Authentic Video Marketing Has Nothing to Do with Production Value
Authenticity was a big deal before artificial intelligence entered the picture. These days, we’re all craving it.
One of the easiest places to spot authenticity (or the lack of authenticity) in brand marketing is with videos. You can see someone’s expression and hear how they deliver a line. You can also feel when they’re going through the motions. Most of all, you get a sneaking suspicion whenever something feels less than real.
As marketers, we want viewers to believe us. As viewers, we know someone is trying to sell us something. Authenticity gives us a reason to trust the people behind the pitch and feel connected to the brand producing the project.
What makes a marketing video authentic?
When most marketers imagine an authentic video, the first thing that comes to mind is user-generated content and influencer videos on TikTok. But authenticity can be faked.
Have you ever wondered why so many influencers pinch those little fuzzy lavalier mics in their videos? That’s an example of “staged authenticity.” The goal is to look casual and spontaneous, even though there are talking points to follow and specific product shots to get.
Real authenticity comes from moments that remind us we’re human, and so are the people on the screen. It doesn’t have anything to do with your microphone choice, what camera you use, or how much you spent to produce the video.
A shaky, DIY video recorded on your iPhone can still lack authenticity. In fact, it could be filled with corporate jargon and calculated buzzwords. A video with a big budget and special effects can ring true with viewers. Why is that?
Lack of polish doesn’t make marketing videos more authentic and believable. What you really need to ask is, “What’s being polished away?”
How Slack made an authentic B2B marketing video
It’s been more than a decade since Sandwich Video produced a piece for Slack just as the messaging app was on the rise to becoming a standard tool of everyday work. This video is a classic example of authenticity with high production value.
The video is 100% scripted, although it reflects the mockumentary style of The Office complete with dry, self-deprecating, deadpan humor. It also features immaculate lighting, tracking shots, graphic overlays, and well-written jokes.
Yet, the tone of this video feels extremely authentic. Even the title, “So Yeah, We Tried Slack…” keeps it real while still signalling what the video covers. The skepticism of the agency owner, the different personalities in the workplace, and the ways people communicate and use Slack differently, all feels very human and relatable. And that’s what makes it authentic.
An unscripted version of this video could have come off as stiff and rehearsed. But instead it leaves the viewer feeling like they recognize the people and situations, even when they know it was all done for show.
How Patagonia portrayed authenticity with high production value
While everyone else is chasing short-format, low-budget videos, Patagonia is going in the opposite direction. It produces documentaries about people connecting with the outdoors and the result is beautiful.
The 2026 documentary project, Oly’s Dean, follows a family with a remote fishing lodge on the Dean River in British Columbia. Much of the piece focuses on nine-year-old Oly chasing toads through the woods.
The captivating film is nearly 20 minutes long with more than 100,000 views, defying the idea that YouTube viewers have short attention spans. It also contains incredible cinematography, helicopter shots of the vast wilderness, and a soundtrack.
There’s no question this production cost a pretty penny. And it features a lifestyle most of us don’t live. Yet it’s oozing with authenticity because it’s real. A real family experiencing life together as a child and parents.
There’s no need for a pitch or CTA beyond some strategic Patagonia product placement. Instead, this video sends the message that this brand believes the same things its customers believe.
How Mailgun turned a rough interview into an authentic video
Our friends at Sinch Mailgun have an example of a B2B case study video that’s full of authentic personality because of what they chose not to polish away.
It started with a remote interview that was intended for a text-based case study with Casey Henry, the CTO of the audience research tool SparkToro. No one was there to set up three-point lighting, hold a boom mic, or yell out “action.” But the team behind it found a way to tell an authentic and engaging story that keeps you watching. And that’s more than most case study videos can say.
One of the many reasons this video feels so authentic is that editors and producers consciously chose to leave in some very human moments. A cat enters the frame during a video call and flusters the product marketer. Casey Henry complains and even curses (they bleep it out).
The authenticity does not come from the fact that the quality of the interview footage was lower than what we saw in Slack and Patagonia’s big-budget videos. It comes across as authentic because the people being interviewed were being themselves, being honest, and keeping it real.
How WP Rocket makes scripted how-to videos feel authentic
With technical how-to videos, you’re facing a different challenge. A launch video, a mini-documentary, and a case study all have formats that can lean heavily on storytelling. But a how-to video needs to be relatable while quickly getting to the point.
These types of videos need someone who understands what the viewer is trying to do and why they’re stuck. WP Rocket uses the same host across many of the videos on its YouTube channel, giving viewers a familiar face to associate with useful advice.
Familiarity gives viewers a chance to see consistency. Over several tutorial videos and shorts, they get to know the host’s personality, way of explaining things, and approach to helping them. That repeated experience makes the video content feel authentic and believable.
The script is just as important. In this video, the host acknowledges a big problem that many website owners are dealing with. She empathizes, tells them they’re not alone, then reassures the viewers they’re about to get answers. The target audience feels that they know this person and she knows them, which creates a connection.
That connection can come through in a fully-scripted studio video. The human moment is the relief of being understood, followed by the confidence to take the next step.
Authenticity comes from what you make your viewers feel
We’re living in a world where deep fakes and cheezy AI videos flood our feeds every day. Sometimes brands take things too far and end up eroding trust. That doesn’t feel so good.
Big brands like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola experienced backlash for holiday ad campaigns with AI-generated content. People disliked these ads because they felt inauthentic compared to what they’d grown to expect. The Coca-Cola polar bears were never real animals. But the affection, humor, and warmth they conveyed still felt real… until it didn’t.
A scripted joke, an animated character, or a carefully-edited interview can connect with viewers. So can a hastily-recorded smartphone video. The reason you want to produce authentic B2B marketing videos is the feeling those videos bring up. And that feeling is trust.
Video gives you a chance to demonstrate authenticity and build trust. Whether you film on an iPhone or in a professional studio, show them you’re real and give viewers a reason to believe in your brand.
