12 best Instagram videos of 2015

Instagram may only have nine extra seconds over its rival Vine, but it has managed to separate itself entirely from from the originators of micro social video, with brands utilising its many fancy tools and filters to create arguably more sophisticated mini advertising marvels.

Think of Instagram video as your younger brother who dresses better than you, has better diction and is described regularly as having “middle management potential”. Despite your uncouth scruffiness, your mother says she loves you both equally, but you know she secretly can’t live without her X-Pro II filter.

(In the above scenario you are Vine, just in case that wasn’t abundantly clear.)

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, here are your mother’s our favourite Instagram videos of 2015.

 

Red Bull

There’s little to really separate Red Bull from GoPro in terms of content, both employ incredible stunts to maximum entertaining/stomach churning effect. Although the performers in Red Bull’s videos do seem a little bit more ‘tweaky’ then others. Can’t imagine why.

https://www.instagram.com/p/zi6SEblKy4

Here’s a little bonus one from Red Bull that proves extreme sports can be shot very beautifully, prior to the snowboarder being catapulted to the other side of the forest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/zkV8-glK8h

Coca-Cola

One of the very few perfectly looping videos I’ve seen from a brand on Instagram. This features a polar bear with a fake moustache, boom-box and gold chain riding a skateboard around and around again, forever until your laptop/phone runs out of battery or until your brain deflates to nothing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/y8PLQFgp6L/

Here’s another great example from Coca-Cola that showed off the use of Cinemagraphs (a fancier, more subtle version of a Gif) brilliantly.

https://www.instagram.com/p/7WHSkdgpww/

Nike

Nike did stellar work this year, all incredibly varied, all incredibly clever. This is very satisfying…

https://www.instagram.com/p/0cLp3PgUTY/

And this is very clever too, although oddly depressing…

https://www.instagram.com/p/4pxsVTAUcv/

Lego

LEGO’s #FillTheGap campaign saw followers constructing their own models and placing them in real-life locations. Each was a work of genius, and easily the best crowdsourced campaign of the year on Instagram. My ‘bordello in Soho’ went sadly unused.

https://www.instagram.com/p/15zXVqtdR0/

National Geographic

The number one place for Instagram users to see unbelievable views of nature that they’ll never be able to see anywhere else. It’s also the number one place to see something really gross and icky.

https://www.instagram.com/p/3OyNCWIVW2/

This view of the mists of Machu Picchu is particularly awe-inspiring. What did you last upload to Instagram? Your bacon sandwich? Yeah, great.

https://www.instagram.com/p/81SePgoVak/

Intel

The robots… they’re winning. Everyone move to an underground bunker NOW!!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/8JJQvMwQAU/

General Electric

Straddling that difficult line between relaxing and terrifying…

https://www.instagram.com/p/-RqJBiRP_V/