Up the Stakes to Make Your Viewer Care

Most brand videos are safe. They’re pleasant, polished, say the right things, feature a nice drone shot or two, and end on a calmly animating logo.

But here’s the problem: safe is forgettable. And boring.

If you want your script to actually connect - to hold someone’s attention and stick in their brain long after they scroll away - then it needs more than nice lighting and some upbeat music. It needs tension. Stakes. A little something to keep the viewer wondering: ‘what happens next?’

In other words: your script needs jeopardy.

Wait - what’s jeopardy got to do with branding?

Jeopardy isn’t just for action movies and Bake Off finales. In storytelling terms, it simply means: something is at stake. There’s something to win, something to lose, something that could go wrong. Or not happen at all.

Even in a 30-second explainer or a piece of social media content, jeopardy keeps people watching. It creates curiosity. It makes the brain say ‘I need to know how this ends.’

And in brand storytelling, that’s gold dust.

For example:

The ‘Before’ that actually feels risky

Not just ‘here’s a problem we solve,’ but: ‘here’s what happens if you ignore this problem.’

Don’t be afraid to lean into frustration, loss, hassle, or missed opportunity. That’s what makes the solution feel valuable.

The clock is ticking

Deadlines. Limited supply. Real-time decisions. Even subtle time pressure can add tension. ‘The system goes down. The team panics. The right tool saves the day.’

That’s more than a software demo, it’s a story.

An underdog worth rooting for

Give us someone to care about. Maybe it’s a stressed-out manager. Or a small brand punching above its weight. Or a customer trying to make life a little better. If we feel something might not work out for them…we’re hooked.

But we’re just selling (x)…

That’s exactly why you need a story.

You might be selling B2B software, a new energy drink, or plant food. It doesn’t matter. The human brain loves tension and resolution. A touch of drama, or a reason to care. That’s what makes content engaging, not just informative.

Your video can be professional and still have stakes. You’re not writing EastEnders. You’re writing something that makes a case. And every good case needs a ‘what if we don’t?’

How to add jeopardy without adding cheese

Done badly, jeopardy can feel a bit contrived. So how do you keep it grounded?

Focus on real-life friction

What’s genuinely annoying, costly or risky if your product isn’t used?

Use tone-appropriate stakes

Don’t go full apocalypse if the worst-case scenario is just wasting time.

Build tension early

Open with the problem, not with the product.

Let the pictures carry the tension

Sometimes a quiet pause or a character’s expression does more than dramatic music ever could.

Conflict = interest

If your video starts at the solution and stays there, you’ve missed the opportunity to hook your audience.

Give us something to wonder about. Something that might go wrong. Someone who needs help. Even just a hint of jeopardy gives your script momentum - and that’s what keeps people watching, caring, and ultimately buying.