Everyone loves a good story, right?
But it turns out, storytelling has been a part of the human experience at least as long as we’ve been walking upright.
It’s common across every culture, race, religion, and era.
And the art of storytelling isn’t just profitable for Hollywood.
You might be surprised to learn that the same techniques that sell movie tickets and novels are a key ingredient in marketing and advertising, too!
So how do businesses make use of storytelling? Let’s find out!
Image Credits: Jason Solo (Source)
Storytelling takes many forms, from the written word, comics, spoken narration, and more.
Video storytelling is the art of using visual narratives to communicate a message, evoke emotions, and connect with your audience in a meaningful way.
Unlike straightforward promotional videos, storytelling puts the audience at the center of the experience, using characters, conflict, and resolution to build an emotional arc.
In marketing, video storytelling is less about pitching a product and more about creating a connection.
It’s about weaving together visuals, sound, and dialogue to tell a story that resonates—whether it’s solving a customer’s problem, sharing a brand journey, or showcasing a mission.
When paired with animated video production, the art of storytelling becomes even more powerful.
Animation allows for limitless creativity, breaking the boundaries of what live-action videos can achieve.
You can simplify complex ideas, create memorable characters, and take viewers on a journey that feels both relatable and engaging.
Image Credits: Bratislav Milenković (Source)
Storytelling isn’t just a creative choice; it’s a marketing superpower.
Here’s why incorporating storytelling into your video marketing strategy works wonders for businesses:
In short, storytelling turns marketing into an experience.
Animated video storytelling, in particular, adds a layer of creativity, making your brand unforgettable.
One of the rules of good storytelling is “show, don’t tell.” Good writers make sure to avoid exposition and tedious dialog that explains everything.
So a test of a visual storyteller’s skill is being able to tell a great story without using any dialog or narration at all. Like this beautiful animated video for GANT.
The entire story contains not one word, just beautiful images that paint an engrossing, compelling story with a lot of heart.
And that’s how you build a foundation of trust with your audience and drive conversions!
The holiday season is a fantastic time to pump up your messaging while staying festive and current. And we all know that Airbnb are masters of storytelling.
So here’s a charming story of Santa struggling to deliver gifts in a massive hotel, told through gorgeous animation.
The narration is the cherry on top, delivered through a cute and catchy poem, capturing the viewers’ interest and keeping them enthralled and entertained all the way to the end.
It feels more like a short Pixar movie than a mere ad, and that’s why it shines.
While it’s a no-brainer to take advantage of the holiday season with your messaging, this 3D animated video is proof that you can’t phone it in.
There’s a lot of competition and you have to put out your best to stand out during this time, just like at any other time of the year. But the results are always worth it!
This animated video, narrated by Vans skateboarding legend Jeff Grosso, talks about how Vans kick-started their company, how people began loving their shoes, and how all kinds of people could wear them.
The animation, fused with real life-images, is fantastic and intriguing.
The visuals in this brand story video beautifully knit together Vans’ milestones across 50 years of its existence.
Peppy background music, an enthusiastic voice-over and swiftly moving surreal animation make this video a visual treat!
With the relentless onslaught of automation and AI threatening the job security of professions in entire industries, students entering college have an added level of anxiety for their future.
When your audience has doubts and questions about your offering, it’s best to address them head-on rather than sugarcoat the truth.
That’s the approach that the University of Phoenix took with their gorgeous 3D character animated video.
It’s a touching story featuring a plucky, hardworking character struggling to find her place in the world, supporting her family while worrying about not getting replaced by machines at her job.
And as it turns out, her fears were justified.
It’s amidst this opening of doom and gloom that we see the University of Phoenix sweep in to save the day. The story, just half a minute in length, packs a punch and has a happy ending.
While that feels good to watch, it more importantly also plants a seed in the audience’s minds about what’s possible in their own lives through a sound educational strategy.
Another fantastic example of storytelling is this animated video by LYFT.
Visually dazzling and slick, the cartoon animation style cleverly incorporates the brand’s colors into the art and takes us on a ride, telling us the story behind the ride-sharing app.
But notice how it focuses on the people rather than the business: the passengers, the drivers, and the entrepreneurs behind the app.
It’s not about vehicles being widely available, or about sustainability, or convenience.
Which brings us back to a key factor in good storytelling videos: they humanize the brand, expressing the company’s identity and personality through a fun story.
So Honda has been hard at work making diesel engines better.
Now stop for a moment and ask yourself: how exactly would you talk about this in a way that’s interesting, or even entertaining?
Especially to the layperson who’s not particularly interested in that big noisy thing that makes trucks run and belches out smelly fumes?
The answer, of course, is that you use the power of animated storytelling.
A compelling hook to grab the viewer’s attention (“Can ‘hate’ be good?”), drawing you into a cleverly written script.
Pair that with really beautiful, imaginative visuals, and it all comes together, like the parts of a well-oiled machine. Or rather, a well-oiled machine that doesn’t pollute as much or make as much noise.
A little imagination goes a long way!
Not all heroes save the world, slay giants, or take on an army of baddies.
Many great stories involve everyday common-man types, people just like you or me, just living their day-to-day lives.
With good storytelling, the mundane can be turned into an epic adventure.
Like this enjoyable (and true) short story about a FedEx guy battling a garden snake on his way to make another delivery.
It’s charming, relatable, and with a dash of humor to surprise you at the end. And we love the gorgeous character animation too!
But more importantly, it’s a way for FedEx to make a point about their brand culture without bragging about the scale of their massive global operations.
It turns the image of a giant corporation on its head while still making the same point.
Best of all, it humanizes this huge global brand and makes it personable and relatable. Which means heartwarming and memorable, making a lasting impact on the audience.
The truth is, there are great stories all around us. It’s just a matter of bringing them to life and presenting them in a way that’s fresh and entertaining.
Like this video for Google Small Business. Rather than focus on the technical features of the platform, the video focuses on the story of a small business, their heroic struggles, and eventual triumph through many hardships.
It’s a true underdog story of immigrants working hard and carving out their legacy.
The art and animation are stunning, too, done in a superhero comic book style, full of cinematic action and dynamic shots worthy of a big-screen Marvel blockbuster.
It really brings the story to life on a whole new level in a way that only animation can really do.
It all comes together to make a powerful visual and emotional impact on the viewer, one that really lasts and builds that all-important sense of trust with Google.
We don’t often spare a thought for the many unsung heroes who keep modern society running on a day-to-day basis.
Like the brave and hardworking folk who get repairs done to restore power after a storm, fixing downed power lines, and clearing fallen trees off roads.
But how does it all work? In this video we made for Oncor, they explain how they prioritize repairs based on urgency and need, and quickly run through the logistics involved.
It gets a bit technical, but we crafted smooth, visually interesting animations and transitions to keep things interesting, dynamic, and immersive for the viewer.
The script goes into just enough detail to explain how it all works, without dumping so much information that it could overwhelm the audience.
The focus of the video, however, is the people who work daily to keep the power running for their customers. Because at the end of the day, all business is ultimately about people and the trust you need to build with them.
It doesn’t matter how big, global, and high-tech your business gets. Because ultimately, all businesses are all about people, and the connections you build with them.
This is fundamentally true regardless of your size or industry, whether you’re B2B or B2C– you name it.
And even if you’re a small community grocery store, facing big competition from a high-tech conglomerate opening up across the road.
In this charming animated video for MailChimp, that’s the scenario we’re presented with. The animation is adorably cute and draws you in.
But there’s no spoken dialog or voiceover, relying completely on the visuals to tell the story. It takes an extra level of skill to pull off, and they do it well.
Video storytelling isn’t just a trend—it’s a powerful way to connect, engage, and inspire your audience.
By blending narrative elements with visual creativity, storytelling allows businesses to communicate their message in a way that feels personal and impactful.
For brands looking to simplify complex ideas, stand out in a crowded market, or build trust with their audience, animation is the perfect partner to storytelling.
It breaks barriers, sparks the imagination, and leaves a lasting impression.
So, whether you’re crafting a product demo, a brand story, or an explainer video, focus on the story you want to tell.
With the right narrative and visuals, your videos can turn viewers into loyal customers and advocates for your brand.
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