Brand Journalism Videos

Challenge:
Sunrise Banks had long prioritized brand journalism, but the need emerged to elevate video storytelling, moving beyond promotional content to emotionally rich narratives that reflected the bank’s community-first mission. When I joined in 2015, my first assignment was to lead a feature on YouthLink, a Minneapolis nonprofit supporting homeless youth with critical services and pathways to independence.

Solution:
I partnered with a local production team to bring the story to life in an authentic, emotional, and impactful way. The video centered the voices of the YouthLink community, combining journalistic storytelling with cinematic direction. This project laid the foundation for a long-term collaboration with the agency and a new series of human-centered video stories highlighting community empowerment, equity, and financial inclusion.

My Contributions:

• Creative Direction
  • Led story concepting, video flow, and emotional arc development
  • Designed the storyboarding structure and visual tone to reflect resilience and hope
     
• Production Partnership
  • Built and maintained a strong collaboration with Moving Edge Media to ensure storytelling aligned with brand values and community needs
  • Reviewed and approved edits, ensuring brand alignment and accessibility compliance
     
• Compliance & Accessibility Oversight
  • Worked with legal and compliance teams to ensure nonprofit partnerships were represented accurately and ethically
  • Integrated accessibility features such as closed captions and narrative clarity for inclusive viewing

Impact:

• Established a repeatable model for mission-aligned video storytelling at Sunrise Banks
• Built emotional brand equity with community stakeholders, partners, and customers
• Helped drive greater awareness for nonprofit partners through cross-channel distribution