This is video storytelling

July 15, 2021
Reading Time: < 1 minute
Home 9 +Good Newsletter 9 This is video storytelling

Last week, I wrote to you about Carlos Whittaker’s (@loswhit) day-by-day coverage of Brooklyn to Alaska on Instagram — and the $255,000 he raised from his followers in support of this small organization.

Many of you were just as inspired by Carlos’s social media as I was, which got me thinking about the power of creative storytelling — and made me remember some of the other campaigns, essays, and videos that have stopped me in my tracks. 

As a marketer and storyteller, I am constantly looking for inspiration and examples of content done right. And thankfully, there are so many creative people (including all of you!) who are doing good, beautiful, hard, incredible work — which means my collection of inspiring content is big and always growing. 

At the top of this list: World Vision’s World Refugee Day video.

Whoa. 

About a month ago, World Vision produced a short video for World Refugee Day that I stumbled upon on Instagram. The 3-minute video completely captivated me. So creative. So compelling. Honest, raw, and motivating. It was everything a video should be. 

I immediately forwarded it to my marketing friends. 

“Look at this,” I wrote. “This is how it’s done.” 

As marketers, fundraisers, and creatives, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We get to borrow ideas and inspiration from everyone around us — whether that’s other nonprofits, big companies, performers, musicians, or the latest trending posts on Pinterest. As Pablo Picasso famously said, “Great artists steal.”

So here’s what we want to know from you: What is inspiring you these days? What campaigns, videos, and stories are capturing your attention? Who is doing impressive work that you love following? 

We want to see it!

Comment below with a link to a video, story, or campaign that you loved — we can’t wait to be inspired by what is inspiring you! 

Allison Kooser

Allison is Chief Storyteller at Swell+Good, where she partners with amazing organizations to help them bring their stories to life. She is an avid traveler, an expert takeout orderer, and a big believer in curiosity and kindness. She tries to learn something new every day, and she reads, writes, and paddleboards more than the average human.
+good Newsletter

If you haven’t already, check out what we’re reading this week in the +Good Newsletter.

Read more about: storytelling, Video
We hope you enjoy this blog post.

If you want our team to just do your marketing for you, click here.

More reading we think you’d like

New year, same you.

I am a sucker for that new year energy.  Goals, dreams, resolutions, vision boards, reflection questions, brainstorming meetings...give me all of them. I am ready for bold intentions and BIG plans—and I've got the new calendars and planners to prove it. ...

read more

How we work better

Hello friends! Are you ready for some well-deserved rest? Regardless of how or what you celebrate, we hope this weekend is full of peace, joy, great people, good books/movies/music, cozy blankets, muted notifications, yummy snacks, and extra-long naps.  ...

read more

Is Giving Tuesday dead?

On the very first Giving Tuesday in 2012, our team went all out. We didn't quite know what we are doing, but we created a command center, borrowed staff from across the organization, and camped out on every single social media platform looking for conversations to...

read more