Narratives in Video Advertising – Theory and Practice

Abstract

Storytelling occurring in video messages is a communication format that can bring tangible benefits. Such a message model can generate stronger commitment to action on the part of the message’s audience and involves a perceived need to combine disparate modes of communication through video. Storytelling campaigns viewed on YouTube, for example, effectively attract respondents’ attention, evoking strong emotions and reinforcing the archetype of a given brand. This, in turn, can be a factor of considerable importance that can support companies’ ad hoc video communication – simple, based on selected information, generally occurring in the form of a short video, played in a TV advertising block. The analysis undertaken in this article was performed with the use of the desk research method – a review of the available selected literature on the subject. The purpose of conducting the analysis is to verify the validity of using a communication model based on narratively expanded video stories in the social medium of YouTube. The essence of the analyses to be carried out will also be the verification of the research hypotheses. They concern four aspects in particular: 1. storytelling in video marketing messages engages the viewer more intensely than forms of marketing devoid of narrative; 2) the story created in a “storytelling” video campaign is linked to the brand’s leading message and identity; 3) narrativity is used symmetrically – brands positioned as popular and premium benefit from it; 4) YouTube video campaigns based on narrative principles use repetitive and effective patterns.