A thirty-second video ad is long enough to tell any story you have in mind and short enough to pack a memorable punch.

First, you need a creative brief to enable the copywriter to find and focus on the essential idea. The key is to crystallise the essence of the client’s marketing problem. The brief will include the budget for the production so that the writer can create an idea that’s affordable to shoot. Once the brief is approved, spend time on the creative process. Make the concept great.

A visual medium begs for a visual solution.

Avoid a verbal approach. Don’t talk at customers. Tell them a story with pictures. Start with visual images and stay with them. Does the story work with the sound turned off? If so, that means it is both simple and visual and therefore powerful. If you can demonstrate your product in an unexpected, memorable way, it’s very compelling.

Start with a bang.

Get to the story immediately. Capture the viewer’s attention in the first two seconds. There’s no time for slow intros or build-ups. Make sure the video entertains the viewer all the way through.

Write sparely.

Leave room to breathe. Don’t show what you are saying, and don’t say what you are showing. In other words, don’t allow the voiceover and the video to be so synchronised that the viewer hears what he is already seeing on screen.

Make a storyboard that works without you having to explain everything.

Make it simple. Make it clear. Make sure the story unfolds. Each frame should include enough information to advance the story and no more. Make sure the client understands and agrees with the storyboard and signs it.

Cast against the grain.

No Kens or Barbies, please. They are too distracting. When there is dialogue, cast the best actor for the job, not the best-looking actor.

Embrace the modern era!
Storyboard generators and micro-influencer casting platforms are budget-friendly AI tools that can help you speed up production and get the most out of today’s constantly changing ad market.

However, traditional storytelling principles still hold supremacy.

See here the video promo that Pic Tree completed for one of our customers.