Video Is No Longer Optional—It's Expected

According to a recent Wyzowl report, 91% of consumers want to see more video content from brands, and 86% of marketers say video has helped increase traffic to their website. Whether it's short-form content on TikTok and Reels, long-form storytelling on YouTube, or live video on LinkedIn or Instagram, video continues to dominate engagement metrics across every platform.

Why? Because video humanizes a brand. It tells a story faster, drives stronger emotional reactions, and performs better with modern social media algorithms. Meta's own data shows that video posts on Facebook have a 135% greater organic reach than photo posts.

User-Generated Content: The Authentic Engine of Trust

In parallel, UGC has become one of the most trusted and effective formats in digital marketing. Consumers are 2.4x more likely to view UGC as authentic compared to branded content, and UGC-based ads get 4x higher click-through rates. With growing skepticism toward overly polished content, users now seek content that feels human, real, and relatable.

Brands like GoPro, Glossier, and Duolingo have skyrocketed by placing their audience at the center of their content strategies. For instance, Duolingo’s TikTok presence, built largely around community-inspired humor and UGC trends, has earned over 8 million followers and transformed the perception of the brand from just a language app to a cultural icon.

Even luxury brands like Gucci and Balenciaga are experimenting with lo-fi, TikTok-style content that taps into memes, trends, and community voices, recognizing that authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection.

Case Study: Starbucks' "White Cup Contest"

Starbucks invited customers to doodle on their iconic white cups and share photos on social media. The result? Over 4,000 UGC submissions in just three weeks, widespread organic exposure, and increased brand affinity, all driven by simple participation and storytelling.

How MORE Delivers UGC-Driven Video Campaigns

At MORE, we’ve embraced the shift toward authentic, performance-driven video content. Our approach blends the professional capabilities of our in-house production studios with the real-world impact of UGC-style storytelling.

Here’s how we do it:

• Content Strategy Aligned with Social Behavior: We develop content that mirrors the way audiences actually consume and interact with media, short, engaging, trend-aware, and relatable.

• UGC Campaign Activations: We help brands activate their communities to create content—through challenges, giveaways, or branded prompts, then curate and repurpose that content for maximum reach.

• Creator Collaboration: We work with micro- and nano-influencers to generate semi-professional UGC that feels native to each platform, while staying on-brand.

• Studio-Quality + Raw Aesthetic: Whether shooting in our kitchen studio, podcast space, or on-location, we ensure every piece of content finds the right balance between visual appeal and real-world authenticity.

The Bottom Line

Video and UGC are no longer just “nice-to-haves”, they’re the currency of attention in today’s digital economy. They outperform traditional content, build trust faster, and help brands scale their message organically.

Brands that recognize this shift—and build strategies around real people, real voices, and real stories, are the ones that will stand out, build loyalty, and win the next generation of customers.