cu‘How can we make sure that a 60-second trailer speaks to everyone?’ is a question I get asked all too often. ‘How do we make sure that a short narrative strikes a chord with all?’

“Let’s get one thing straight here — there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all short-form content. Powerful storytelling is about precision.”

Short-form storytelling is often seen as a numbers game: more reach, more engagement, more everything. But in this thoughtful piece, Wonderhatch’s Gigi Riddle flips the narrative. She argues that real success in the 60-second format isn’t about casting the widest net — it’s about crafting content that resonates deeply with the right people.

She points to Burberry’s acclaimed outerwear campaign as a masterclass in how to speak directly and meaningfully to your audience. Through authentic scenes of familiar British faces — like Lil Simz and Olivia Colman — simply living their lives in signature trench coats, Burberry achieves something far more powerful than just a pretty ad: emotional relevance.

This ethos also shaped Wonderhatch’s approach to the 2024 BFI London Film Festival trailer. Faced with the challenge of representing a wide range of films in a single, cohesive piece, the team didn’t try to merge narratives. Instead, they celebrated cinema itself. The trailer, cut with visceral pacing and emotionally charged moments, includes a striking beat where actress Thomasin McKenzie turns to camera and says: “Without you, none of this works.” It lands like a direct address — because in that moment, it is.

“It’s not about positioning your brand in the hero role,” Riddle writes, echoing insights from Deloitte. “It’s often the smallest, unconscious details that speak the loudest.”

The most powerful short-form content doesn’t try to say everything. It says the right thing to the right people — and lets the work do the talking.

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