Shrinking budgets and attention spans, tighter deadlines, and a growing list of deliverables mean commercial video creators are under more pressure than ever to produce attention-grabbing content. But these challenges also present opportunities to push creative boundaries, embrace new resources, and deliver stories that stand out.
With that in mind, the team at Filmsupply – a footage licensing platform that helps fuel 15,000 commercial projects per year – identified three standout approaches from The Commercial Filmmaking Trend Report | 2025 that video creators and marketers should incorporate into their work.
New Points of View
Truly effective commercial filmmaking creates a visual language that feels personal and draws viewers into the narrative. As younger generations mature into consumers with economic power, brands are adopting new techniques to strike emotional chords with their audiences. Creators are changing the way they frame content – figuratively and literally – to capture short attention spans and send viewers on a journey that ultimately results in sales and feelings of loyalty.
Dynamic camera movements and framing are essential to attract the attention of audiences that quickly grow bored or distracted. Technological advancements like smaller cameras, FPV drones, probe lenses and robotic arms can capture points of view that content creators could only dream of utilizing a few years ago.
One of the most effective techniques is to shift from a third-person, omniscient perspective to tell the story from the protagonist's point of view. Such a shift gives the audience a rooting interest in how the content plays out. That perspective change can help a brand competing in a crowded advertising space stand out. Starbucks took this technique to a higher level, effectively switching protagonists from a barista to a customer with the “It Starts With You” campaign. Similarly, marketers have also found success portraying their goods and services through the viewpoint of an inanimate object, which helps consumers see a story in a new way.
This ability to break from traditional storytelling can pleasantly surprise audiences, creating emotional bonds in the process. The appreciation of the creativity resonates long after the video is viewed. When the consumer is ready to make a purchase, they’ll remember the extra effort and potentially reward the brand with their business.
Keeping It Real
Long ago, Apple famously used an imaginative “1984”-inspired Super Bowl spot directed by Ridley Scott to promote its then-new line of computers. In 2025, brands are taking the opposite approach by mimicking documentary filmmaking.
Docu-style video projects inherently feel more real to audiences. And that’s an important selling point, as today’s audiences want to believe that the brands they shop share the same values. That process starts with building trust through visuals, as today’s audiences demand genuine, inclusive stories that reflect the world as it is and want to see characters they can identify with.
A more recent Super Bowl spot highlights this dramatic shift. In 2023, The Farmer's Dog stood out with its acclaimed advertisement “Forever,” which showed why nothing matters more to dog owners than their years together with their furry best friend.
Taking Your Best Shot
While quick-cutting video ads can be effective, brands can also find success with seemingly simple visuals. A single, deliberate shot combined with an engaging tagline provides the time and space for audiences to stop and think. In these rare moments, the visuals and messaging can sink in, creating a lasting impact.
IKEA’s award-winning campaign “Proudly Second Best” demonstrates the art of simplicity.
One-shot ads slow the pace, adding intrigue so that viewers won’t look away.
The campaign has drawn high praise for its unconventional nature. Its theme positions parents of newborn children as the story’s heroes instead of IKEA’s products. The video ads are instantly relatable to parents, creating the possibility that the next time they shop for furniture or home goods, they’ll recall how IKEA uniquely understands their situations and potentially visit the brand’s brick-and-mortar stores or its website.
The brands that seek to make lasting emotional connections over the next year through new visual perspectives will be the ones that capture their audiences’ attention. Learn more about the trends Filmsupply is seeing in the full report.
