If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much are the best video designs worth?
Well, according to Forrester Research, one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words. But all joking aside, we are experiencing an increase in video content consumption and production.
YouTube states that there are approximately 500 hours of new videos uploaded to their platform every minute! Among the ocean of digital content, some of the best video ads have been shown to capture and engage audiences effectively. But that’s not all -- engagement with the content also matters, and people are connecting with video much more than text.
Table of Contents
- Spec Ops Tool Gear - Vest Promo
- The Force - Volkswagen
- Jose Cuervo: Last Days
- Old Spice | The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
- Budweiser: Super Bowl XLVIII Puppy Love #BudEpicAds
- John Lewis Christmas Advert 2016 - #BusterTheBoxer
- Mr. Clean | 2017 Super Bowl Ad | Cleaner Of Your Dreams
- iPhone 7 - The Rock x Siri Dominate The Day - Apple
- Deadpool - Gentlemen, Touch Yourself Tonight | 2016
- Samsung SmartThings
- Wix.com Big Game | Chez Feliz Part 2
- Greenleaf - J.Lohr Wine Dinner by LiFi Media Production
- Unveiling oLabs by Lai Video
- McKenna Labs by 336 Productions
- Best Video Ads: What To Keep In Mind
- FAQs
1. Spec Ops Tool Gear - Vest Promo
After decades of experience and hands-on construction work, Mark Wambolt created a vest system for holding all of his tools to save time and take the weight off his back and hips. Grassroots popularity grew and he patented the idea, while simultaneously launching Spec Ops Tool Gear – a tool gear company that is committed to helping tradesmen and women across America.
With the great product offering, the accompanying video commercial by Votary Films followed closely to deliver the brand story and educate prospective customers on how the product looks and feels when used on the job.
The video follows the latest video design trends — with its masterful editing, sound design, and so-called "money shots", it resembles the action flicks found in Hollywood. The high-energy film helps not only introduce the key selling points in a quick, entertaining way but also draws the customer into the brand’s community. Simply put, it’s something that only professional video production companies can pull off.
2. The Force - Volkswagen
This video commercial has all the elements of successful video content that will engage people and help them identify with the family. Ominous but well-known Star Wars music that everyone will recognize? Check. Adorable kid? Check. An air of mystery? Double check. There is even a non-compliant dog (and animals in advertising foster positive emotions and associations with consumers).
The ad shows an ordinary American family living a normal life and a child who loves to play pretend as Darth Vader. He runs about the house trying to use his Jedi mind tricks, but to no avail. When his dad comes home from work in his Volkswagen Passat, he showcases a key feature of the vehicle while aiding his child's imagination.
Well-choreographed moves that are coordinated with perfect music cues add to the overall cute dark-lord dramatic effect. But the message is clear: We all need a win. And you will have it with Volkswagen. This commercial is so effective because its storytelling focuses on the reality of its demographic instead of touting the product itself too much.
It demonstrates how it can fit into a consumer's daily life. But the goal of this campaign is also to show people that Passat isn’t just a man’s car – it can be a family car, and that is the beauty of it. It shifts people’s perspectives and drives them to see the product differently.
3. Jose Cuervo: Last Days
We have seen an increase in apocalyptic TV shows, movies, and games. Shows like Fallout, The 100, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaid’s Tale (to name a few) all capitalize on personalizing a brave new world (see what we did there?) and that positioning piques consumers' curiosity and encourages them to learn more.
Clocking in at two minutes, the video begins with a windblown environment and people screaming that "it's coming," while a group of people sits stoically and silently in a bar, listening to the ominous news. One man puts on a soothing and uplifting Elvis song — "It's Now Or Never" — and begins dancing in the shaking bar, and others begin to join him. Each person in the bar starts dancing, enjoying their last day, along with music and glasses of Jose Cuervo, while the roof blows off the bar and asteroids hit objects outside the window.
The destruction eventually hits the bar, where the music transitions into a softer female rendition of the same song, shown later to be a customer playing the bar's piano and singing, picking up where the now broken jukebox left off.
The customers continue drinking, singing, and dancing together while the destruction continues. The ad eventually closes with a product view of Jose Cuervo on the shaking bar and an LED sign saying "Tomorrow is overrated."
The storytelling in Jose Cuervo's ad hits several marks. It demonstrates that Jose Cuervo can bring people together, even in the most unexpected circumstances. It proves that it can turn even the direst of days into something enjoyable.
It even plays off of the well-known hangover that tequila can bring, playfully acknowledging it with the symbolism of the apocalypse and saying, "Tomorrow is overrated."
The storytelling is amplified with fantastic visual effects, and the brand even launched the #TomorrowIsOverrated hashtag, which perfectly displays that live-in-the-moment attitude.
4. Old Spice | The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
We all know this commercial. And that right there is the reason why it’s on our list of most effective storytelling examples in video commercials. In fact, this commercial has amassed more than 55 million views so far.
Why does it work? It’s short – the shortest one on our list, with just 32 seconds. It’s very snappy, very humorous in its absurdity, and campy while very direct at the same time -- even the ending tells it like it is (“I’m on a horse.”). Old Spice doesn't give any technical product information, no real reasons why the product should be purchased -- it just focuses on the ideal.
The commercial appeals to girlfriends and wives by playfully describing the man they desire, which Old Spice could somewhat produce. It also appeals to men by positioning the humorous ad as the man they desire to become -- and perhaps smelling like him is the perfect start to achieving it.
After all, it sure would be nice to have those diamonds, tickets, or that cruise on an ocean liner. Those are all positive and powerful images packed in an action-filled and transitional sequence.
Overall, we can learn a lot from Old Spice’s marketing efforts. This campaign didn’t end with cleverly construed video footage. Instead, the company introduced an additional viral aspect and invited users to ask Mustafa (the man starring in the commercial) what they desired, and he would respond with another video.
Celebrities, major brands, and the general public all contributed, and the user-generated content (UGC) and brand-generated content amassed more than 5.9 million YouTube views on the first day of the campaign. Their Twitter following also increased by 2700 percent.
This video commercial showed that storytelling can be quick, creative, and even span social media initiatives to increase brand success on all channels.
5. Budweiser: Super Bowl XLVIII Puppy Love #BudEpicAds
As opposed to Old Spice’s short format, Budweiser takes the time to develop the plotline. In this emotional advertisement, an adorable puppy and a horse forge a deep bond and they both fight to keep it alive, overcoming all obstacles. It’s an emotional journey, set in a traditional atmosphere of a hardworking man, and toppled by a modern, emotional hit pop song.
Budweiser focused on a story so much that there wasn’t a product in the spotlight up until the last frame. They are very subtle with their product placement, but anything following such a strong, emotional story will be easily remembered by the viewers.
Perhaps there’s a romance in the making between the owner and lady, but we know who the best buds are here. However, the main point is the powerful message for the puppy adoption cause.
Production-wise, the video editing and sweet montage are perfect, quickly cycling viewers through a narrative while focusing on the adorable animal behavior that will captivate consumers and reinforce their brand, which is known for utilizing animals.
This 2014 commercial made us all fall in love with the Clydesdale horse and its puppy companion -- and Budweiser managed to do it all again in 2015 with the lost dog commercial.
Budweiser dominates the storytelling with the somber, mellow tune, and powerful images of Clydesdale's unhappiness, and the puppy’s predicament in the pouring rain. They further our emotional distress with a threatening wolf and concern for the puppy.
However, they reward viewers with a happy ending. This commercial takes viewers on a complete emotional rollercoaster, but the brand’s message is powerful – best buds always have your back.
The brand also paid respects tastefully to the country after 9/11 -- particularly by recognizing the hardships that the US experienced. The fact that they aired it only once attests to the fact that they didn’t want to benefit financially from it; however, it also cements the brand's status as the most American beer.
The overall feel the viewers get is the exact brand message they are trying to convey -- friendship and camaraderie are always present, even when times are exceptionally tough. This video strayed from marketing into pure humanity and viewers rewarded it by watching the video more than 21 million times.
What's more, it wasn’t even uploaded by the brand (thus the poor video quality) -- proving that they are here for their customers and not just their dollars.
One thing to note about Budweiser's storyline-heavy video commercials is that they have found a theme and general idea that works for their brand, and they stick to that same formula. Creating a loveable story and building on it further through various campaigns and commercials is a great strategy.
6. John Lewis Christmas Advert 2016 - #BusterTheBoxer
A similar approach to marketing was adopted by John Lewis for the Christmas Advert, and it was a hit because it was the most shared ad in 2016. It starts off with melancholic music typical of John Lewis, but changing the pace from their usual “sadvertising” approach also played a role in the campaign’s success.
Like Volkswagen, this advert is perfectly relatable. We see a father who would do anything to make his kid happy on a Christmas morning, even if it means putting together a trampoline in the middle of the night, wrestling with the cold, the instruction manual, and the hardships of the task. But that brief moment of pure satisfaction on his face makes it all worth it.
The animation department worked tirelessly to make the commercial come to life. The moments of fun they have, Baxter’s angst, and everything else are perfectly portrayed with special effects. And the fact that we see an unusual crowd on the trampoline subtly hints that John Lewis’ gifts can bring anyone together.
The little girl’s reaction and the dumbfounded parents’ faces all complement the beautiful twist that made us laugh with joy. Tiny video production choices add to the narrative. For example, notice how the break in music when Baxter is jumping disrupts the flow but adds to the overall emotion of the ad.
The lesson: do something atypical for your brand, play with twists, and if possible, incorporate stunning animation if you have the resources.
7. Mr. Clean | 2017 Super Bowl Ad | Cleaner Of Your Dreams
Unexpected. That is what you think of when you watch this sultry video commercial. The element of surprise is a great tactic to employ if you have an uninspiring product like cleaning supplies.
While cleanliness is still the brand’s bread and butter, the company took it a step further from creating just a good-looking cartoon hero to creating a hunkier iteration of the well-known "spokesman" himself, Mr. Clean.
The overall idea of this commercial is actually quite similar to Old Spice's message but personalizes it to their company by showing how a man who can clean is sexy to any woman.
The animation is well done, and the quality of the short and simple narrative is excellent. The video stays rooted in real life with the stereotypical contrast of a goofy husband being a great twist — he isn’t Mr. Clean, but he sure looks like him when he cleans!
This video ad is humorous, funny, short, and to the point, playing with sensual notes and tunes but it still showcases product effectiveness. Plus, extra points are awarded for promoting gender equality in regard to household chores.
8. iPhone 7 - The Rock x Siri Dominate The Day - Apple
iPhone partnered with Dwayne the Rock Johnson in a long video format to showcase just how helpful Siri can be... And nobody does it like Apple. Using one of the most universally beloved actors of 2018 is a wise choice that's supported by plenty of advertising and video statistics, too -- according to Influencer Marketing Hub, 6 out of 10 YouTube subscribers would follow advice on what to buy from a beloved movie personality.
This video commercial is packed with action, and even though it’s three-and-a-half minutes long, it keeps you engaged and on your toes while showcasing the features and benefits of Siri and the iPhone 7. Plus, if it’s good enough for the Rock and improves his quality of life, imagine how it can benefit you.
This is an excellent way to demonstrate Siri's capabilities. Overall, Apple excels at visual storytelling in every advertisement. Don't believe us? Watch them do it again with their experimental Apple HomePod video commercial here.
9. Deadpool - Gentlemen, Touch Yourself Tonight | 2016
Public service announcements are always important... but they are rarely this brilliant.
This marketing team used the crass yet enjoyable anti-hero to bring awareness to testicular cancer. The use of this "spokesman" is poignant -- the target audience of the Deadpool movie franchise is aged between 15 and 35, and this type of cancer is the most common form that ails young men.
The video commercial is filled with puns we all expect to hear from Wade Wilson. However, the clever script doesn't negate the seriousness of the information — a lot of viewers applauded this effort and recognized the fact that cancer is not a joke, not even to Deadpool.
All in all, it's a perfect campaign with a perfect Deadpool hashtag — #touchyourselftonight. What's even better is that Deadpool replicated this public service announcement for the ladies and breast cancer awareness with the same vigor and flair.
10. Samsung SmartThings
The Samsung Smart Home video is a great example of storytelling because it shows what everyday life could look like -- and boy, is it a vision. In the video commercial, the smart house has come to life to serve the family and ease the daily grind.
While the future of artificial intelligence is ever-changing and often questioned, Samsung alleviates any potential fear perfectly by focusing on all the good it could do, from learning the habits of its occupants to providing real-time data about traffic -- and even taking care of the family pet! The commercial shows one ordinary day for the Smart family and how they live with Samsung’s connected devices.
Throughout the video commercial, the age-old marketing goal of communicating how a product will solve a consumer's problem shines brilliantly here. Samsung doesn’t state an overt conclusion for viewers; instead, it takes them on a journey and allows them to understand that a fully integrated smart home could improve every aspect of their personal and professional lives. The company doesn’t yell in their faces "you need this!". Rather, they create an innate desire for customers.
A lack of narration also makes this video commercial perfect for social media, where sound might be turned off. Subtle features are simply described with one-liner sentences, without attracting too much attention away from the plotline and video flow. This general messaging is replicated in Nest's video doorbell ad, proving that visual storylines are effective in fostering a "want" in consumers.
11. Wix.com Big Game | Chez Feliz Part 2
In this video commercial, one of the best action movie stars meets Wonder Woman herself -- all for a drag-and-drop website builder. But somehow the story checks out. (Or, it’s so awesome that whatever they are selling we would buy.) We don’t even need the logic of why there is a fight in the first place, but with Jason Statham, we are used to experiencing complete mayhem.
The message is clear and outspoken -- business models may change, the world around you may change, but Wix is constantly easy to operate, and it adapts to your needs. The contrast of the over-the-top marketing and action-packed sequences with the easy flow of website building really works well together.
And snagging the most dynamic duo from the film industry and creating a mini-action movie experience is brilliant, creating a cinematic commercial that appeals to a wide variety of younger men and women who are likely plugged in and looking to build some sort of a website.
Wix found such success with this pairing that they created two of their best video ads, proving that a bold storyline, useful information, and strong spokespeople will boost engagement and captivate potential consumers.
This video commercial is creative and informative, and Jason Statham and Gal Gadot will keep you hooked. All things considered, it can’t go wrong.
12. Greenleaf - J.Lohr Wine Dinner by LiFi Media Production
Every excellent wine dinner starts with a lovely pairing of good wine and great food. In LiFi Media Production's commercial video promoting Greenleaf's partnership with J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines, viewers get a taste of this flavorful collaboration.
At its core, the video does a marvelous job of showcasing the restaurant's exclusive five-course Prix Fixe menu for the event. Close-up shots of all the featured dishes are captured in all their seductive, mouthwatering glory. The sound stimulates the palate, too – realistic sound effects envelop your ears as you watch the food get prepared in front of you.
Remember the wines, which are equally inviting as the food. Various bottles of J. Lohr wines featured in the wine dinner are lined up and showcased via several establishing shots.
Plus, the romantic lo-fi electronic background music wraps it all together!
Showcasing the Greenleaf culture in action also sets the mood for the event, giving visitors a preview of what's in store for Wine Week. Again, wine dinners are all about good wine and food pairing. But everything else follows – the conversations and interactions, all intertwined to create an exciting gastronomic experience.
13. Unveiling oLabs by Lai Video
Octo Consulting partnered with Lai Video to set the stage for its most significant development yet – oLabs, the company's cutting-edge R&D facility.
It's dubbed as the "premier destination for government technology innovation." Still not convinced? Well, let this two-minute featurette take you behind the scenes – literally.
Viewers can walk through the intricate project with the developers in this video. The video blends gorgeous cinematography with insightful soundbites and successfully builds on Octo Consulting's mission of "pushing boundaries in the pursuit of innovation."
Instead of using structured storylines and sales-y dialogues, the video's narrative takes a deep dive into the minds behind the construction and development of oLabs, sharing their in-depth plan and process in this venture. As they speak, b-rolls and landscape shots of the entire facility take the screen, zooming into its technical intricacies to show the viewers how effective oLabs can be in solving the most pressing problems facing government technology today.
14. McKenna Labs by 336 Productions
Manufacturers share a common goal: to win the consumers' trust. To do that, McKenna Labs linked up with 336 Productions to produce a commercial video that highlights their most important value: a flawless manufacturing process.
The 2-minute video transports the viewers right inside their factories and manufacturing sites to show precisely how they make their personal care products.
Time-lapse clips of the company's processes and close-up shots of their product development show Mckenna Labs' efficiency in handling its manufacturing procedures. A smooth-sailing cinematography showcasing their headquarters and warehouses also gives consumers a nice behind-the-scenes look into the company's operations.
Throughout this journey, the narrator guides the viewers and helps them understand each manufacturing element by breaking down all the specifics point-by-point. They even went as far as explaining the functions of each department involved in the manufacturing process!
These components combine to develop a strong sense of transparency between McKenna Labs and its stakeholders, ultimately establishing the company as a trustworthy and credible brand!
P.S. DesignRush has a complete guide to stunning interactive designs that captivate users.
Best Video Ads: What To Keep In Mind
Ultimately, if you're aiming to make a captivating video commercial ad, research your demographic and find out what your demographic might connect with. Then, craft a storyline around that information.
By showing your consumers and potential customers that you understand them -- their wants, their needs, their daily life, and even their problems that you might be able to solve -- you'll increase the likelihood that they will make a personal connection with your advertisement. And, as we now know, a stronger personal connection leads to a higher-value company.
Take the time to invest in great video production, a cohesive plot, spokespeople that resonate, and information that adds value. When this is achieved, you'll be sure to have a video commercial that incorporates seamless storytelling and grows your brand.
If you're creating a commercial of your own, find the perfect advertising agency or best video production company to create a successful ad.
FAQs
What are video ads used for?
Video ads are used to engage viewers and effectively communicate the value proposition of a product or service. The best video ads utilize visual and auditory elements to capture attention. This multimedia approach can convey complex messages more easily than text or static images.
Are video ads expensive?
Yes, video ads are expensive. There are various production steps in creating a video ad, including scripting, filming, and editing, all of which require a skilled team and high-quality equipment.
Additionally, costs can skyrocket due to talent fees, location permits, and post-production work, making the overall process quite pricey.
How long should a video ad be?
A video ad should be around 15 to 30 seconds long. This duration strikes a perfect balance since it's short enough to keep the viewer's attention and long enough to convey a message effectively.
For platforms like social media, shorter ads can work wonders, as they fit seamlessly into the fast-paced scrolling environment. On the other hand, longer formats might suit detailed storytelling or product demos.
