Technology is ever-evolving, changing how consumers engage with brands, and how brands market to them. Younger generations are entering the market with massive buying power and greater savviness, leading businesses to shift away from traditional, sales-focused advertising messaging toward digital-first, authentic, and transparent approaches that speak to these unique audiences.
Based on recent research, the second quarter of 2024 saw a boom in digital advertising strategies like short-form video and social media, with an 8.7% year-over-year increase. Traditional channels like television commercials, billboards, and radio ads may still be relevant; they saw a 4.1% decline.
Most businesses have begun using video in their digital marketing strategy, but if you’re not embracing the power of short-form video, you could be missing out on incredible opportunities. Consumers have proven that they want short-form video storytelling. Here’s how you can do it right.
Why Did Traditional Advertising Channels Decline?
Traditional media, including traditional advertising, has been taking a backseat to digital media in recent decades. Widespread internet access democratized information, giving smaller businesses and individual creators a more level playing field to get noticed in a sea of huge, established brands with limitless marketing budgets and teams.
As it turns out, consumers like that, too. With a more direct connection to their favorite brands, consumers can learn more about the humans behind the scenes and the brand’s values and ethics, helping inform their marketing decisions.
Brands can capitalize on this trend by adopting digital strategies that reach consumers where they spend the most time, online and on social media. In the past, consumers learned about new brands and products through commercials during their primetime shows, print ads in the newspaper, or billboards and radio ads on their morning commute. Now, they rely on ads on their social media feeds, podcasts, and streaming services.
Brands are investing more and more marketing spend in digital channels, gaining wider exposure and a positive return on investment. Media companies count on ad revenue, so without the audiences and ad dollars, they have less quality content and smaller audiences. Without viewership, brands are less likely to allocate budget to these smaller, niche audiences.
Another shift occurred when consumers became savvier and began looking online for information. Traditional media lacks the same level of personalized user experience based on viewing history and algorithms, leading consumers to prefer what they get on their favorite online channels.
Then there’s ad fatigue. Consumers are slammed with ads and content on every channel – from television and radio to music apps and social media platforms. They even come across ads during a Google search. To calm the noise, many younger consumers rely on ad blockers, pay more for ad-free subscriptions, or simply tune it out, turning their attention to more authentic brand communications.
If you haven’t already, your brand should shift away from baby boomer and Gen X audiences and target millennials and Gen Z, who want real connections and no longer trust the salesy tactics of traditional advertising, and that’s where your storytelling can shine.
The Strategy Behind Storytelling in Video Marketing
Traditional vs. digital advertising isn’t just about format and channel; it’s about putting authenticity before promotion. Storytelling is particularly effective for showing your authentic brand to your audience, and here’s why:
Building Emotional Connections
Stories have existed as long as human language, passed down from generation to generation. They can move and inspire, getting the audience to root for the character’s victory, connect with their own experiences, and recognize their own values and aspirations in the process.
Story-driven video content can connect with the audience in ways promotional approaches can’t. You can use emotional hooks to inspire and captivate, holding the attention of an audience that’s grown tired of traditional messaging.
Fueling Engagement
Stories are naturally engaging. The audience gets wrapped up in the narrative, the central conflict, and the challenges the character faces – and whether they can overcome them. This fuels the passion behind our favorite movies or series, but it can also help a brand.
For example, a brand video about how you were inspired to start your business, a customer success story highlighting the solution you provided, or a story about the good you’re doing in the community can engage the audience and keep them tuned in to what you have to say.
Showcasing Authenticity
Millennials and Gen Z value authenticity, which is why they prefer influencer marketing and genuine interactions over salesy tactics. The popularity of TikTok and it’s short, “raw” videos proved that.
These audiences are inherently distrustful of brands touting their products or services. Instead, they want to hear real people talk about how they solved a problem, or see it in action through a product demonstration that highlights real-world benefits.
Gaining Traction on Social Media
Videos are a popular content type on social media because they can capture the attention of a scrolling user. They rose to popularity during the pandemic, when many people were stuck at home and killing time on social media. By extension, video-first platforms also became more popular, starting with TikTok's sudden success and followed by similar short-form video features on Instagram and YouTube.
There are a few reasons video gets so much attention on social media. For starters, they’re easy to consume and engage several senses, unlike walls of text. They’re also shareable, leading users to share them with their friends, who also share them with their friends, and the exposure grows.
Taking a Personal Touch
Storytelling in short-form videos is not new. Stories appear in traditional media, such as short ads on digital billboards, television commercials, and short-form video ads. These ads can be easily created with tools like AI ad makers that produce video ads effortlessly. However, these traditional channels can’t pivot quickly when trends shift and lack the hypertargeting features to narrow the audience and tailor the message to the user.
Examples of Successful Brand Storytelling in Video Marketing
Want to see how powerful storytelling in short videos can be? Here are some great examples:
Teracube Eco-Friendly Phone
Source: The Sparkhouse
Teracube is a brand that sells eco-friendly phones that stand out against massive brands. This video for the brand’s product launch focuses on the core message, sustainability, and features a Kickstarter campaign with Patricia Practicus, an “extremely practical person,” who discusses the phone's sustainable advantages. The video is not only informative but also lighthearted, with some cheeky humor.
Nike “You Can’t Stop Us”
Not all stories rely on humor. Nike, a brand that’s always taken an inspirational approach to brand messaging, hit it out of the park with the “You Can’t Stop Us” ad campaign that launched in 2020. The video features triumphant moments from different sports, using a split screen that juxtaposes diverse athletes and the passion that unites them.
Source: YouTube
Shopify “First Sale Story”
Shopify zeros in on the driving force behind entrepreneurship with the “First Sale Story.” The e-commerce platform – which is among the most popular for its functionality and user-friendly features – highlights the experience of making that first sale as a new business, not the practicality of its features, and the ways Shopify can help entrepreneurs realize their dream.
Source: YouTube
Etsy “Unique Chess”
Etsy is the place to go for unique, handcrafted, or homemade products. With that in mind, the brand tapped into emotion with the “Unique Chess” campaign, which shows a mother and son bonding over a personalized gift she purchased for him from an Etsy seller, a one-of-a-kind dragon chess set. This campaign highlighted Etsy’s role in connecting creators with buyers, as well as the feeling of finding the perfect gift for a discerning loved one.
Source: YouTube
Ebay “Buy a Thing, Sell a Thing”
While many ads are touching, humor can powerfully connect with the audience and deliver a memorable message. eBay used this strategy with the “Buy a Thing, Sell a Thing” ad campaign, which showed each step of a product's journey from seller to buyer. The campaign has an upbeat jingle and some lighthearted humor with a child wearing a funny oversized shirt while holding a doll from a seller.
Source: YouTube
Apple Watch Series 7 “911”
Though happy or funny ads can captivate viewers, ads that leave a lasting impression and drive action often highlight fear or anxiety. Apple took this approach with the “911” ad, which played real 911 calls made by Apple Watch owners during a crisis.
These mini stories are all condensed into this short but impactful ad that establishes the stakes and heartfelt resolutions. Along with feel-good, happy endings, the ad cleverly showed a huge real-world benefit of the Apple Watch without being overly promotional.
Source: YouTube
Slack Customer Stories
Slack is a popular brand for businesses with remote, hybrid, or distributed teams that need streamlined communication. The brand used short-form video to highlight a customer story with Sendle, showing how the collaboration platform helped Sendle expand from a small team in one location to a complex team spanning four countries and time zones, all with the help of Slack features.
Source: YouTube
Get Your Brand Story Told
Traditional ads still have a place in modern marketing, but there’s no denying the power of short-form video and storytelling. This bite-sized, engaging format speaks to audiences in authentic, inspirational ways, captures attention, and gives them a reason to invest in the outcome, building trust and loyal customers for your brand.
About Author
Torrey Tayenaka
Torrey Tayenaka is the co-founder and CEO of Sparkhouse, an Orange County-based commercial video production company. He often contributes expertise to publications like Entrepreneur, Single Grain, and Forbes.
