Do you know Casey Neistat? Casey is one of those guys who make YouTube what it will soon be for good, namely one of the most important media of our time. Neistat produces a vlog about himself and everything else that moves him, too, and what life so washes up on the shores of a 35-year-old creative person. This not only interests him, but apparently a lot of other people as well, because he has a good 6.5 million subscribers on YouTube, and his videos can reach almost 25 million views if need be. And so, thanks to his creativity and reach, he earns a lot of money as an influencer, including from Samsung. The company commissioned him to produce a commercial for the broadcast of the 2017 Oscars®and demonstrates exactly how a brand can speak from the heart of its audience and thus re-root itself precisely in the heart of the community. Wow!
Casey speaks for "The Rest of Us", the generation that does not always produce an avalanche of content in an entirely comprehensible or even insanely meaningful way, and often creates great things in the process. The web is full to bursting with these large and small works of creative people. Casey Neistat frames this group in the story, very cleverly and unspokenly, as the good group of the noble, morally worthy, because they don't need obscenely huge Hollywood budgets and super-professional equipment, but just a mobile phone, tape and a lustful creative urge to get awesome content into the world. Us many little good guys against the others, the elitists. Does this story sound familiar? No wonder, it's the story model Apple used in 1984 - not for the Oscar®, but for the Super Bowl.
And then again in 1997 with the "Think Different" campaign in a legendary way that has never been surpassed.
Unfortunately, Apple has never regained this quality in terms of brand story, quite the opposite. In the meantime, one becomes afraid and anxious, so much is the worm in the Apple story.
Incidentally, this story model of "we many little ones face a small uber-rich elite with a claim to moral high ground" is exactly what Donald Trump used to appeal to the masses in his election campaign.
These are very strong values that are triggered in the audience, this is story sharing at its best. Especially when Casey says at the end: "If we hear you can't do it, we have a suitable response: Well, then watch me ...". - So the updated version of "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." We, the creative people - that also has something to do with the subconscious archaic feeling of our own divine power. - Yes, in the end we, the good guys, win, baby!
And then it's time for the real thing: "Do what you can't." Samsung and the users together show everyone else. Against all odds! - This is the perfectly constructed heroic story: Normal person (user) faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles (the power of others) on the way to fulfilment (making awesome video content), but above all his inner obstacles (self-doubt), is motivated by the mentor(Samsung), pulls the sword Excalibur(Samsung Galaxy) from the stone in defiance of all doubters and stands there as a radiant hero.
And so a heroic story emerges that immediately captures the attention of those who don't necessarily fill YouTube, Instagram and Snap with masterpieces, but simply want to belong to this special group of the chosen ones. - That's exactly how it works!
Samsung has been playing with the hashtag #dowhatyoucant for some time now, especially in sport, where barriers are regularly overcome. Naturally, however, it doesn't work as well as it did for Casey Neistat.
Above all, however, because there is practically nothing in the backend to support the brand story beyond advertising. There is still enormous potential that is completely unused, and only this would actually make the story an effective brand story, because it can be experienced. Because then this vital Time with Brand will emerge. Then what you have to do today happens. Nothing does that and better than professionally developed and perfectly implemented content marketing.
In another area, namely the emerging virtual reality sector, Samsung is doing a lot more. Under #befearless, Samsung addresses how to combat fears through VR and offers the audience a rather interesting story.
When a brand story is inspired by values that touch a longing in the audience, then a storyworld is created in which brand and audience meet and interact. This is where precious Time with Brand is created, and then a really strong bond is woven. For all those who say: "You can't do that with my brand!" I have a fitting answer: "Do what you can't", before their competitor says: "Watch me ...".