A company’s brand is their one-of-a-kind story that helps build customer loyalty. Through the use of YouTube, big brands and companies like Nike, Vogue and LEGO have mastered the skill of storytelling. They realize that having a story to tell brings their company to life. There’s an important lesson to be had here: YouTube can be an asset for your company to help your audience visualize your brand.
Nike
With 1.56 million subscribers and over 400K views, Nike built their brand through the use of video by using sports and fitness as their focus, which energizes their audience. In commercials and on YouTube, Nike’s visual stories feature notable athletes, the innovation of their products as well as workout and nutritional tutorials for a fit life. Further, their short docu-series really brings home the idea of their brand, which centers around the community that has grown with them over time. This idea, along with their slogan “Just do it,” strives to empower people to try new things.
NPR Music
NPR, with its 5.16 million subscribers, expanded its audience on YouTube through its music page with nearly 2,000 videos. The music channel for the non-profit NPR has so many subscribers, due to their unique approach to producing “tiny desk concerts.” These concerts put the audience in the same room as popular artists such as Sting, Lizzo, Death Cab for Cutie and many more.
This wide range of genres brings an array of viewers to their brand. NPR Music tells their story by giving well-known artists the platform to tell theirs.
Vogue
Fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue built a presence on YouTube with trendy content that follows famous celebrities. Vogue has 8.9 million subscribers and well over 2 billion views. Multiple playlists of videos give their audience in-depth interviews, makeup tutorials and inside looks into huge events like the Met Gala and Fashion Week.
Vogue’s videos have a glamorous aesthetic, interpreting the fashion world, culture and modern society, which is at the heart of their story. Their self-described channel description says “Vogue is . . . thought-provoking, relevant and always influential, Vogue defines the culture of fashion.”
Google is the parent of YouTube and has 9.65 million subscribers. Google’s channel has a dynamic range of content such as promotions for new products, feature stories as well as how Google is used as a tool in everyday life. Google creates an annual #YearInSearch video that gets millions of views each year.
It is the culmination of most searched topics over the year, along with a review of momentous events that happened. Google tells its story through its audience’s questions keeping curiosity alive. They push their audience to keep searching so that they will keep asking.
LEGO
Big brand and toy company LEGO paved its way on YouTube with 11 million subscribers and over 13 billion views. A staple in the toy industry, as well as the YouTube community, LEGO’s videos cover LEGO builds and countless short cartoon series offered in various languages. LEGO builds its global audience by making engaging videos for everyone.
They have 7 different channels including LEGO Gaming and LEGO Little Ones to serve their large audience. LEGO focuses on the bond of family, and their toys can be enjoyed by people of all ages. LEGO is timeless.
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon has a YouTube channel with 26.9 million subscribers. Since the show is broadcast on national television and has a broad existing audience, some of their users might be less experienced using YouTube. Fallon’s commitment is to make people smile and with the use of YouTube, he is able to do just that at any time of the day. The channel also allows viewers to see what they missed the night before in organized short videos. He expands his brand and business by utilizing YouTube.
The Tonight Show tells the story of A-List celebrities through conversations with Jimmy, helping to make the viewer feel as though they know them personally by exclusive side to them. The Tonight Shows channel offers behind the scenes videos along with web-based content as well.
Big brands and businesses that choose to have a YouTube channel open their doors to a wide range of people, introducing many new viewers to their brand. Curated content helps to develop an understanding between the company and its prospective customers. Applying these ideas to your business YouTube channel can help your brand become more formally and widely recognized.
Featured image courtesy: “You Can’t Stop Us” – Nike