot has plenty of friends but is neither successful nor fit. The two take a bet that switches up their world, with Margot tasked to start a fitness channel and get to 1000 followers and Lily trying to make at least three friends.
By featuring these two contrasting characters in a brand film, Nike casts a net on a wider audience. It effectively broadens its appeal and brand awareness, speaking to the Lilys and Margots of the world. Plus, the narrative cleverly integrates the idea that Nike has something to offer regardless of where you are in your fitness journey.
Margot vs. Lily proves how a good story can turn your product into a part of your audience's life story. Once a product gets there, it transcends being just a product and becomes an experience, a part of their identity, a contributor to their lifestyle.
Tip 5: Showcase brand loyalty benefits
The average American is a member of 16.7 customer loyalty programs, which proves how much people appreciate brands that recognize loyalty.
When you create branded content highlighting the rewards of being loyal to your company, you do more than connect with your target audience. You build awareness, create a feeling of togetherness, and show others your brand is trusted. This approach builds a strong, ongoing bond that goes far beyond a one-time purchase.
To keep new customers returning, demonstrate brand loyalty's tangible benefits. Tell them about your loyalty programs and exclusive deals. With your branded video content, push a narrative that creates a sense of belonging and prestige, like Apple does, by sharing customer testimonials and your brand's unique customer relationship story.
Tip 6: Use influencer partnerships
Alignment is key to effective influencer partnerships. If you want to truly leverage your marketing efforts, don't look for the influencers with the biggest follower count but for those whose voices echo your values and genuinely connect with your viewership. Equally important is aiming for marketing content that perfectly balances authenticity and brand messaging.
Even though it's like a testimonial video coming from a celebrity, an influencer brand video shouldn't feel like a forced promotion. To avoid having it fall flat, make your video look like a natural extension of the influencer's usual content. This approach makes your message more impactful and genuine.
Take inspiration from successful campaigns, like L'Oreal Paris' "Lesson of Self Worth," featuring powerhouses like Viola Davis, Kate Winslet, and Jane Fonda. These strong, self-empowering messages align perfectly with the brand's identity.
Another great source of inspiration is this interactive, personalized video maker made in partnership with Lays. In the app, you can ask Messi — a famous Argentinian soccer player — to record a personalized video message for your friends or family. Just follow the prompts, and an AI double of Messi will deliver your message.
None of these examples is about increasing reach. All of them are about adding credibility and relatability in a way that's true to the brand's voice. Smart influencer marketing can turn viewers into customers and customers into brand advocates.
Tip 7: Develop a messaging strategy
Consistency in messaging, tone, and visuals across all your video content helps create a coherent and memorable brand identity.
To know what messaging and tone you must consistently use in your marketing strategy, interview and survey your customers. Gather data on how they talk about your brand on social media and what matters to them. Then, use that data to craft your messaging strategy around it.
Consistent branding and messaging can sweeten your revenue by 10-20%, but only 30% of brands have well-known and accessible brand guides in their marketing strategy. You gain countless opportunities to connect with your audience by creating a brand guide and a messaging strategy.
The goal of a messaging strategy is to keep your brand's core message consistent. This doesn't mean every brand video should look and sound the same, but they should all reflect your values and identity in various ways. Create a narrative your audience can follow and relate to that resonates with them on every viewing.
How to create your own branded content video
New technology makes creating branded video content in-house easier than you think. Basically, you can stop working with a video production company and, instead, use tools to generate brand films yourself without much effort. Whether they're company culture videos, product demonstration videos, or even training content, you can create them quickly and personalize each one with your brand assets.
Synthesia, for example, is powered by AI and designed to turn texts into professional videos with incredibly realistic AI avatars (digital twins of real actors).
The brand video example below combines product demonstration and social proof with educational content to engage viewers and build brand awareness.
While AI avatars make filming a brand video infinitely easier, you can also find over 60 templates that are simple to duplicate and customize. Videos aren't just limited to English either — because you're using text-to-speech technology, it's quick to translate finished videos into any language you need.
The video template below is a brand origin story paired with the company's core values. You can customize it to make something similar for your company:
But perhaps the most significant brand-related feature of Synthesia is the possibility of cloning someone from your company — even their voice — and using this digital double in all your videos.
For example, say you're conducting IT security training for your organization. You can create a custom avatar from the head of security at your company (a digital version of them), or you can use the avatar builder to customize one of the Synthesia built-in AI avatars into your "security expert." This digital expert, donning your brand's logo and dressed in your corporate colors, can guide employees through complex security protocols in an engaging and familiar way. This not only improves learning but also ensures compliance throughout your company.
Scale your branded video production with AI
Want to bring your brand's story to life or create more videos in-house and infuse them with your brand's personality?
Try our free AI video generator today and discover the ease of transforming text into a captivating, professionally designed brand video that you can fully customize to represent your company and brand values.
