2017 was a year dominated by video content.

It was the year that Instagram Stories exploded, that YouTube consolidated its position as storytelling platform of choice for creators across the globe, and that Facebook, Apple and Netflix doubled down on their investment in new video programming.

We’ve cherry picked 6 examples of videos released in 2017 that we think are particularly impactful, and discussed some things we can learn from their success.

1) LITTLE CASANOVA AND ONLINE IDENTITY

Yoti is a UK-based B Corp that has developed a digital identity app that gives people a simpler, faster and more secure way to prove who they are, online and in person.

This video - Little Casanova -  highlights the dangers of not being able to verify identity online through a funny take on the dating scene.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS VIDEO?

The topic of online identity fraud can be quite serious.

To raise awareness about the potential pitfalls of a serious topic such as this, taking a deliberately lighthearted approach and using the power of comedy can cut through and engage your audience with the subject matter.

And with over 19 million views on Facebook in the last month, as far as awareness raising goes, you’d have to say that this video has been a huge success.

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6 impactful video examples from 2017 & what we can learn from them http://bit.ly/2DbQjI2 - #1 Use laughs to cut through @GetYoti used comedy to turn the topic of online identity fraud into a funny viral video to raise awareness: http://bit.ly/2CI2ACN @beinspiredfilms

2) ANTTI LIPPONEN’S TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES TWITTER VIDEO

In August, Antti Lipponen, a researcher at the Finnish Meteorological Institute in Kuopio, tweeted a climate change video depicting global warming from the year 1900 onwards. The video is based on NASA's open data on average temperatures around the globe.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS VIDEO?

We know that video has the power to connect with people on an emotional level, and that this can be incredibly powerful.

Sometimes though, the smart handling of large data sets and relatively simple presentation can create massive impact too. This simple animated gif video has been retweeted thousands of times, and the video has had millions of views.

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6 impactful video examples from 2017 & what we can learn from them http://bit.ly/2DbQjI2 - #2: Get creative with data. @Anttilip took a dataset and displayed it as a gif to highlight increasing global temperature anomalies over time http://bit.ly/2CSkOoG @beinspiredfilms

3) MOVEMBER UK UNMUTE CAMPAIGN

The video autoplays with the audio muted, and features a man in work overalls fixing a bicycle wheel.

In the first 10 seconds the overlaid subtitles tell a story about how to fix a flat tire without a repair kit.

The video then prompts the viewer to switch on the audio to hear what the man is really saying, whereupon we hear a different story, one of a man struggling with depression and asking the viewer whether he should call a support helpline.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS VIDEO?

This video does a fantastic job of leveraging an existing trend in social video consumption to get its message across.

Scrolling through the Facebook and Instagram newsfeeds, many videos autoplay but always with the audio off unless otherwise specified by the viewer.

This video uses that existing platform feature to highlight the need to get men to ‘unmute’ and talk about their mental health issues.

Look at other ways in which video is consumed on social platforms - can you exploit these consumption habits to your advantage?

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6 impactful video examples from 2017 & what we can learn from them http://bit.ly/2DbQjI2 - #3: Tap into the way people consume video. @MovemberUK used autoplay muted video to highlight the need for men to speak out about mental health http://mvmbr.co/2AIvssM @beinspiredfilms 

4) YOUTUBE #CREATORSFORCHANGE

This video is just one taken from a new content series supported by YouTube, called #CreatorsforChange.

It’s a new initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of role models who are tackling difficult social issues with their channels.

In this video by Nadir Nahdi for his BENI channel, Nadir explores what life is like for Syrian refugees in refugee camps in the Lebanon during Ramadan.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS VIDEO?

Long-form content can be incredibly powerful for telling emotional stories.

The tendency in social media is to create short, snackable content, but Nadir’s video - at nearly 16 minutes long - shows how longer ‘vlogumentary’ content can engage audiences and tell a more complex story of social change in an emotionally impactful way.

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6 impactful video examples from 2017 & what we can learn from them http://bit.ly/2DbQjI2 - #4: Create longer content for complex, emotional subjects. #CreatorsforChange created a 16-min video of the story of the Lebanon’s refugee camps http://bit.ly/2CKhjxr @beinspiredfilms

5) HEINEKEN WORLDS APART

Beer brand Heineken brings together strangers with directly opposing beliefs and points of view and gets them to build a bar together in a ‘social experiment’ designed to overcome barriers in an overly polarised world.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS VIDEO?

Big brands can use video to have an important voice in meaningful societal debates.

Brands are often scared to play in these more earnest spaces, but this effort by Heineken shows how big brands can trigger debate about important topics.

This format - the ‘social experiment’ video - has become hugely popular in recent years too as a way of simplifying complex social debates into more easily consumable video content.

TWEETABLE LEARNING (COPY TO TWITTER TO SHARE)

6 impactful video examples from 2017 & what we can learn from them http://bit.ly/2DbQjI2 - #5: Spread a big message. @Heineken used comedy to turn the serious topic of online identity fraud into a funny viral video http://bit.ly/2CI2ACN @beinspiredfilms

6) A WALK THROUGH DEMENTIA

Less a standalone video, more an immersive video experience, A Walk Through Dementia is an app for Google Cardboard designed to put you in the shoes of someone living with dementia.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS VIDEO?

The world of video is changing significantly with the emergence of drones, 360° video and augmented and virtual reality technologies. Some of these new technologies can create brand new opportunities for engaging your audience with an impact.

TWEETABLE LEARNING (COPY TO TWITTER TO SHARE)

6 impactful video examples from 2017 & what we can learn from them http://bit.ly/2DbQjI2 - #6: Experiment with new technology. @aruknews used #VirtualReality to give people a chance to experience life for those suffering from #dementia http://bit.ly/2CTMUk4 @beinspiredfilms