Let’s be real—scrolling through social media these days feels like walking through a never-ending digital billboard. Everyone’s fighting for attention, and most brand videos get the cold shoulder faster than your ex’s “hey” text at 2 AM. But here’s the thing: some brands absolutely nail it. They create videos that make you stop mid-scroll, laugh out loud, or feel something genuine.
Whether you’re a young entrepreneur building your side hustle or a seasoned business owner trying to crack the Gen Z code, understanding what makes the best brand videos tick is basically a superpower in today’s market. This isn’t just about throwing money at flashy production—it’s about creating content that resonates, connects, and yeah, gets people talking about your brand.
Why Brand Videos Are Your Secret Weapon in 2025
Before we dive into the juicy examples, let’s talk about why brand awareness videos matter more than ever. Video content isn’t just “nice to have” anymore—it’s the main course. Studies show that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when reading text. That’s a massive difference when you’re trying to make your brand stick in someone’s brain.
The best brand videos do more than showcase products. They tell stories, spark emotions, and create moments that people want to share. And in a world where authentic connection beats polished perfection every single time, this matters more than you think.
What Makes Brand Videos Actually Work?
Here’s what separates viral gold from digital dust:
Authenticity over perfection. Gen Z and millennials have built-in BS detectors. They can spot a fake vibe from a mile away. The brands winning right now? They’re the ones keeping it real, showing their human side, and not taking themselves too seriously.
Emotional hooks matter more than features. Nobody cares about your product’s 47 features if they don’t understand why it matters to their life. The most effective brand awareness video examples tap into universal feelings—joy, nostalgia, inspiration, or even righteous anger about issues that matter.
Short attention spans demand quick payoffs. You’ve got about 3 seconds to hook someone. That’s it. Your opening needs to slap, or people are swiping away faster than you can say “brand awareness.”
Brand Awareness Video Examples That Crushed It
Apple: “Shot on iPhone” Campaign
Let’s start with a classic that never gets old. Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign turned everyday users into brand ambassadors by showcasing real photos and videos shot by actual iPhone owners. The genius here? They let their product speak for itself while celebrating their community.
The videos feature stunning cinematography from regular people—not just professional filmmakers. From breathtaking landscapes to intimate family moments, each piece proves the camera’s capability without Apple saying a single word about megapixels or lens specs. It’s authentic user-generated content at scale, and it works because it feels genuine rather than produced.
Why it works: Apple trusted their users to tell their story. They showed rather than told, and they made their customers feel like artists. That’s powerful brand building.
Nike: “Dream Crazier”
Nike’s “Dream Crazier” campaign, narrated by Serena Williams, called out double standards in sports and celebrated female athletes who defied expectations. The video montage featured moments of women breaking barriers, getting emotional, and showing strength that society once called “crazy.”
This is what we call purpose-driven content. Nike didn’t just sell shoes—they took a stand on something bigger. The video sparked conversations, earned millions of views, and reinforced Nike’s position as a brand that champions athletes who push boundaries.
Why it works: It aligned with their audience’s values, told authentic stories, and didn’t shy away from bold messaging. When you stand for something real, people pay attention.
Dollar Shave Club: “Our Blades Are F***ing Great”
This one’s a masterclass in disrupting an industry with humor and authenticity. Dollar Shave Club’s launch video featured their founder walking through a warehouse, delivering deadpan comedy while explaining their simple value proposition. The production wasn’t fancy—it was intentionally rough around the edges.
The video went viral not because of special effects or celebrity endorsements, but because it was funny, honest, and refreshingly different from typical razor commercials. It showed that you don’t need a million-dollar budget to create one of the best brand videos—you need a clear message and the courage to be different.
Why it works: They understood their audience was tired of overpriced razors and boring ads. They spoke directly to that frustration with humor and straightforward value.
Airbnb: “We Accept”
During a time of political tension and travel bans, Airbnb released a 30-second spot featuring faces of different ethnicities, genders, and orientations with the simple message: “We believe no matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love, or who you worship, we all belong. The world is more beautiful the more you accept.”
The video was simple, powerful, and took a clear stance on inclusion. It wasn’t about booking accommodations—it was about belonging, which sits at the heart of Airbnb’s brand mission.
Why it works: Authenticity and values-driven messaging create emotional connections stronger than any product feature ever could.
Spotify: “Wrapped” Campaign
Every December, Spotify users eagerly await their personalized “Wrapped” summaries—and the accompanying videos. Spotify transforms user data into shareable, colorful stories about listening habits. The social media explosion that follows is marketing gold.
These videos work because they’re personalized, celebratory, and designed for sharing. They turn analytics into entertainment and make users feel seen while simultaneously promoting the platform.
Why it works: Personalization at scale, combined with shareability and perfect timing, creates organic brand awareness that money can’t buy.
Breaking Down What Makes These Brand Videos Special
Looking at these brand awareness video examples, you’ll notice patterns that separate good from great:
Story Over Sales Pitch
None of these videos feel like traditional ads. They tell stories or make statements that resonate beyond the product. When you focus on narrative and meaning rather than features and benefits, you create content people actually want to watch.
Emotional Resonance
The best brand videos make you feel something—whether that’s laughter, inspiration, belonging, or empowerment. Emotional content gets shared more, remembered longer, and builds stronger brand associations.
Authenticity Is Non-Negotiable
Young audiences especially can smell inauthentic content from miles away. The brands crushing it right now embrace imperfection, show real people, and communicate in genuine voices rather than corporate-speak.
Clear Brand Identity
While these videos don’t necessarily shout product features, they all reinforce clear brand identities. Apple celebrates creativity, Nike champions athletes who push limits, Dollar Shave Club is irreverent and direct, Airbnb promotes belonging, and Spotify understands their users.
How to Create Your Own Killer Brand Videos
Ready to create brand videos that actually work? Here’s your roadmap:
Start With Your Why
Before you pick up a camera, get crystal clear on why your brand exists beyond making money. What problem do you solve? What do you believe in? What makes you different? Your brand videos should communicate this core purpose.
Know Your Audience Inside Out
You can’t create resonant content if you don’t deeply understand who you’re talking to. What keeps them up at night? What makes them laugh? What do they value? The best brand videos feel like they were made specifically for their audience—because they were.
Choose the Right Platform Strategy
Not all brand videos work everywhere. Instagram and TikTok demand shorter, punchier content with hooks in the first second. YouTube allows for longer storytelling. LinkedIn audiences want professional value. Match your content strategy to where your audience hangs out and what they expect there.
Budget Doesn’t Determine Quality
Some of the most viral brand awareness video examples were made for pennies compared to traditional advertising budgets. Dollar Shave Club’s legendary video cost about $4,500 to produce. Focus on concept, message, and authenticity over production value.
Test, Measure, Iterate
Launch videos, track what resonates, and refine your approach. Pay attention to completion rates, shares, comments, and sentiment—not just views. The best brand videos spark genuine engagement, not passive watching.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, brands often stumble. Here’s what to watch out for:
Being too salesy too soon. Lead with value, entertainment, or emotion—not your product catalog. Build the relationship first.
Copying what worked for others. Those brand awareness video examples are successful because they authentically represented their brands. Your video needs to represent yours, not mimic someone else’s success.
Ignoring your community. User-generated content, customer stories, and community voices often create more powerful brand videos than anything a marketing team dreams up in isolation.
Overproducing. Sometimes the rough edges make content more relatable. Perfect can feel fake. Know when to embrace imperfection.
The Future of Brand Videos
Looking ahead, brand videos will continue evolving with technology and audience expectations. Short-form video dominates right now, with TikTok and Instagram Reels driving massive engagement. But the core principles remain: authenticity, emotional connection, and storytelling that matters.
AI tools are making video production more accessible, which means the barrier to entry keeps dropping. That’s good news for scrappy entrepreneurs and small businesses. But it also means the bar for standing out gets higher. Quality of message becomes even more critical when everyone has access to decent production tools.
Interactive and personalized video content is growing too. Following Spotify’s Wrapped example, more brands are finding ways to make viewers part of the story rather than just passive observers.
Taking Action on Your Brand Video Strategy
Here’s the bottom line: creating effective brand videos isn’t about having the biggest budget or the fanciest equipment. It’s about understanding your brand’s core message, knowing your audience intimately, and having the courage to communicate authentically.
The best brand videos we’ve explored—from Apple to Dollar Shave Club—all share one thing: they stayed true to their brand identity while creating content that resonated emotionally with their target audience. They took risks, told real stories, and didn’t try to be everything to everyone.
Whether you’re shooting on your iPhone or working with a production team, start by asking yourself: “What do we want people to feel after watching this?” and “Why would someone share this?” If you can’t answer those questions clearly, keep refining until you can.
The digital landscape is crowded, attention is scarce, and audiences are savvier than ever. But that just means when you create brand videos that genuinely connect, they cut through the noise even more powerfully.
Your Next Steps
Stop overthinking and start creating. Your first brand video doesn’t need to be perfect—it needs to be real. Test different approaches, study what resonates with your specific audience, and keep refining your message.
Remember those brand awareness video examples that inspired you? They all started with someone brave enough to try something different. Your brand has a unique story worth telling. The question isn’t whether you should create brand videos—it’s what you’re waiting for.
The brands winning attention and loyalty right now are the ones showing up authentically, telling stories that matter, and treating their audience like the intelligent, value-driven people they are. Be one of those brands.
Now go make something people actually want to watch.
