Top 10 Brand Videos to Watch in 2024

Dr. Martens – What Does Strong Mean Today?

In “What Does Strong Mean Today?” by Dr. Martens, 14 young people share their perspectives on what strength means today, each speaking for 60 seconds. Their responses serve as the voiceover for a genuine and authentic brand video. The video effectively presents Dr. Martens as both modern and timeless. Using a film camera lends a retro vibe, resonating with its roots dating back to the 1940s. This style, increasingly popular among young people, aligns well with Dr. Martens’ youthful consumer base. Moreover, the video showcases the brand’s inclusivity, featuring a diverse array of young individuals at the forefront of fashion trends. By sharing genuine personal stories about strength, the video humanises the brand and resonates strongly with its target audience. We love how they’ve weaved the brand into the fabric of the film via the use of the film aesthetic.

Colt Technologies 

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This brand video, which we produced for Colt Technologies, helps them stand out among competitors and establishes them as a forward-thinking digital infrastructure provider. There was a need for authenticity and a narrative that would resonate with their audience on a personal level. We moved away from conventional corporate portrayals, opting for a fresh approach that showcases their extensive capabilities in an entertaining manner.

Rather than use stock footage, as many B2B brands do, we opted for David Lynch inspired, slightly surreal visuals to figuratively put Colt under the microscope to learn that it’s a global brand. We used key visuals to create images that would act as an aide-memoire to prospects who are usually involved in long buying cycles. The old photos show their longevity. The globe with lights coming out shows their global footprint. The shadow icons on the wall show that they are reliable, secure and always on. These are key benefits of using Colt so we wanted to depict them in a creative way that would stick in the audience’s mind.

We ensured the video could effectively communicate Colt’s key messages without relying solely on voiceover dialogue. This approach was important in designing a versatile video that could be used across various platforms, from LinkedIn to conferences, reinforcing Colt’s positioning as a leader in the digital infrastructure sector. This brand video not only informs but also engages audiences, leaving a lasting impression of Colt as a dynamic and trustworthy partner in the digital age.

IBM – Future H&R Block

This innovative brand video from IBM is cinematic, futuristic, and honestly just cool. The use of a huge LED-screened cube to visually complement the voiceover is both distinctive and ideal for portraying IBM and the AI tool ‘Watson’ that the video showcases. It’s a stunning piece that elevates the perception of the AI tool, giving it a sense of sophistication while also showing off their cutting-edge technology.

Slack Presents: The Big Meeting

This video from Slack shows that brand videos needn’t always be overly serious to effectively showcase the value your brand offers. Presented in a musical style, it provides a fun and engaging way to highlight some of Slack’s key features to its consumer base. From its user-friendly huddle option to its AI meeting summaries, the video effectively communicates the everyday challenges faced by workers and demonstrates how Slack addresses them. It puts a unique spin on the typical B2B brand video, offering a fantastic theatrical presentation.

The Alan Turing Institute

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We’re going to slip in another one of our own videos here, which is a brand video that we produced for the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. This video highlights the impact they have had since their start in 2015. As the institute spans a variety of disciplines and projects, interviews were conducted with staff across the organisation.This resulted in a video with diverse voices and a range of people with diverse backgrounds were featured in the visuals. This multicultural nature is a key point for the Institute to communicate. They work with the best minds from across the world irrespective of background. This is a key selling point and something we wanted to weave into the fabric of the video. The video is fresh, relevant and modern, reflecting how data science and AI technologies are continually developing.

The Yakult Lady

This brand video from Yakult showcases exceptional storytelling, so much so that until the end, it’s easy to forget it’s a brand promotion. Yakult crafted this cinematic branded content by revisiting the company’s traditional roots in Japan, narrating the tradition of Yakult through the perspective of Yukie, a Yakult lady. Yukie’s daily routine involves visiting numerous customers, delivering Yakult with a smile, regardless of the weather, as she cycles through picturesque rural landscapes. One particularly special encounter is with Shirogashi, an old woman living in a remote mountain dwelling. A deep mutual respect and appreciation develop between the two women, forming an unspoken bond over time. [Spoiler alert – maybe watch the video before you keep reading] Yukie harbours a curiosity about Shirogashi’s secret to health and happiness, but before she can inquire, the elderly woman passes away, leaving Yukie with a mysterious unfinished artwork. This artefact leads Yukie to the city, where she hopes to uncover the answers she seeks.

The video beautifully illustrates the significance of human connection, evoking strong emotions and conveying a heartfelt message. It effectively humanises the Yakult brand, underscoring the enduring importance of old traditions and genuine care in a world increasingly dominated by digital interactions.

Translated

Next in our lineup is a remarkable video by Translated that promises to warm your heart. This visually stunning production provides a touching portrayal of people translating for one another every day, delving into the unspoken, hidden nuances of communication. Beyond its visual appeal, the underlying message of the commercial is profound. It underlines the immeasurable role that humans play in advancing the translation industry, emphasising the significance of human understanding in a world where technology often dominates. The film effortlessly taps into the emotional realm, weaving a story that is both captivating and humanising. It dares to stand out from the crowd, not only in its message but also in its approach to storytelling, making it the kind of film we at Bold Content like to see!

Vagabond Shoemakers – “We Are Shoemakers” 

Vagabond Shoemakers’ brand film focuses directly on their product. However, the main emphasis is on the craftsmanship of their shoes and the team behind them. As the video unfolds, you’ll notice the extensive handcrafted process and the people driving the brand’s success. This video delivers a simple, clean, and effective message, highlighting the human touch that goes into their shoemaking process.

ViewersLogic

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This is the last of our own videos that we’ll include here – promise! We wanted to feature it because it’s an example of an animated brand video. Animation can be used as a medium for brand videos but it’s often relegated to explainer videos which sit lower down the marketing funnel. However, this brand video shows that animation can be a powerful tool to introduce a brand to an audience and give them a reason to care.

This brand video was produced for Viewer’s Logic. They had recently redesigned their website, and we took the new design and incorporated it into an animation which sits at the heart of their sales cycle. The purpose of the video was to show the industry-changing approach of Single-Source Data, previously considered the ‘Holy Grail of data measurement’, and to do so in a beautiful, engaging way. This video is a great example of taking a complex process and turning it into a video which is easily digestible and understandable, without missing out on the core offering.

Teamwork.com – Meet The Client

This film, made by our friends over at Umault, is a brilliant parody trailer that introduces Teamwork as the solution to client problems that will be familiar to the target audience.  Umault have made several parody trailers before but they struck gold with this one for Teamwork. A brave marketing manager commissioned the U.S. based video agency to make ‘the client’ the villain in a mock-thriller trailer. 

This is the epitome of what we mean when we say a brand video should entertain. I recently watched this film with a room full of agency owners at the Comedy Store in London and the audience erupted into laughter at all the right places. The knowing smiles from agency folk who related to the ‘in-joke’ style of humour about clients requesting revisions after a project has been signed-off, demonstrated that Teamwork understand their audience and feel their pain. It’s a clever way to align pain points with Teamwork’s solution, without creating a boring explainer or a salesy ad. 

This Ad works so well because it speaks directly to the intended audience, and deeply empathises with them. So much so that the actual ad part of the video doesn’t come in until the very end. Since release this video has performed really well, and it’s no wonder why – the video has proper insight behind it, and is certainly entertaining. The ‘entertainment factor’ is something that many B2B brands miss out on when advertising. It’s important to remember that even as a B2B brand, the target audience is always human, and so empathising with them, and entertaining them goes a long way. This video is the perfect example of the fact that B2B marketing doesn’t have to be boring. 

The brand video has been hugely successful for Teamwork and they’ve already commissioned a follow up.

Brand videos have evolved into a crucial tool for companies to effectively communicate their identity, values, and offerings to their audience. The examples we’ve highlighted demonstrate a variety of creative approaches, from compelling storytelling and striking visuals to humorous parodies and emotional narratives. Whether through the authenticity of Dr. Martens’ “What Does Strong Mean Today?” or the cinematic sophistication of IBM’s “Future – H&R Block with IBM Watson,” each video showcases how brands can connect with their audience in a memorable and impactful way.

As we’ve seen, the most successful brand videos focus on entertaining and engaging the audience, maintaining a distinct brand voice, and integrating a clear call to action. They also prioritise high-quality visuals, audience relevance, and shareability to maximise their reach and impact. These elements combined ensure that the brand video not only captures attention but also fosters a deeper connection with the audience.

We hope these examples inspire you to create your own captivating brand videos that resonate with your target audience. By focusing on what makes a good brand video and learning from these cases, you can craft content that not only informs but also entertains and engages.

And if you need any help with your brand videos, give us a shout.