5 Tips for Creating Branded Content That Resonates
The way brands connect with their audiences has drastically evolved. Gone are the days when flashy commercials and traditional ads alone could guarantee attention. Today’s audience craves authenticity, emotional connection, and purpose -and that’s where branded content comes in.
Branded content, especially documentaries, offers a unique opportunity for companies to build meaningful relationships with their customers. It’s not about selling a product outright but creating stories that reflect shared values, spark curiosity, and make people feel like part of something bigger. Think Patagonia’s environmental films or Yeti’s deeply personal athlete stories. These aren’t just marketing efforts; they’re compelling narratives that stick with audiences long after the credits roll.
So how can you craft branded content that genuinely resonates? Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just starting to explore the potential of branded storytelling, this guide dives into the essentials. Below, you’ll find five actionable tips that will help your brand connect with its audience through powerful, purpose-driven videos.
Tip 1: Start with Purpose-Driven Storytelling
Branded content works best when it aligns with a brand’s core mission and values. At its heart, it’s about showing—not telling—your audience why your brand exists and what you stand for. This goes beyond selling a product; it’s about conveying the purpose that drives your company.
Why Purpose Matters
Imagine you’re an outdoor brand like Patagonia. Your audience isn’t just buying jackets—they’re investing in a mission to protect the planet. Patagonia’s documentary Artifishal explores the impact of fish hatcheries on the environment. It’s not a sales pitch; it’s a statement of their values. By choosing topics that align with their mission, Patagonia builds trust and loyalty with viewers who share those concerns.
The same principle applies to any brand. Purpose-driven storytelling helps your audience see beyond the transactional nature of buying and instead focus on the bigger picture. What impact are you making? What role do you play in your customers’ lives? These are the questions your content should answer.
Finding Your Purpose
To create content with purpose, start by reflecting on your brand’s “why.” Why does your company exist beyond making a profit? For example:
Are you helping people lead healthier lives?
Do you champion sustainability or inclusivity?
Are you empowering individuals to chase their passions?
Once you identify your “why,” use it as the foundation for your content. Don’t just talk about the features of your product; showcase how those features contribute to something bigger.
The Power of Real Stories
Purpose-driven storytelling works best when it centers on real people and their experiences. Let’s say your brand makes trail running shoes. Instead of a polished ad showing athletes sprinting up mountains, tell the story of someone using your product to overcome a personal challenge, like completing their first ultramarathon. This adds depth to your narrative and resonates with audiences who see themselves in those stories.
Tip 2: Know Your Audience Inside and Out
Your audience isn’t just a demographic—they’re individuals with unique interests, values, and needs. To create branded content that connects, you need to know exactly who you’re talking to and what matters to them.
Understand Their Motivations
The first step is understanding what drives your audience. If you’re targeting outdoor enthusiasts, their motivations might include a love of nature, a sense of adventure, and a commitment to sustainability. But those are just surface-level traits. Dig deeper: What keeps them up at night? What do they dream about? What challenges do they face?
For instance, a younger audience might be drawn to stories of self-discovery through travel, while older viewers might connect with stories about preserving the environment for future generations.
Segment Your Audience
Not all customers are the same, even within a niche like outdoor enthusiasts. Some might be hardcore adventurers scaling cliffs, while others are weekend hikers exploring local trails. The more you segment your audience, the better you can tailor your content. For example:
Hardcore adventurers might appreciate in-depth documentaries about extreme sports or global expeditions.
Casual outdoor enthusiasts may prefer short, inspiring clips featuring accessible adventures.
Tailor your content style, tone, and topics to these different audience segments for maximum impact.
Engage with Your Audience
A two-way conversation is key to understanding your audience. Use social media polls, comment sections, and email surveys to learn what they want to see. Don’t just guess—let them tell you. Engagement not only provides valuable insights but also builds a sense of community around your brand.
Where They Are Matters
Understanding your audience also means knowing where they consume content. Instagram might be great for reaching younger, visually-focused viewers, while YouTube is perfect for long-form storytelling. Platforms like LinkedIn could be ideal for professional audiences interested in behind-the-scenes stories or thought leadership.
By meeting your audience where they already spend their time, you can ensure your branded content doesn’t just reach them—it resonates with them.
Tip 3: Craft Authentic Stories That Resonate
Once you’ve defined your purpose and audience, it’s time to focus on storytelling. But not just any story will do—it needs to be authentic. Audiences today can spot inauthenticity a mile away, and the moment they do, trust is broken. For branded content to work, it must feel genuine, relatable, and emotionally engaging.
Why Authenticity Matters
In the digital age, people are inundated with ads and promotional content. What cuts through the noise is content that feels real. Authentic stories humanize your brand, showing viewers that there’s more to your company than products and profits. They make your brand relatable and memorable.
Consider Yeti’s branded documentaries. Their films don’t scream, “Buy our coolers!” Instead, they tell raw, heartfelt stories of ranchers, fishers, and outdoor enthusiasts. These narratives resonate because they’re real people with real lives and struggles, not actors in a polished ad. As a result, Yeti becomes synonymous with the rugged, adventurous lifestyle these stories embody.
How to Create Authentic Stories
Find the Human Element:
Great branded content is less about the brand and more about the people who use it. Who are the individuals your brand has impacted? What are their stories? Look for characters who align with your brand values and have compelling narratives to share.Show the Journey, Not Just the Destination:
Authentic stories often highlight struggles, setbacks, and triumphs. Instead of showing a perfect product experience, focus on the journey. For instance, if you’re a climbing gear brand, tell the story of an amateur climber working toward their first big summit. Show the training, the challenges, and the gear’s role in helping them succeed.Be Vulnerable:
Authenticity requires honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable. Don’t shy away from showing imperfections or challenges your brand faces, whether it’s efforts to become more sustainable or working through supply chain issues. Transparency builds trust and credibility with your audience.
Incorporating the Brand Naturally
While the story should always come first, your brand should have a natural place in the narrative. Avoid overt product placement or forced mentions. Instead, let your product or service seamlessly integrate into the story. For example:
A running shoe brand could feature a marathoner who shares their journey, with the shoes subtly shown in use rather than highlighted as the main focus.
A hydration company might tell the story of an athlete pushing limits in extreme conditions, with their bottle appearing organically as part of the adventure.
Let the Visuals Speak
Finally, storytelling isn’t just about words—it’s about visuals. The way you film and edit your branded content can elevate its authenticity. Use natural lighting, candid shots, and minimal post-production to give your content a raw, real feel. Audiences respond better to content that feels like a genuine window into someone’s life rather than a polished ad.
Tip 4: Partner with the Right Creators
Branded content is often a team effort. Collaborating with the right creators—filmmakers, influencers, or storytellers—can make all the difference in producing content that resonates. The key is finding partners who understand your brand and can bring their unique perspective to the table.
Why Partnerships Matter
Creators, especially those with established audiences, bring authenticity and expertise to your project. They often know how to tell stories in ways that connect deeply with viewers, and their personal credibility lends weight to your content. Partnering with creators also helps expand your reach, tapping into their follower base.
Take, for example, brands like Patagonia or REI. They frequently partner with adventure filmmakers or athletes to create their branded documentaries. These collaborations feel authentic because the creators already align with the brand’s mission and values.
Finding the Right Creators
Look for Shared Values:
The best partnerships happen when the creator’s values align with your brand’s. If your brand is about sustainability, partner with creators who are passionate about environmental issues. Their genuine enthusiasm will shine through in the content.Consider Their Audience:
The creator’s audience should overlap with your target demographic. For example, if your brand caters to outdoor adventurers, partnering with a climbing filmmaker or nature photographer ensures your content reaches the right viewers.Evaluate Their Style:
Every creator has a unique style. Watch their previous work to ensure their tone, aesthetic, and storytelling approach align with your brand. A documentary filmmaker might excel at emotional, narrative-driven content, while an influencer might be better for quick, engaging social media clips.Prioritize Authenticity Over Reach:
Bigger isn’t always better. A creator with a smaller but highly engaged audience can be more valuable than one with millions of followers but low interaction. Focus on quality over quantity.
Building a Collaborative Relationship
Once you’ve chosen a creator, approach the partnership as a collaboration. Share your goals, but give them creative freedom to interpret your vision. Trusting their expertise leads to content that feels organic rather than corporate.
Tip 5: Distribute Strategically to Maximize Impact
Creating an amazing piece of branded content is only half the battle—the other half is getting it in front of the right people. Effective distribution is what transforms a great story into a meaningful connection with your audience. Whether you’re using social media, streaming platforms, or partnerships, your distribution strategy should be as intentional as your storytelling.
Tailor Content for Each Platform
Different platforms attract different audiences and require different formats. For example:
Instagram and TikTok: Focus on short, visually compelling clips that grab attention quickly. Highlight snippets from your branded documentary or create behind-the-scenes reels.
YouTube: Ideal for long-form content, such as full-length branded documentaries or episodic series. Create engaging thumbnails and optimize your titles with keywords to improve discoverability.
LinkedIn: Perfect for professional audiences. Share behind-the-scenes content, insights from the production process, or thought leadership posts that tie back to your video.
Tailoring your content to each platform ensures that you’re meeting your audience where they already are and presenting your story in a way that resonates.
Create a Multi-Platform Campaign
Rather than relying on one platform, create a campaign that spans multiple channels. For example:
Launch a teaser trailer on Instagram to build anticipation.
Release the full-length content on YouTube or a dedicated landing page.
Share key moments or quotes on Twitter to spark conversation.
Publish a behind-the-scenes blog post on your website.
This integrated approach ensures consistent messaging across channels while providing multiple touchpoints for your audience to engage with your content.
Leverage Paid Promotions
Organic reach is valuable but often limited. To maximize your branded content’s visibility, consider using paid promotions. Run targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to ensure your content reaches the right audience. Use analytics tools to fine-tune your campaigns and focus on the formats and audiences that drive the most engagement.
Collaborate with Influencers and Partners
Extend the reach of your branded content by collaborating with influencers, ambassadors, or other brands that align with your values. For example, if your content highlights sustainability, partner with eco-conscious creators or organizations that share your commitment. These partnerships not only amplify your reach but also lend credibility to your story.
Measuring Success: It’s About Connection, Not Just Views
When it comes to branded content, success isn’t just about the number of views—it’s about the depth of connection your content creates. Metrics like engagement, sentiment, and audience retention provide a much clearer picture of how your content is resonating with viewers.
Track Engagement Metrics
Engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and saves offer insight into how your audience is interacting with your content. For example:
High shares indicate that viewers found the content valuable enough to recommend to others.
Thoughtful comments reveal a deeper connection to the story.
Paying attention to these metrics can help you identify what resonates most with your audience and refine your future content.
Monitor Viewer Retention
Retention rates—how long viewers watch your video—can reveal how engaging your content truly is. If viewers drop off early, it might signal that your hook isn’t strong enough or your pacing needs improvement. High retention rates, on the other hand, indicate that your storytelling is keeping audiences engaged from start to finish.
Analyze Audience Sentiment
Beyond numbers, audience sentiment gives you a qualitative understanding of how your content is being received. Are viewers leaving positive comments? Are they sharing personal stories that connect with your brand’s mission? Sentiment analysis tools can help gauge the emotional impact of your branded content.
Tie Metrics to Your Goals
Your definition of success should align with your campaign goals. If your goal is to raise awareness, focus on reach and impressions. If you’re aiming to build community, prioritize engagement metrics like comments and shares. For campaigns designed to drive sales, track conversions and traffic to your website or product pages.
The Bigger Picture: Building Long-Term Brand Loyalty
Branded content isn’t just about one-off campaigns—it’s about building lasting relationships with your audience. The brands that do this best—like Patagonia, Yeti, and REI—don’t just tell great stories; they consistently align their messaging with their audience’s values and interests. This creates trust, loyalty, and a sense of community.
By investing in branded content that reflects your mission and speaks directly to your audience, you position your brand as more than just a company—you become a partner in their journey. Whether it’s through a deeply emotional documentary, a visually stunning short film, or a series of behind-the-scenes videos, branded content has the power to inspire, educate, and connect.
Final Thoughts
Branded content is more than a marketing tactic—it’s a way to build authentic connections with your audience. By focusing on purpose-driven storytelling, understanding your audience, crafting authentic narratives, collaborating with the right creators, and distributing strategically, your brand can create content that resonates on a deep level.
If you’re looking for a filmmaker who’s passionate about crafting meaningful stories, I’d love to collaborate. Whether it’s scaling mountains, diving into the ocean, or capturing the quiet moments that define your brand, let’s work together to create content that inspires.
Why We Should Work Together…
When I’m not on this website rambling on about filmmaking, I’m actually out there making films. From crafting memorable branded documentaries to capturing stories and products that move people, I’ve got you covered. Need a filmmaker who can scale mountains, brave the surf, or just tell a dang good story? Let’s chat!
In case I haven’t convinced you, here are three reasons why it might be fun to work together…
I believe in stories that stick with you - like campfire smoke on your clothes. The kind that makes you laugh, cry, or immediately want to call your mom.
I’m just as comfortable at 14,000ft as I am in front of a timeline. You get me in the mountains, in the ocean and in the editing room, making sure the magic out there really shines in the final cut.
I’ve filmed in some pretty wild places, but the best stories are the ones that bring people together. It’s those shared moments -big or small - that remind me why I love what I do.
Let’s Connect
Roo is an Emmy-nominated commercial/documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Boulder, Colorado but travels all around the world for his filmmaking career. He has directed documentaries for Patagonia in California, produced films for Outside Magazine throughout Europe and Africa, camera operated for Netflix in the Rocky Mountain West, photographed among indigenous communities in South America, and has received notable recognition in his hometown of Orcas Island in Washington State for his work telling uplifting stories in the outdoor space.