There are several feelings and emotions that companies appeal to in advertising videos. Some brands, like KFC, tend to bet the full impact of their campaign on comedy and the high level of recall it promises. Others prefer to bring in influencers and celebrities to gain the extra boost of virality and popularity that can position their products, Apple-style. But one of the most powerful concepts in any initiative is inspiration.

According to Launchfire, inspiring consumers is one of the most effective ways to influence buying patterns through a campaign. Yocale, for his part, points out that it is also a very useful way to increase brand recognition and get the most out of more traditional media. Instead Better Marketing ensures that it is not as effective to sell a product to provoke passions and then capitalize on these emotions.

It makes sense that an inspirational campaign would be more effective than any other type of business activation. If people aspire to be better, then they are more motivated to take decisive action. In this sense, if the brand effectively links continuous improvement with its products, then there will also be a greater motivation to do business with the company. And there is no better practical example than the one offered by the fashion giant Nike.

A great campaign about the transformative power of sport

For some years now, Nike has closely linked its brand, and physical and sports activities in general, to a message of personal and social improvement. A perfect example is Dream Crazy, with its strong message of support for those who risk everything to achieve their dreams. Or the sequel Dream Crazier, about the role of women in these disciplines. In its new campaign, the sports clothing and accessories company gives a strong message about criminal life.

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The campaign follows the narrative of Kasanga, a man who was released from prison just four years ago. His story begins as a promising young soccer player, who ended up joining a local criminal gang. After eight years in jail, he left to form a youth club to prevent other teenagers from making the same mistake. In the end, the message is simple and powerful: Sport has the power to focus the energies of the little ones on something positive.

How to send a social message without causing aversion?

It is not the first time that a company has carried out a similar campaign with this type of message. While the video of him was closer to comedy than drama, Safe Auto addressed deep social inequality by promoting its car insurance. Pure Leaf instead tried to make the public understand that it is okay to say no in both personal and professional life. And as part of its rebranding, Durex intends to address more serious issues in sexuality.

All of these initiatives, including the Nike campaign, share two characteristics. First, they talk about very urgent social issues today, which are crucial in public discussion. But second, and more importantly, the message they're trying to share doesn't sound forced. It does not seem that it is trying to scold or educate the population. On the contrary, they give a feeling of opening the discussion to a more public forum, where everyone participates.

This is crucial as consumers do not like to feel judged either by brands or by anyone else. A social message, in this format, has no effect if the first reaction it provokes is dislike. That's why this type of campaign is so great, when it goes well. It shows that it is also possible to be subtle and send decisive messages to consumers. Not only to motivate them to buy, but also to improve their social environment.