In today’s fast-paced marketplace, both Chicago and Cincinnati companies are seeking new ways to rise above the noise, build brand loyalty, and authentically connect with their audiences. One of the most powerful tools at their disposal? A Chicago corporate brand film or a Cincinnati corporate brand film should not only explain what the company does—but tells a story that inspires action.
At Barking Squirrel Media, with offices in both Chicago and Cincinnati, we specialize in creating emotionally powerful, strategy-driven brand films that speak to the heart of a company’s mission. But after years of producing films for global manufacturers, nonprofits, tech startups, and service organizations, we’ve noticed that many organizations are still overlooking three essential ingredients.
If you’re planning a Chicago corporate brand film or a Cincinnati corporate brand film, here are the three things you might be missing—and how to fix them to ensure your investment drives real business value.
1. Chicago Corporate Brand Films Must Prioritize Emotion Over Information
(And Cincinnati Corporate Brand Films Should Too)
Too many brand videos focus on “what” a company does rather than “why” it matters.
In Chicago, where global corporations and startups compete side by side, and in Cincinnati, where community-driven innovation thrives, standing out requires more than listing services or showcasing office shots. It requires storytelling that evokes emotion.
🎬 Why Emotion Matters in a Corporate Brand Film
Emotion makes people care. Emotion drives decisions. It’s what makes your audience hit “share,” remember your brand, or apply for that open position.
Whether we’re producing a Chicago corporate brand film for a logistics company or a Cincinnati corporate brand film for a non-profit, our goal is the same: uncover a human story that reveals the company’s soul.
At Barking Squirrel Media, we use a Discovery Process to find these stories. We ask:
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Why was your company founded?
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Who are the people behind the mission?
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What challenge are you trying to solve in the world?
By exploring these questions, we unearth the emotional core of your brand—and that’s what drives powerful storytelling.
✅ How to Make Your Brand Film More Emotional
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Show, Don’t Tell: Capture real people, not scripted actors. Let them speak in their own words.
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Use a Mini-Documentary Format: This style builds empathy and authenticity, perfect for both Cincinnati’s community-based culture and Chicago’s human-centered innovation.
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Tell a Transformation Story: What changed because of your work? That’s the emotional hook.
Client Example: A Chicago-based B2B tech company hired us to create a brand film. Instead of focusing on features, we followed a client who used their platform to transform their business. The emotional payoff? Trust, growth, and leads.
2. Your Chicago Corporate Brand Film Needs to Be Part of a Content Ecosystem
(And So Does Your Cincinnati Corporate Brand Film)
Many companies view their corporate brand film as a single, self-contained project. But smart brands in Chicago and Cincinnati treat their film as the foundation for ongoing content creation.
🔁 Why a Brand Film Should Fuel a Full Strategy
Imagine this: you invest in a high-quality Chicago corporate brand film, but only publish it on your website. No teaser videos. No social media snippets. No recruitment edits. That’s like launching a beautiful website and never updating it again.
When we produce a Cincinnati corporate brand film or a video in Chicago, we plan for repurposing from the start. Our shoots are designed to generate a suite of micro-content assets that can be used across:
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LinkedIn and Instagram
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Paid ad campaigns
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HR recruitment pages
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Sales presentations
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Internal culture videos
This multiplies your ROI—and expands your story’s reach far beyond a single platform.
✅ How to Build an Ecosystem from Your Brand Film
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Map Every Content Opportunity: Think about how each department can use the footage.
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Build Cutdowns with Purpose: We create :15, :30, and :60 versions tailored for different channels.
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Localize Your Content: Include skyline shots, city landmarks, or regional team members to make your film resonate with local audiences in Chicago or Cincinnati.
Pro Tip: For your Chicago corporate brand film, show scenes of daily life in the Loop or Fulton Market. For your Cincinnati corporate brand film, feature your team at Findlay Market or along the Ohio River. Audiences feel closer to a brand when they see themselves in it.
3. Your Cincinnati or Chicago Corporate Brand Film Lacks Clear Strategic Objectives
This is the biggest blind spot we see: brand films that look good but aren’t tied to specific business outcomes.
Before we pick up a camera at Barking Squirrel Media, we sit down with clients to ask:
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What does success look like?
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What problems are you solving with this video?
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What do you want the audience to feel, do, or believe?
Only when we understand the business challenge do we develop a creative strategy for the Chicago or Cincinnati corporate brand film.
🎯 Why Strategy-Driven Films Win
When a video is emotionally engaging and strategically focused, it performs. That might mean:
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Increasing brand trust among B2B buyers
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Attracting younger talent in a competitive hiring market
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Enhancing credibility for procurement pitches
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Driving traffic to a new product or service
Every shot, soundbite, and call-to-action in your film should be mapped to a measurable goal.
✅ How to Anchor Your Brand Film to Real Business Results
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Set SMART KPIs: “Increase qualified leads from Chicago by 25% in Q4” is a better goal than “raise awareness.”
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Use Analytics Tools: Platforms like Wistia and Vidyard track viewer engagement and conversion.
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Optimize for Search: Use titles and descriptions that include “Chicago corporate brand film” or “Cincinnati corporate brand film” for improved local SEO performance.
Client Result: After launching a Barking Squirrel-produced Cincinnati corporate brand film, a regional healthcare company saw a 40% increase in job applications and a 3x boost in LinkedIn engagement—all tied to clearly defined hiring goals.
Why Barking Squirrel Media Is the Right Partner for Your Cincinnati or Chicago Corporate Brand Film
With full-service teams in both Cincinnati and Chicago, Barking Squirrel Media is uniquely positioned to help Midwest companies stand out with cinematic, story-driven, and results-focused brand films.
Our secret? We don’t just make videos.
We craft brand experiences that move people.
Whether you’re a Chicago-based B2B enterprise or a Cincinnati nonprofit making a local impact, we’ll uncover your authentic voice, bring it to life through film, and strategically deliver it to your ideal audience.
🎥 What Sets Us Apart
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Corporate Mini-Documentary Expertise: Deep emotional storytelling with business alignment
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Cinematic Quality: RED V-Raptor 8K camera systems and full grip & lighting setups
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SEO-Focused Distribution: Every project includes metadata and strategy for local search visibility
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Repurposable Content Strategy: One shoot, multiple assets across platforms
Let’s Bring Your Brand Story to Life—In a Cincinnati or Chicago Corporate Brand Film
If you’re ready to move beyond generic corporate videos and start telling stories that matter, let’s talk.
We’d love to create a Chicago corporate brand film or a Cincinnati corporate brand film that captures your vision, elevates your impact, and delivers real ROI.
📍 Chicago Office: [Link to Contact Page]
📍 Cincinnati Office: [Link to Contact Page]
📞 888.274.5750
🌐 www.barkingsquirrelmedia.com
Contact Dr. David K Bray Directly
