Non-Profits Are Forging Ahead in Branded Video

In this regular column, Mallory Russell [below], executive editor for video advertising and analytics specialist Visible Measures, which has tracked over 17,000 campaigns and studied consumer behavior from three-trillion (yes, trillion) video views, takes a look at what makes non-profit campaigns so popular and what other brands can learn from them.

There’s always a new trend in branded video. In 2014, viewers have made it clear that they want two things from video – a social messages and a lot of emotion. So it’s no wonder that not-for-profit organisations are forging ahead in this sector right now.

The Message Matters

Let’s call it the upworthy-ing of branded video. As proved by the popularity of Upworthy, there’s a large population of consumers that really care about big social issues and they are clamoring for content that brings those important message to light.

Videos with a strong social message play well in the online universe because they drive debate and headlines. When viewers begin talking about a video, it drives viewership, sharing, and, ultimately, earned media.

Viewers want to feel

While there was a time when humour reigned supreme in advertising, that time has now passed. Viewers of branded video want to ‘feel’ a video, not laugh at it.

Look at some of the branded videos that have been huge hits this year. Budweiser Puppy Love and P&G Pick Them Back Up [below] were the biggest hits of the Super Bowl and Olympics, respectively; the former garnered more than 54 million views, and the latter more than 24 million views.

While any brand can create this type of video, the demand for emotional storytelling – be in heartwarming or heartbreaking – is especially opportune for non-profits, which are innately emotional and engaging.

Non-profits step-up in 2014

Most non-profits wait until the end of the year to release videos and capitalise on the holiday spirit. But already this year, we’ve seen an influx of successful branded videos from charities.

In the first three months of the year, the industry has seen five campaigns surpass 10 million views. That’s the same number of non-profit campaigns that surpassed 10 million views in the whole of 2013.

Here are some of the non-profit campaigns making waves in 2014:

In Save the Children’s Most Shocking Second a Day [below] a British girl watches as her life in the UK turns upside down in wartime carnage. It’s the most watched non-profit video of the year with 29.7 million views.

CoorDown’s Dear Future Mom [below] offers support to a mother wondering what her son’s life will be like with Down syndrome. It’s generated nearly 5 million views.

SOS Children’s Village International’s Would You Give Your Jacket to Johannes [below] shows how generous people can be to a child in need. It has garnered 16.8 million views.

Brands, Take Note

Non-profits have an advantage in producing content that highlight social issues and use emotional storytelling, but some brands can also do it. Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches, for example, became the most viral branded video of 2013 with its powerful message of acceptance.  

The thing to remember is that neither emotion nor a bigger social issue can be forced into a brand’s messaging. Authenticity is the key to driving success and capturing the attention of viewers in branded video.