We have chosen three of our favourite health and wellbeing 360˚ video campaigns and look at the innovative techniques and narrative plots used to increase engagement levels and reach.

In Excedrin’s health and wellbeing 360˚ video campaign, ‘An EMT’s Migraine in 360˚’ we take on the perspective of a professional Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at the scene of a road accident. The aim of this video is to raise awareness for the impact of severe migraines, particularly in the workplace.

The 360˚ video campaign with 150,000 views* begins with the sound of the EMT’s voice introducing himself, “I’m Han, I’m an EMT, and this is my migraine at work.” While he speaks, the words ‘Excedrin / Works’ are displayed across the screen, initiating the association between migraines and the migraine-relief drug, Excedrin.

Soon after, the scene cuts to a woman who has been knocked off her bike and is being treated by paramedics on the road. We are in Han’s shoes and recognise the importance of being fully focused while working and at the scene. However, as the scene unfolds, the lights from the emergency services vehicles and other cars progressively brighten, flash and blur. As our vision gets worse, and we further immerse ourselves in the scenario by looking around in true 360˚ fashion, we notice an uncomfortable high pitch ringing sound and people’s voices begin to echo and distort.

Within the 360˚ video format Excedrin is familiarising us with these disorientating and claustrophobic visual and auditory effects which are common symptoms of a migraine. At the end of the video they announce that ‘2 in 3 sufferers downplay the severity of their migraine when at work’. The brand is also of course encouraging people to purchase their product to help ease the debilitating symptoms of a migraine.

Another one of our favourite health and wellbeing 360˚ video campaigns is without a doubt Lipton Tea’s ‘Magnificent Matcha Tea Takes You Inside the Cup’ campaign. Their 360˚ video reached 407,000 views* in the first week of launching and now boasts over 6.6 million views*.

Throughout the majority of the 360˚ video we are placed inside the tea cup and are left to look around and experience the magic of Lipton’s pure Japanese matcha and energising green tea as it brews. This campaign cleverly incorporates computer generated elements into the 360˚ video environment as various calming scenes unfold in front our eyes.

When the tea begins to brew, the water turns green and tea leaves hypnotically float around us, we are first introduced to some beautiful pink blossom trees. This scene shortly disappears and becomes engulfed by the tea leaves in a in a dream-like way. After this, another scene appears; mesmerising lanterns float up towards the night sky. This blissful process continues and we are also exposed to snowy scenes by a traditional house or temple and a woman performing yoga on a beach.

After the yoga scene ends the woman who has brewed her tea goes to take a sip from the cup. When this happens we leave the inside of the cup and post-production effects are applied to make it seem as if we or the camera have just been submerged underwater as our surroundings are momentarily blurred and rippled out. Once she takes a sip, she smiles and contemplatively puts down her cup. The whole experience is wholly meditative, mindful and relaxing. Fancy a cuppa?

Our third favourite health and wellbeing 360˚ video campaign of the month is Dignity Health’s ‘#Take2Mins | 360 Training Wheels’ campaign. It reached 175,000 views in the first three days* and now has a total of 310,000 views* and counting.

In this simple but powerful 360˚ video campaign we immediately notice a woman furiously struggling to untangle her hosepipe in the garden. The following words, letter by letter, appear across the screen, directing us to look around the scene and see what is going on on the other side of the garden:

We then notice that a man is teaching his daughter to ride a bike. The father encourages his wife to watch but she is too preoccupied in her own thoughts. Eventually their daughter manages to ride her bike for the first time and the daughter’s mother misses the unrepeatable milestone. The scene then cuts to text on the screen which reads, ‘Distractions shouldn’t get in the way of important moments’.

This health and wellbeing 360˚ video campaign demonstrates very well that if you are not present you are likely to miss significant and special moments with your loved ones. Dignity Health are encouraging people to take as little as two minutes of their day to practice mindfulness which will reduce stress and make you more in tune with your surroundings.

Inhale…exhale…relax…

Watch the #Take2Mins | 360 Training Wheels Facebook campaign.

*Data sourced fromTubular Labs