At the time, Field of Dreams was a revelation; an iconic film that made us all believe in the impossible. From a modern perspective, however, that’s exactly what that concept is: impossible. What worked for Kevin Costner’s character won’t necessarily work for today’s learning and development (L&D) practitioners. The assumption that good content will naturally attract learners is a myth that leaves engagement, retention, and impact stuck in neutral.
We unpacked this concept in a recent ELB Learning webinar, When Marketing Meets L&D: The Video Strategy Your Learning Deserves. Hannah Clark, marketing director at MAAS Marketing, and Gilad Ariel, customer success lead at Powtoon, explored how video can transform the delivery of learning as well as the success of learning programs themselves.
Most L&D teams are producing solid content. The problem isn’t effort—it’s visibility. Too often, learning modules are treated like extremely rare, luxury cars on an obscure showroom floor: impressive, but a bit elusive. Without internal marketing to spark interest and drive participation, even the best content can collect dust on the learning management system (LMS) shelf.
Video, with its unrivaled power to capture attention, create emotional connection, and tell a story, offers a way out of this trap. But only if it's used intentionally.
Video is not a garnish you toss on top of a course; it’s a method for elevating learning from something drab and mandatory to something exciting and meaningful. When used strategically, video becomes your hook, your narrative engine, and your brand ambassador—all rolled into one.
Learners can retain more than 95% of a message when it's delivered using video, compared to just 10% through text. That’s not just a stat, it’s a roadmap. To boost retention and application, L&D teams need to leverage formats that work with the brain, not against it. Video creates a multisensory experience that activates both verbal and visual processing channels, embedding knowledge in long-term memory.
And video is everywhere. From Netflix to social media, we’ve been conditioned to consume stories in motion. Learners bring those same habits—and expectations—into the workplace. Smart L&D teams meet them there.
Driving engagement with video isn’t just about slick production. It’s about moving learners through the stages of awareness, interest, desire, and action. These steps, borrowed from marketing’s classic AIDA model, map perfectly onto the learner experience.
First, video builds awareness. It interrupts the scroll, catches the eye, and says, “This matters.” Then it sparks interest by posing a challenge, asking a question, or offering a glimpse of value. Next comes desire, as the learner begins to see personal relevance in the message. And finally, action, where they click, watch, complete, and return.
This is where trailers, teaser clips, and learner testimonials shine. Whether it's a brief promo video introducing a leadership course or a selfie-style endorsement from a peer who found the content valuable, these formats create human connection and drive real-world results.
It’s not enough to slap a narrator on a slide deck and call it a day. Effective learning videos are branded, inclusive, and driven by story. They reflect the learner’s world visually, culturally, and emotionally. You have to pay attention to tone, structure, and pacing. The first five seconds must be attention-grabbing. The visual style must align with your organization’s identity, and the message must clearly indicate what’s in it for the learner.
When done right, video makes learning feel less like a box to check and more like a benefit to pursue.
If you're worried that producing engaging video requires Hollywood-level resources, don’t be.
Modern tools make it easier than ever to create polished, personalized, and brand-aligned video content—without the crazy overhead. If you want something immersive, CenarioVR enables you to create and build 360-degree, scenario-based learning environments that feel realistic and compelling. If you want to author responsive, accessible, video-rich courses, Lectora is built for that with ARIA capabilities already in place. If you’re looking to reinforce behavior change with practice, Rehearsal turns video into a two-way coaching tool.
And if your team needs creative horsepower, ELB Learning’s Custom Learning team can bring your ideas to life—no studio required.
If you’re ready to make video your most powerful learning strategy, we’ve got just the thing.
If you missed the webinar, watch the full recording below to catch all the video magic that simply can’t be captured with the written word alone.
Disclaimer: The ideas, perspectives, and strategies shared in this article reflect the expertise of our featured speakers, Hannah Clark and Gilad Ariel. Be sure to follow them on LinkedIn to explore more of their insights.