Every Social Enterprise Needs to Have a Video Like This

Martin Ricard
4 min readOct 16, 2023

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“You Love Me” commercial by Beats by Dre

In today’s fast-paced, socially conscious world, many businesses and nonprofits are making an attempt to inspire change in our society.

You’ve likely heard that video is an essential tool for helping organizations achieve that goal.

But is there more to the story?

We all know that eye-catching videos with trendy music grab people’s attention. But a true connection with someone often takes going beyond the surface.

A recent example that really stands out is the “You Love Me” commercial by Beats by Dre. It boldly challenged societal norms and called for America to show genuine appreciation of Black culture and people.

This ad was a work of genius, addressing a common adversary — white supremacy — in a poetic and thought-provoking way. It urged white people, specifically, and America, as a whole, to genuinely appreciate Black people and our culture, rather than just appropriate it.

Clearly, its focus was on a cause greater than making a profit.

Read on to learn why every justice-motivated organization should consider creating their own version of “You Love Me” to meet their needs and rally support around their mission.

Understanding the power of video for social enterprises

In today’s social media-driven world, video has become an increasingly powerful tool for social enterprises to convey their message to a large and diverse audience.

A well-done video helps convey an organization’s message, impact and values. More importantly, videos are often a critical part of any marketing and fundraising.

Also, social algorithms have shown a distinct preference for video content. This is not a random coincidence, but rather a calculated move based on user behavior.

Video content tends to engage users for longer periods and elicits higher engagement rates, which translates into likes, shares and comments. Consequently, these algorithmic responses are geared toward ensuring users stay on the platform for as long as possible.

If a social enterprise can create compelling, meaningful and high-quality video content, its chances of gaining visibility in this crowded digital space increase dramatically.

Spreading social justice awareness through video

So let’s talk a little bit about visual storytelling and why it has become a powerful way to spread awareness about social justice.

First, videos are the perfect medium for telling a compelling story that resonates with your audience. The narrative, visuals and music can often come together to create an experience that educates, inspires and potentially spark a movement.

Second, social enterprises can leverage videos to showcase their impact, values and mission, explaining how their business or nonprofit can make a positive impact in their industry and society. These videos can be shared on social media, websites and other digital platforms, boosting their reach online.

Advantages of a powerful video strategy

In a digital world with more than 4 billion social media users, generating impactful video content has the potential to reach a wider audience and create a meaningful impact.

Creating engaging videos can help your social enterprise build brand awareness, increase engagement, drive traffic to your website and, ultimately, convert users into customers and donors.

Whether you’re looking to increase your social media following, drive more traffic to your website, or showcase your latest products or services, a powerful video strategy can help you achieve your goals and take your social enterprise to the next level.

Tips on crafting authentic, high-quality videos

It all starts with creating a high-quality video with an authentic message, which is the strategy used in the “You Love Me” commercial.

  1. The first thing you’ll want to do is plan your video before filming, and think about who your target audience is and what message you want to convey.
  2. Use high-quality equipment, and focus on establishing a strong visual style that aligns with your brand.
  3. During filming, prioritize natural lighting and sound, and encourage your subjects to be themselves.
  4. Finally, in post-production, take your time to edit and craft your footage into a compelling story that evokes emotion and inspires action.

By following these simple tips, you can create a powerful video with a meaningful message that resonates with your viewers. And if you need some help with creating compelling videos for your organization, I’d love to have my company partner with you to tell those impactful stories.

Sharing your videos widely

Once you’ve created a video with a powerful message, you don’t want it just collecting dust in someone’s computer file folders.

With the rise of video content, sharing on online platforms and social networks is vital for maximum impact.

Embrace feedback and improve your skills.

Sharing your content broadens your reach and connects you with a larger audience.

Prioritizing content over products

Now let’s go back to the Beats by Dre commercial and the lesson all social enterprises can learn from their example.

We’ve already talked about the importance of using authenticity and challenging the status quo through visual storytelling, which creates more impactful videos. But there’s another important storytelling principle that the Beats by Dre commercial followed: Prioritize content over products.

Now, envision the impact if more justice-motivated businesses and nonprofits abandoned the age-old approach of convincing people that their products and services reign supreme.

Imagine if they followed the Beats commercial’s example and shared their mission and story first, creating a deeper connection with their audience before even mentioning what they offer.

This approach allows for a more authentic and genuine relationship between the organization and its customers or supporters. By prioritizing content over products, social enterprises can create a stronger emotional appeal and establish themselves as more than just another profit-driven entity.

So don’t be afraid to do away traditional marketing tactics and instead focus on creating meaningful content that resonates with your audience.

Using your videos as a platform to showcase your products or services is great, but what matters most is sharing the heart and soul of your organization.

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Martin Ricard
Martin Ricard

Written by Martin Ricard

I write about social entrepreneurship and social justice. Learn how I’ve helped other mission-driven leaders succeed: https://communitysymbol.com

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