“Our video just doesn’t stand out.”
I hear this a lot. And when I ask to see the video, it’s usually well-shot, well-edited, professionally done. The problem isn’t the production. It’s that the video could be anyone’s.
A quick facility montage. Talking figure heads from the C-Suite: “We’ve been in business X years. We’re industry leaders. We deliver quality and service.” A happy customer soundbite. And somewhere in there, a shot of people shaking hands in a conference room.
It’s not wrong. But it’s forgettable.
This differentiation problem isn't unique to video. We see it across industrial B2B marketing. But video is where it shows up most obviously, because there's nowhere to hide.
Even the most well-shot, well-edited, and professionally done videos are subject to this, meaning it’s not a production problem. It’s a strategy problem, and it comes down to a few things working against us.
A video that blends in with everything else isn’t just failing to differentiate. It’s wasting your marketing dollars. Plus, it’s making it impossible for your buyers to truly evaluate you against your competition.
“What specific audience question or objection does this video need to answer?”
This reframe changes everything, because the answer is almost never, “We’re a great company with happy customers.” It’s something that actually maps to what a buyer is thinking when they are trying to decide.
A video that answers “why should we switch from what we’re already using?” requires a completely different approach than one that answers “what makes you different?” The first needs to understand the friction of change—the fear, the hassle, the risk—and speak directly to it. The second one needs to say something specific enough that it actually lands, not just “we’re better.”
Or think about this. A video designed to prove “companies like ours have succeeded with you” needs evidence. That’s a testimonial video, but must be more specific than a customer saying “we love working with them.” Prospective customers need to know that you get them and that you’ve solved challenges just like theirs before.
A video meant to establish “your leadership knows this space” needs to feel like a masterclass instead of a sales pitch. It needs to make the viewer feel smarter and like they’ve learned something they didn’t know before.
Here's what this can look like in practice across different video types.
Litezilla - Product Overview
Audience question: “What can this actually do?” (Not “what is it,” but “what’s possible with it”). The video works because it resists the urge to explain specs and shows the product creating delight in real environments. The original music and rap lyrics amplify the playful and unexpected positioning.
Vollrath Mission/Vision/Purpose
Internal audience question: “What do we stand for as a company?” Works because it documents the process of figuring that out rather than presenting a polished final result.
Produce Pay - Brand Video
Audience question: "Why does this company exist?" (The founder's "why," not the product's "what"). Works because most B2B brand videos lead with the solution; this one leads with the problem the founder couldn't ignore.
Start with the audience question, and the format, tone, and structure will follow.
This is pre-production strategy work. Skip it, and even the best-produced video won’t move the needle. Start there, and everything else gets easier.
Tired of video that looks like everyone else's? Let's figure out the question your next video should answer. Get in touch.
Jim Taugher is CEO & Executive Creative Director at CI Design where he creates award-winning work and leads talented teams. Outside of the office (and inside it from time to time), Jim relaxes by playing guitar and composing music.