The world is oversaturated with information spreading from every source. In such conditions, grabbing a person’s attention, especially when it comes to social issues, is not easy. Consider how hard commercial companies fight for consumers’ attention when selling their products. So, what about nonprofits? It takes a great deal of creativity and emotional storytelling skills to stand out and be seen as an NGO.
There is a way out. Nonprofit videos can be a way to the audience’s heart. A compelling story can drive charity impact, inspire people, and connect with viewers on a deeper level.
Let us share the best nonprofit videos we loved at Blue Carrot and explain their appeal. 🤓
Summary
- The impact of video on nonprofit success
- 10 best nonprofit organization videos
- How Blue Carrot сan help your business
The impact of video on nonprofit success
Before we dive into the list of the best nonprofit organization videos, let’s discuss why video content is used for nonprofit organizations.
There are several reasons to turn to videos for nonprofit marketing. These include:
- Clearly conveying the NGO’s message through vivid characters and emotional situations.
- Building a deeper emotional connection with viewers.
- Making nonprofit branding memorable and associated with specific characters, music, slogans, and animation styles.
- Highlighting social issues through concrete examples and situations makes them more relatable than distant or abstract problems.
- Explaining various issues and phenomena in a clear and engaging way, using animation, examples, and real-life stories instead of theory. This approach makes events and phenomena more understandable and encourages viewers to empathize while raising awareness.
- Some of the best nonprofit fundraising videos can drive donor engagement and motivate them to help those in need.
So, there seem to be many reasons to give video content for nonprofits a shot. Before getting into the video creation process, let us share some impactful video campaigns for inspiration.
10 best nonprofit organization videos
These are the top 10 nonprofit video examples that the Blue Carrot team selected. Be it for the diverse characters, exciting animation style, relatable storytelling, empathizing content, or some other reason.
📌 Epilepsiforbundet
This video raises awareness about epilepsy and features diverse characters that can be relatable to viewers from various backgrounds, professions, life paths, and hobbies. Interestingly, the stories are based on real members of the organization, making them more authentic and engaging.
What’s more, a specific social issue, epilepsy, in this case, is explained through personal life stories. Rather than presenting it as an abstract concept, the video showcases characters living with the condition, helping to normalize and destigmatize epilepsy in a relatable and impactful way.
📌 Because we care
Telling personal stories is always the key to nonprofit storytelling in video campaigns. A focus on one person’s story makes this nonprofit video more emotional, allowing the viewer to experience a crisis alongside the character. The audience can better understand what motivated the character to establish the initiative and how participating in it will help others. This approach highlights not just an abstract NGO, but also the person behind the organization and their personal mission.
The vivid, watercolor-style animation grabs attention and creates a warmer, cozier feeling as viewers watch the illustrations being brought to life. Seeing the animation drawn by the illustrator helps the plot come alive as the watercolors spread across each newly drawn illustration. This artistic style adds an inviting touch to the overall message.
📌 Punahou global aloha
Who says campaign videos have to be all serious and dramatic? Global Aloha’s video campaign proves that doing good can be fun, as their animated video perfectly demonstrates. The video maintains a relaxed, positive vibe throughout, with dynamic visuals and uplifting Hawaiian music.
The background and objects in the video are distinctly Hawaiian, tying in beautifully with the theme and the NGO’s name, Aloha. Colorful animation and friendly characters guide viewers through the rules of the Aloha platform in an engaging way. It’s a great example of how to introduce guidelines in a lighthearted yet effective manner.
📌 NGO bryd tavsheden
A unique animation style that immediately captures the viewer’s attention is one of this video’s strengths. In under 30 seconds, it delivers a powerful message by portraying the struggle of someone hiding their psychological state behind a metaphorical mask. This makes it an excellent awareness campaign for highlighting child abuse.
📌 UNICEF what’s on your mind
Mission-driven content in videos doesn’t have to be all “serious,” nor does it have to be too complex or overly elaborate either. A campaign video can be simple and straightforward, using a naive animation style and clear, easy-to-understand language.
This video targets children, so it only makes sense to use simple language and a cute, basic animation style. Plus, the voiceover is done by a child, making it even more relatable for young viewers.
📌 Rethinking ‘did not attend’
This video also features a child narrator, adding emotional depth to what might seem like a mundane issue — hospital paperwork. The touching story illustrates how even a small change in phrasing can profoundly impact children who lack sufficient parental care. By focusing on a young patient’s missed appointment, the video encourages healthcare workers to empathize and consider the child’s background.
The video is structured in two parts: the first is a sentimental story told by the child, and the second provides clear instructions for professionals through an adult voiceover. This approach blends emotion with practical guidance, achieving emotional engagement and informative communication.
📌 See dyslexia differently
We have mentioned before that introducing a set of characters that different user demographics can relate to is a good idea for conveying a message effectively.
This video features a diverse range of characters, each with unique hobbies, talents, and appearances, to emphasize that dyslexia is not an illness but rather a difference. This approach allows every young viewer to find a character they can relate to.
Through animation, the video visually mimics how people with dyslexia perceive letters, showing them jumping or morphing on the screen.
The struggles of children with dyslexia are depicted in familiar, everyday situations, such as playing hide and seek. Each characteristic of dyslexia — whether a strength or a challenge — is illustrated through concrete examples, making the message more relatable and easier to understand for the audience.
📌 Disability etiquette
A likable narrator or main character is a great approach for evoking an emotional response. Who better to fill that role than a friendly golden retriever? That’s precisely what this nonprofit video creator went for.
This video uses cutout animation with a watercolor effect, creating a vibrant and cheerful background for the information shared by the narrator about disability etiquette.
Each suggestion is reinforced by animations showcasing characters representing various types of disabilities, helping to illustrate the concepts in an engaging and relatable way. And, of course, viewers are kindly walked through by a golden retriever narrator.
📌 Antibiotics usage
Another way to grasp viewers’ attention is through unique, vivid visuals. Why not stand out with an engaging animation style? This animated video features a hand-drawn, grease pencil style that instantly catches the viewer’s eye.
Medication use is a complex topic, often filled with technical terminology and intricate explanations. This video’s ability to simplify the information on using antibiotics safely makes it valuable. It incorporates concrete examples of individuals affected by antibiotic overuse, helping viewers grasp the dangers of unnecessary usage. By presenting relatable situations, the video encourages viewers to empathize with those impacted, making the case for responsible antibiotic use more compelling.
📌 What is diabetes
This video tackles a complex medical theme, explaining the mechanism of diabetes to those unfamiliar with the topic. To break it down step by step, the creators divided the video into several chapters, each focusing on a different aspect.
The vivid animation brings the body’s processes to life in a simplified and engaging way, making the information easier to understand and more enjoyable to watch, qualifying this work as a top nonprofit video.
How Blue Carrot сan help your business
The most attentive readers might have noticed that we included several Blue Carrot videos in the rating above. Please don’t take it as bragging, and we are not claiming to have made the best nonprofit organizational video ever. Still, our animation team works hard to communicate with the NGOs, learn about their work, mission, and goals, and deliver an engaging, stylish, and informative video. So why not share their work?
Since we know how video for nonprofits is created from the first contact with the client to the final product, we can share what makes each one special and pinpoint the nuances that can be useful for those looking to get their campaign, testimonial, or fundraising videos.
Take an example of our work with the United Nations OCHA. We combined animation and real photos to educate viewers about the difficult situation of children in the east of Ukraine and call for humanitarian help. Our animation team balanced between precise facts and personal stories to inform and engage viewers. We added maps, photos, and animations of individual stories to deliver an all-encompassing story that speaks to a viewer.
Ready to change lives with impactful nonprofit video content?
Let’s start brainstorming ideas together. 🥕
