When “show, don’t tell” backfires

I’ve been in production for 15 years now and sometimes friends ask for my professional opinion on a creative piece. 

Most recently, a friend who heads up marketing for an outdoor industry apparel company sent me a video they’d made showcasing their company and asked for feedback. I told her the truth—it didn’t work. 

And here’s why: 

It was confusing. There were visually interesting style elements—but they overshadowed the messaging. As an active outdoor person, I am the target audience and yet because it wasn’t reaching me in any way, I felt excluded. Not good. 

We see this a lot. Cool visuals, unclear content. What is this commercial/ad for?! 

I asked her some basic questions about who their target audience is and the top two takeaways she’d want a viewer to know. She responded that their company used sustainable resources and developed products specifically fitted for women. Those are noteworthy qualities!  The visuals included beautiful mountain-scapes and some inviting clips of women around a campfire laughing. 

It looked fun but it didn’t work. Or at least it didn’t tell the remarkable story of what her company was doing in a way that made me want to know more and potentially support them. 

What are the main takeaways the viewer should understand about your product/service? 

How do you want them to feel? 

Then create the story with that in mind at all times and ensure the visuals support it.