Each month Be On rates the top 5 global pieces of branded video content. Be On's ranking is based on an internally developed scorecard, where the videos are evaluated based on six general criteria (Instant Attractions, Audience Retention, Storytelling, Shareability, Production, Overall campaign) measuring the campaign's online success.
The rating is from 1-10, where 1 is the lowest.
1. Unicef, "storybook wedding"
Score: 9.5
Popular culture will tell you that your wedding day should be the happiest day of your life.
Sadly, this isn’t the case for the 15 million girls Unicef estimates are forced into child marriage every year.
This hugely impactful and unsettling film exposes the reality of this situation, by showing a fictional 11-year-old bride preparing for her wedding.
Glimpses of her lace dress, tiny shoes and a teddy bear all build up to the final reveal when the 35-year-old groom lifts the veil of his child bride.
The beautiful fairytale setting reinforces the juxtaposition between what should be a joyous occasion and the grim reality.
Partnering with wedding blog ‘Bridal Musings’ to produce and host the film adds to the disturbing and unexpected nature of the content, and also sparked wide debate on the platform.
Launched to coincide with International Women’s Day, the film sent shock waves around the world and received more than 10 million views and 150,000 shares in just a few days.
A bold piece of content, which proves that brave creative ideas can be phenomenally impactful.
2. Al Jazeera, "Arunachalam Muruganantham: India's menstruation man"
Score: 9.2
State-funded broadcaster, Al Jazeera, tells the unlikely story of one man’s mission to make the perfect sanitary pad for women in India.
Arunachalam Muruganantham, the son of a handloom weaver in South India, was determined to find a solution to this growing issue in the region when he found out his wife was using old rags to deal with her menstruation.
Viewed by many within his culture as a pervert and disowned by his wife, Arunachalam continued on his mission despite all odds, becoming the proud owner of over 1,300 machines across 27 states.
Al Jazeera demonstrates its commitment to telling stories of "Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances" through this documentary, championing positivity around the world and captivating audiences.
Authentic and deeply personal, this video demonstrates the power of the individual and inspires viewers to be daring.
The video has clocked up over 168,000 views and leaves viewers wanting to know more about incredible individuals that often go under the radar.
3. Score: International Women’s Day 2016: What are you going to make?
Score: 9.0
Ahead of International Women’s Day Microsoft’s inspiring spot encouraged young girls to be daring and impactful.
Created by McCann’s M:United, the video celebrates to those female inventors who have impacted society with their imagination and hard work.
Featuring a series of onscreen interviews with real young girls, Microsoft ask them to name famous inventors throughout history.
The girls reel off names with ease, such as Benjamin Franklyn, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, but struggle to name female inventors.
But Microsoft proves it’s not all doom and gloom. Set to an uplifting track, the spot celebrates all things "woman made", emphasising the potential of these young women, encouraging them to be fearless and think big.
This brand sees the value in the personal. As part of their #MakeWhatsNext campaign, Microsoft has been sharing personal stories about young trailblazing women, such as Muriel Surmely, a high school dropout who became a designer.
4. LAN Airlines, "make Mariela's dream come true"
Score: 9.1
This beautiful and touching film from McCann and Peruvian airline, LAN, tells the story of a young girl called Mariela and her dream to "sing in the clouds."
As part of its CSR programme, LAN is opening up the world to the children living in some of Peru’s remotest villages by giving them the chance to fly for the first time.
In this particular ad, LAN flies Mariela and her family to Lima, and once they reach the perfect altitude, the captain announces that she can fulfil her dream of putting on a performance high up in the sky.
Without being overly sentimental or preachy, this inspiring piece of content is an undeniably heartwarming piece and received over one million views in its first week.
We challenge you not to shed a tear when you watch it.
5. Huggies, "the first 100 days of Murilo"
Score: 8.6
Created by ad agency Mood, nappy brand ‘Huggies’ continue its heartwarming story of one blind woman and her baby.
The spot follows the viral success of "Meeting Murilo," in which viewers were introduced to Tatiana, a blind mother-to-be, as she is gifted a 3D model of her unborn son, created from an ultrasound scan, to give her a realistic impression she otherwise would not have had.
In the follow up, Tatiana’s son Murilo is growing fast and his shrill cry combined with an emotive musical score, is certainly impactful as the video explores the relationship of mother and child through sound and touch.
The film focuses on the unconditional love a mother has for her child that transcends physical obstacles, something Huggies have explored in a number of their campaigns as they connect with empathetic viewers around the globe.
This brand is a pro when it comes to the extended narrative, using storytelling to connect a global audience.