One of the cardinal sins when it comes to branded video content (and advertising in general) is to think of your brand or product as the hero. Marketers often forget that their customers aren’t really interested in your brand’s story, they are interested in their own. This film shows brands how to define their role in film to maximise engagement.

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Evelyn Timson

TRANSCRIPTION

Who doesn’t want to be the hero? Swoop in, defeat the villain and save the day.

But as tempting as it sounds to put yourself at the centre, there is only one hero in your story – your customer. This is a mistake we see all the time – marketers forget that their customers don’t generally care about your story; they care about their own.

There’s a reason that underneath all the spandex, so many of our favourite heroes are just regular run of the mill Peter Parkers.

And that’s because viewers want to see something of themselves in the heroes they admire.

If your brand is wearing a cape and trying to take on the bad guys single-handed, you have a problem.

But if you’re not the hero, what’s yourrole?

Behold. You are the Guide.

You provide the the map, the way forward for your hero. You are there to help them achieve their goal.

So be clear on what problem you help your customer overcome and the path you can illuminate along the way.

Crucially you also need you to do one more thing, and that’s give a call them to action. We all fear change, and it's your job to remind them of what’s at stake,

And compel them to take action

So realizing you’re Gandalf and not Frodo is the first step. But if the hero is going to accept your help, they also need to trust you completely.

Has your brand demonstrated the credibility for this particular quest? Do you have the necessary levels of mastery? Whether that’s by demonstrating heritage and pedigree, or tangible results, or past successes, you need to be a trusted ally.

Take a step back and really think about why your hero would trust you – this is crucial if you want them to take action.

It may be sad to realise you’re not the protagonist in the story. But your role is vital. Because you do more than sell products. You guide people toward a clearer identity, a renewed sense of self and towards a new emotional state.

It’s not about helping them win. It’s about helping them transform. Starting from this position will deliver video content that is likely to connect with your audience and actually drive action.

Thanks for watching

REFERENCES

• Iron Man

• Wonderwoman 

• Spiderman 

• Star Wars 

• Spiderman

• Shazam!

• Harry Potter 

• The Avengers 

• Guardians Of The Galaxy 

• The Hobbit

• Batman 

• Lord Of The Rings 

• The Matrix 

ALSO IN THIS SERIES