Art of storytelling in the digital age

Videos have to connect with users, say experts. Keep them short, simple

Keep the message short and simple, especially if it is meant for mobile, said Rapha Vasconcellos, head of creative shop, Asia Pacific, Facebook, at Goafest on Saturday.

Addressing the who’s who of advertising and marketing, Vasconcellos said in India, with patchy mobile networks, short videos were the best to drive home a brand’s viewpoint. He added that smartphones could be great creative tools, especially in India — the second-biggest smartphone market after the US.

The three-day annual extravaganza for advertising and marketing ended on Saturday.

Vasconcellos has worked in Brazil and the US. He said that on social media, people were looking for authentic connections and meaningful interactions within groups.

“Small brands are rapidly teaching us how to rethink our craft, especially in areas of mobile and digital communication,” he added. Facebook’s creative shop is a specialist unit, working with brands to create communication for digital, social and mobile platforms.

Vasconcellos said being creatively agile was helpful when people’s attention spans were short.

“There is so much choice available today on the web, that many do not know where to start,” he said, adding: “It works if you simply breakdown your piece of communication. That way it will last longer.” Another speaker for the day was Samuel Akesson, art director at Forsman and Bodenfors, a Swedish advertising agency, best known for its work for brands such as Uber and Volvo. This agency also

believes in empowering employees, allowing trainee copywriters and art directors to work on big brands.

Akesson highlighted that the best creative work could come from professionals who took responsibility and had courage.