Words and Photography by Nadine Wilmanns
Branding That Feels Human
A Romance Story Video for Engel, Filmed in Metzingen
A brand is the feeling people carry after they’ve met you, your product or service. As a branding photographer and videographer, I’ve experienced that a logo or a colour palette can add to that feeling, but the main drivers are visuals we can relate to immediately: visuals showing people in their element. That idea was very present when I filmed a short branding video for the sustainable clothing brand Engel, on location in Metzingen.
Filming a romance story on location in Metzingen
The scene is simple: a couple who are glad to see each other again.
We filmed on Hugo Boss Platz in Outletcity Metzingen, on a quiet early morning, capturing the joy and ease of a couple meeting to spend the day together. Dressed, of course, in Engel comfort wear. The cozy fabric and the naturally muted, soft colours enhance the feeling of comfort and ease that the brand is built on.
Engel makes clothes meant to be lived in, worn close to the skin, through ordinary days and the moments that matter to us. A sunny, romantic moment between two people meeting for a day out says that better than any product shot could. The clothes don’t have to announce themselves, because the warmth of the moment does the work.
What is branding, really?
Branding is the sum of what people see, feel and remember about a business. Visuals are one major part of it. Consistency, honesty and a clear point of view are the others. For a sustainable fashion brand like Engel Natur, this matters even more, because customers are choosing values as much as style. If the imagery feels staged or generic, the trust breaks. If it feels real, the brand becomes believable, and it earns more trust in return.
What brand storytelling looks like on a shoot
The start is a feeling, not a shot list: Before the shoot, whether it’s video or photography, it’s crucial to ask the brand what they want people to feel. Everything else follows from that answer.
Let people be people: While I do give clear direction, there’s always room for improvisation, and most of all, we generally laugh a lot. That’s so important for every shoot, because real emotions read better than any perfect staging or storyline.
Keep the story consistent everywhere: A video, a website, a social post and a printed catalogue should feel like they come from the same person or team. That’s how a brand becomes recognisable over time.
What you actually get from a branding video shoot
A branding shoot doesn’t just produce one polished clip. For Engel, we filmed across two shooting days, one family each day, and came away with around 30 individual video clips ready to use across their online marketing. That’s the real value of investing a day or two in video, rather than one single scene, you get a versatile library of content that can be used across your website, social channels, newsletters, and ads, matched to different moments and different audiences. Much of it holds up as evergreen content too, so it keeps earning its place in your marketing long after the shoot itself.
What Lara Kolompar, Chief Marketing Officer (Head of Communications) at Engel, shared about our video sessions
“Wooooow, we’re absolutely blown away! Such wonderful videos! Each one better than the last! A thousand thanks. Thank you too for the beautiful shooting days. Definitely would love to do it again!”
What lovely feedback! In fact, a shoot day is genuinely a lovely experience to be part of. There’s a lot of laughter, easy conversation between takes, and a relaxed atmosphere that comes through in the footage itself. Here’s a quick look behind the scenes:
Working with a branding photographer and videographer in Metzingen and London
I work with brands across Metzingen, Reutlingen, Nürtingen, Tübingen, Stuttgart, Ulm, Berlin and London, always with the same aim: images and films that look like your business and sound like you. If you’re thinking about a branding video shoot, consider a chat with me. We won’t only shoot highly converting videos, we’ll also talk about how to use them in your branding and marketing in the most effective way. I’m happy to look at your existing social media and online marketing and suggest tweaks that make your visual marketing more effective and easy.
Frequently Asked Questions about Branding Videography
What is branding photography and videography?
Branding photography and videography create imagery that expresses a business’s personality, values, and story, so that the visuals people see match the company behind them.
Why does authentic imagery matter for sustainable brands?
Customers of sustainable brands look closely for signs of honesty. Genuine, unstaged imagery supports the trust that the brand’s values promise.
How long does a branding shoot take?
That depends on the scope, but a focused shoot can often be done in a single day or even half a day. We’ll assess what you need together and then plan a shoot designed around that.
If you’d like to update your business branding with a calm, guided photo or video session in London, let’s talk. Contact me here to plan your shoot.