The Power of Premium Customer Stories
For Ad Platforms
DECLINING TRUST
AI is everywhere. In April this year, 74.2% of new web pages included AI content (Ahrefs), and since May, our feeds have been filled with synthetic video from Google’s Veo 3. As the tech improves, distinguishing between a deepfake and a human original is harder than ever. It’s no surprise that consumer trust is falling.
This trend is also changing marketing. Advertisers are keen to use AI to drive efficiencies and create content at scale. But consumers aren’t convinced: according to Exclaimer, 80% of consumers say that an overuse of AI in comms would make them consider switching brands. This anxiety can also be traced to private chat rooms and closed communities.
This growing scepticism doesn’t just affect brands, it affects the platforms they rely on. Consumers are harder to win over, which forces advertisers to question where and how they spend. They need an ad platform they can understand and rely on.
r/marketing
THE POWER OF CUSTOMER STORIES
Storytelling is one of the most effective tools in marketing. As Robert McKee put it, stories are “the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.”
Success stories told by real customers boost credibility through third-party validation. They’re powerful because they offer an unbiased, human perspective:
72% of consumers say customer success stories increase their trust in a company (Big Commerce)
97% of B2B customers say testimonials and peer recommendations are the most reliable type of content (Demand Gen Report)
The number one thing that consumers want from brands is authenticity. (Smartly Report)
This growing scepticism doesn’t just affect brands, it affects the platforms they rely on. Consumers are harder to win over, which forces advertisers to question where and how they spend. They need an ad platform they can understand and rely on.
The State of Digital Creative
Smartly Report
PREMIUM VIDEO STORYTELLING
We help ad platforms to bring to life the success stories of their customers with premium videos, which are centred on human experience.
Here are some examples of our work.
Google Ads needed to show small and medium-sized business owners how their ad products could help them grow.
We told the story of Berwick Shellfish, a family-run seafood company in Northumberland. They specialise in live shellfish and fresh lobsters, selling throughout Europe and online for the British market. They used Ads to attract new customers and scale their online sales.
We created a film that was cinematic, but which maintained a documentary-style aesthetic in order to deliver a premium finish but stay true to the real human story.
Google Ads Stories: Berwick Shellfish
Google Ads
Taboola needed to show medium-sized businesses that it was a serious alternative to closed ad ecosystems. Many didn’t fully understand how the platform could help them grow.
We told the story of Blinkist, a Berlin based start-up that specializes in distilling complex concepts from non-fiction books into easy-to-understand fifteen-minute summaries. People access them by downloading the Blinkist app and experience them on their phone either as text or audio. They used Taboola to reach new customers, gain interest in their business and drive sales.
We brought the story to life in a premium film which captured the passion of the people behind the business.
Blinkist App Finds Fast Growth with Taboola
Taboola
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Over years of crafting customer stories for ad platforms, we’ve landed on four key principles:
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Tell a story — in tech, stories with beginnings, middles and ends make abstract benefits tangible and credible.
Keep it human — relatable people with genuine experiences build trust. As synthetic content rises, real people become more valuable.
Reflect diversity — featuring a range of voices broadens relevance and builds trust with more audiences.
Explore how authentic storytelling can help your platform win trust where it matters most. Get in touch here.