How to Create a Great Brand Ad in 2025

In the fast-paced digital landscape of 2025, crafting a standout brand ad is more crucial—and challenging—than ever. Consumers are inundated with content, making it essential for brands to produce brand advertisements that not only capture attention but also build lasting trust. This guide will walk you through the key steps to create impactful brand ads that resonate with your audience and drive meaningful results.

Understanding the Modern Advertising Landscape

Today, brands are operating in a fragmented media environment where attention is a scarce resource. With platforms multiplying, consumers are exposed to endless streams of content, making it harder for brands to capture attention and build lasting trust. Compounding this issue is a growing trend in performance marketing, where many brands prioritise volume over quality, pushing out large quantities of low quality content. While these strategies may offer short-term gains, they come at the expense of consumer trust. According to Wyzowls 2024 research, 87% of users state that the quality of a video affects their level of trust in a brand, a clear indication that low-quality videos could ultimately damage long-term brand equity.

Step 1: Define the Story Behind Your Brand Ad

An effective brand ad tells a story that deeply resonates with your audience—whether by reflecting their experiences or inspiring them. The goal is to evoke emotions that forge a strong connection between the viewer and your brand. Instead of relying on fleeting gimmicks that don’t retain engagement, focus on timeless storytelling elements that make your brand unforgettable and your ads un-skippable.

How to Create Your Brand Story:

Begin by tapping into universal themes that either mirror your audience’s lives or embody aspirations they hold. Highlight relatable scenarios or showcase achievements and ideals that inspire. Emotional connections are key—evoke feelings like joy, hope, ambition, or nostalgia to make your ad memorable.

Stay true to your brand’s values and identity. Authentic messaging builds trust and ensures your story aligns with what your brand genuinely represents. Clearly communicate what sets your brand apart in a meaningful way, emphasising the real benefits you offer without exaggeration.

Utilise proven storytelling structures like the three-act structure to keep viewers watching until the end:

Act 1 – Setup: Introduce the context and characters, setting the stage for your story.
Act 2 – Confrontation: Present a compelling challenge, desire, or conflict that drives the narrative.
Act 3 – Resolution: Show how your brand provides a satisfying solution, fulfilling aspirations or overcoming obstacles.

Here is a great example of a simple ad that uses a clever three-act structure to keep viewers watching:

By grounding your brand ad in these storytelling fundamentals, you create a narrative that captures attention and resonates on a deeper emotional level. Whether your ad reflects the viewer’s own experiences or inspires them to achieve more, this approach ensures your message is both compelling and memorable.

Step 2: Consider the Seven Basic Plots

People naturally connect with universal story patterns. By aligning your brand ad with one of these foundational plots, you can make your message more engaging and impactful:

Overcoming the Monster
Show how your brand helps consumers conquer significant challenges or adversities. This theme resonates with audiences facing obstacles and seeking solutions.
Rags to Riches
Highlight a transformation or success story that reflects your brand’s journey or that of your customers. Illustrate how your brand enables growth and prosperity.
The Quest
Depict a mission or pursuit that aligns with your brand’s goals, inspiring others to join you. This appeals to those who value ambition and adventure.
Voyage and Return
Illustrate growth through experiences, showcasing how your brand facilitates a journey that leads to personal development and a new perspective.
Comedy
Engage your audience with humour while conveying your message. A light-hearted approach can make your ad enjoyable and memorable.
Tragedy
Present cautionary tales that emphasise the importance of your brand’s solutions in avoiding negative outcomes. This can create a sense of urgency and importance.
Rebirth
Showcase the renewal or positive change your brand brings to consumers’ lives. Evoke feelings of hope and new beginnings.

By tapping into these timeless storytelling themes, your brand ad becomes more relatable and memorable, forging a stronger emotional connection with your audience.

Step 3: Research and Test Your Brand Ad Concepts

Before investing in production, it’s crucial to ensure your brand ad concept will resonate with your audience and meet your campaign objectives.

At Story Machine, we collaborate with Luma Research—a leading firm specialising in ad testing and optimisation. Luma Research helps us:

Evaluate Creative Performance: They provide insights into how your ad concept will perform with your target audience.
Recommend Optimisations: Based on their findings, they suggest adjustments to enhance effectiveness.
Ensure ROI: By testing before production, we help you invest wisely in ideas with the highest potential for success.

Benefit: This collaboration ensures that your advertisement is not just creative but also strategically sound and primed for success.

Step 4: Focus on Quality Over Quantity

In a market saturated with disingenuous endorsements and exaggerated claims, investing in high-quality production is essential for building trust and standing out. Consumers are increasingly skeptical of low-effort ads common in performance marketing. By prioritising quality, your brand signals professionalism, authenticity, and a genuine commitment to your audience.

Why Quality Matters

Builds Trust: High-quality ads demonstrate credibility. When consumers see a well-crafted ad, they perceive your brand as reliable and honest, which fosters trust and loyalty.
Differentiates Your Brand: Quality sets you apart from competitors pushing out insincere or misleading content. It shows that you value your brand’s reputation and your customers’ intelligence.
Counters Market Saturation: In an environment filled with dubious claims, a high-quality ad with authentic messaging cuts through the noise, capturing attention and respect.
Enhances Engagement: Thoughtfully produced ads are more engaging. They resonate better with audiences, leading to higher recall and a stronger emotional connection.

By focusing on quality, you not only capture your audience’s attention but also earn their trust. This approach leads to more meaningful engagement and contributes to long-term brand success.

Step 5: Leverage New Media Platforms Effectively

Utilising the right media platforms is crucial to maximise the reach and impact of your brand ad. In 2025, platforms like YouTube, BVOD (Broadcaster Video On Demand), and SVOD (Subscription Video On Demand) with ad-supported tiers offer exceptional opportunities to deliver targeted, non-skippable ads at a low cost.

Key Platforms in 2025

YouTube: YouTube remains a powerhouse for video advertising, offering extensive reach and advanced targeting capabilities. With low cost per thousand impressions (CPMs), you can deliver non-skippable ads that ensure your full message is seen, maximising engagement and recall.
BVOD (Broadcaster Video On Demand): Services like 7plus, 9Now, and 10 Play provide premium content environments with highly engaged audiences. Advertising on BVOD allows you to place non-skippable ads within trusted programming, enhancing viewer attention and brand credibility.
SVOD (Subscription Video On Demand) with Ad-Supported Tiers: Platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have introduced ad-supported subscriptions, opening new avenues for brand advertising within high-quality content. This access to attentive subscribers comes with minimal ad clutter, increasing the effectiveness of your ads.

Benefits of These Platforms

Higher Engagement: Premium platforms often have more attentive viewers, leading to better ad performance and higher engagement rates.
Enhanced Targeting: Advanced algorithms allow you to reach your specific audience based on demographics, interests, and viewing habits.
Cost-Effective Reach: Low CPMs enable you to achieve high-frequency exposure without excessive costs, maximising your return on investment.

Partner with Story Machine to Create Impactful Brand Ads

Creating a great brand ad is a complex process that requires expertise, creativity, and strategic planning. At Story Machine, we specialise in producing high-quality, authentic brand ads that resonate with your audience and drive results.

Why Choose Story Machine

Collaborative Approach: We work closely with you to understand your brand and objectives.
Expertise in Research: Our partnership with Luma Research ensures your ad concept is tested and optimised before production.
Proven Track Record: With over 800 projects completed, 14 industry awards, and 1.1 billion video views, we have a history of delivering exceptional results.

Take the Next Step Towards Creating Your Great Brand Ad

Don’t let your brand get lost in the noise. Let Story Machine help you craft an ad that stands out, builds trust, and drives meaningful engagement.

Ready to get started?

If you’re ready to discuss your next video project, reach out to us at Story Machine. We’re here to help you bring your vision to life with creative, high-impact videos that resonate with your audience.

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Ezra Auperle

Ezra Auperle is an award-winning producer who has been helping clients create high-quality video content since 2012. Known for his innovative use of technology and meticulous attention to detail, Ezra ensures that every project meets Story Machine’s high standards. Whether working with growing businesses or established companies, his passion for excellence and smooth production process ensure high quality videos are delivered on time and budget.

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