The Art of Video Storytelling: A Practical Guide for Businesses

Everyone loves a good story, right?

But it turns out, storytelling has been a part of the human experience at least as long as we’ve been walking upright. 

It’s common across every culture, race, religion, and era. 

And the art of storytelling isn’t just profitable for Hollywood. 

You might be surprised to learn that the same techniques that sell movie tickets and novels are a key ingredient in marketing and advertising, too!

So how do businesses make use of storytelling with video? Let’s find out!

1. What is Video Storytelling: Using Video to Tell a Story
2. Why Use Emotional Storytelling in Video Marketing?
3. Our Favorite Examples of Video Storytelling
   7. LYFT: The Origin Story of a Plucky Startup
   6. GANT: The Story of GANT
   5. Airbnb: Santastrophe
   4. Hush Puppies: Because Brands Have Origin Stories, Too
   3. Honda: Paper
   2. Oncor: Snowstorm Power Restoration
   1. MailChimp: Noisy New Neighbors
4. Video Storytelling Tips and Tricks

What is Video Storytelling: Using Video to Tell a Story

Image Credit: Jason Solo

Storytelling takes many forms, from the written word, comics, spoken narration and more.

Storytelling video production is the art of using visual narratives to communicate a message, evoke emotions, and connect with your audience in a meaningful way. Unlike straightforward promotional videos, storytelling puts the audience at the center of the experience, using characters, conflict, and resolution to build an emotional arc.

In marketing, storytelling in video is less about pitching a product and more about creating a connection. It’s about weaving together visuals, sound, and dialogue to tell a story that resonates—whether it’s solving a customer’s problem, sharing a brand journey, or showcasing a mission.

When paired with animated video production, the art of storytelling becomes even more powerful. 

Storytelling with video, especially with animation, allows for limitless creativity, breaking the boundaries of what live-action videos can achieve. You can simplify complex ideas, create memorable characters, and take viewers on a journey that feels both relatable and engaging.

Why Use Emotional Storytelling in Video Marketing?

Image Credit: Bratislav Milenković

Using storytelling animated video isn’t just a creative choice; it’s a marketing superpower. 

Here’s why incorporating storytelling into your marketing strategy works wonders for businesses:

1. It Captures Attention: People are naturally drawn to stories. A well-told narrative with the right video storytelling techniques will hook your audience right from the start, keeping them engaged until the very end.
2. Builds Emotional Connections: Stories evoke emotions, and emotions drive decisions. By connecting with your audience on a deeper level, storytelling helps them relate to your brand and remember you.
3. Simplifies Complex Ideas: If your product or service is hard to explain, video storytelling—especially with animation—can break it down into digestible, easy-to-understand visuals.
4. Enhances Brand Identity: Every story you tell shapes how people perceive your brand. Whether it’s sharing your company’s mission, values, or success stories, storytelling builds trust and strengthens your identity.
5. Boosts Engagement and Shares: People are far more likely to share a story than a hard sell. Videos that are emotional, entertaining, or inspiring are more engaging—and shareable—on social media and beyond.
6. Drives Action: A good story leaves viewers with a clear takeaway and a reason to act. Whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for a service, or making a purchase, storytelling motivates people to take the next step.

In short, storytelling turns marketing into an experience. Animated video storytelling, in particular, adds a layer of creativity, making your brand unforgettable.

Our Favorite Examples of Video Storytelling

When it comes to video storytelling ideas, the best way to get inspired is to check out video storytelling examples used by the most successful businesses out there, and analyze what made it work so powerfully. 

The secret to becoming a great video storyteller is to connect with your audience in a personal, relatable way that speaks to their pain points and addresses questions they didn’t even know they wanted to ask. 

So to that end, let’s run down our list of 7 excellent examples of corporate video storytelling and consider what made them so great.

Let’s go!

7. LYFT: The Origin Story of a Plucky Startup

This awesome video animation directed by Buck, revolves around two proactive thinkers and how they chose not to sit back and comment on the ideas of environmental protection and bringing people together, but instead took the initiative to do something significant about it.

These two visionaries believed that when we are confined to our cars, we are also confined from each other.

Here’s this video, which beautifully narrates how this peer-to-peer ride-sharing community Lyft, transformed from a dream into reality.

Additionally, the video's futuristic and forward-looking ending leaves viewers with the note that there’s more to come!

6. GANT: The Story of GANT

One of the rules of good storytelling is “show, don’t tell.” Good writers make sure to avoid exposition and tedious dialog that explains everything.

So a test of a visual storyteller’s skill is being able to tell a great story without using any dialog or narration at all. Like this beautiful animated video for GANT.

The entire story contains not one word, just beautiful images that paint an engrossing, compelling story with a lot of heart.

And that’s how you build a foundation of trust with your audience and drive conversions!

5. Airbnb: Santastrophe

The holiday season is a fantastic time to pump up your messaging while staying festive and current. And we all know that Airbnb are masters of storytelling. 

So here’s a charming story of Santa struggling to deliver gifts in a massive hotel, told through gorgeous animation. The narration is the cherry on top, delivered through a cute and catchy poem, capturing the viewers’ interest and keeping them enthralled and entertained all the way to the end. It feels more like a short Pixar movie than a mere ad, and that’s why it shines. 

While it’s a no-brainer to take advantage of the holiday season with your messaging, this 3D animated video is proof that you can’t phone it in. There’s a lot of competition and you have to put out your best to stand out during this time, just like at any other time of the year. But the results are always worth it!

4. Hush Puppies: Because Brands Have Origin Stories, Too

This mixed-media video is one of the best examples of animated video creation online. Created by Scott Albini, it narrates the journey of how a seemingly impossible idea became a global sensation and a household name.

This is the story of how Wolverine Worldwide gave birth to one of its most iconic brands: Hush Puppies. And, if you are wondering how this phrase ‘ Hush Puppies’ was coined, this video has a chucklesome account of that too!

3. Honda: Paper

So Honda has been hard at work making diesel engines better.

Now stop for a moment and ask yourself: how exactly would you talk about this in a way that’s interesting, or even entertaining? Especially to the layperson who’s not particularly interested in that big noisy thing that makes trucks run and belches out smelly fumes?

The answer, of course, is that you use the power of animated storytelling.

A compelling hook to grab the viewer’s attention (“Can ‘hate’ be good?”), drawing you into a cleverly-written script. Pair that with really beautiful, imaginative visuals, and it all comes together, like the parts of a well-oiled machine. Or rather, a well-oiled machine that doesn’t pollute as much or make as much noise. 

This just goes to show that corporate video storytelling doesn’t have to be all serious and dour and drab. A little imagination goes a long way!

2. Oncor: Snowstorm Power Restoration

We don’t often spare a thought to the many unsung heroes who keep modern society running on a day-to-day basis. Like the brave and hardworking folk who get repairs done to restore power after a storm, fixing downed power lines and clearing fallen trees off roads. 

But how does it all work? In this video we made for Oncor, they explain how they prioritize repairs based on urgency and need, and quickly run through the logistics involved. It gets a bit technical, but we crafted smooth, visually interesting animations and transitions to keep things interesting, dynamic and immersive for the viewer. The script goes into just enough detail to explain how it all works, without dumping so much information that it could overwhelm the audience. 

The focus of the video, however, is the people who work daily to keep the power running for their customers. Because at the end of the day, all business is ultimately about people, and the trust you need to build with them. 

1. MailChimp: Noisy New Neighbors

It doesn’t matter how big, global and high-tech your business gets. Because ultimately, all businesses are all about people, and the connections you build with them. This is fundamentally true regardless of your size or industry, whether you’re B2B or B2C– you name it. 

And even if you’re a small community grocery store, facing big competition from a high-tech conglomerate opening up across the road.

In this charming animated video for MailChimp, that’s the scenario we’re presented with. The animation is adorably cute and draws you in. But there’s no spoken dialog or voiceover, relying completely on the visuals to tell the story. It takes an extra level of skill to pull off, and they do it well. 

Video Storytelling Tips and Tricks

If you want your video storytelling to land, here are some quick tips:

• Keep it simple, emotional, and human. Focus less on features and more on the journey—your viewer should see themselves in the story you’re telling. 
• When it comes to B2B and B2C brands, animated explainer videos are especially perfect for this because they strip away the clutter and use visuals to simplify complex ideas. 
• Use characters, motion, and pacing to guide your audience; and don’t be afraid to add a little humor and empathy—it’s what makes your brand relatable and personable.
• Most importantly, always tie the story back to your core message– so the viewer walks away remembering not just the video, but your brand, and a sense of its personality and identity.

Conclusion: Marketers are Video Storytellers Too 

Video storytelling production isn’t just a trend—it’s a powerful way to connect, engage, and inspire your audience. By blending narrative elements with visual creativity, storytelling allows businesses to communicate their message in a way that feels personal and impactful.

For brands looking to simplify complex ideas, stand out in a crowded market, or build trust with their audience, animation is the perfect partner to storytelling. It breaks barriers, sparks imagination, and leaves a lasting impression.

So, whether you’re crafting a product demo, a brand story, or an explainer video, focus on the story you want to tell. With the right narrative and visuals, and partnered with the right video storytelling company or studio, your videos can turn viewers into loyal customers and advocates for your brand.