Give the product a reason to appear
A product mention feels connected when it helps the viewer understand a specific task in the story. Start with the viewer’s situation, then name a single behavior the app actually supports. You do not need to insert the brand into every line, and a product name is not a substitute for an explanation.
The fictional example uses NorthStar Notes: a call note contains a next-step section. This is an invented planning brief, not a real customer example.
Compare a broad claim with a useful rewrite
Heavy-handed draft: “Stop wasting time. NorthStar Notes is the ultimate all-in-one productivity app that fixes your meetings.” It is unclear what the app does, and “fixes your meetings” is an unsupported outcome.
Rewritten overlay: “the call ends. the follow-up is tomorrow.
open the project note in NorthStar Notes. the next-step section is in the same note.
start with the next action.” This names the relevant screen and fact. It does not assert that the app generates the next steps or that a user saved time.
| Draft wording | Problem | Safer revision |
|---|---|---|
| “Fixes your meetings” | Claims a broad outcome | Name the note and next-step section |
| Brand name in every line | Repeats without adding meaning | Use it once where it explains the action |
| “Writes the follow-up” | Implies automation | Describe the actual visible behavior |
| No product mention | May lack context | Use a clear product view or relevant destination |
Decide whether the name belongs in the overlay
Include the name when it helps explain the action or distinguish the product being shown. Leave it out when the visual already identifies the app and the story reads better without repetition. If the viewer needs a next step, use an accurate destination in the accompanying post or link; do not promise a free feature, automatic workflow or outcome unless it is true.
When adapting the example, replace the task and feature together. For a scheduling app, “choose a date and review the available time” is only accurate if those controls exist in your product. Check claims and availability before the copy goes live.
Review the complete edit
Keep the approved text in an editable layer, and pair it with owned or permissioned footage. A generated background may illustrate a situation but does not prove that a person used your product. If using a product recording, remove private information and show the relevant screen long enough to understand it.
On a phone, read the overlay once while the footage plays. Check spelling, line breaks, contrast and the final export. If the brand mention interrupts the story, remove or reposition it and ask whether the viewer can still identify the next action.
Copy the planning worksheet
Use this worksheet in your own notes. Fill it with verified product details and actual review observations before sharing an asset.
Situation: __. Verified feature: __. Product mention: __. Evidence for claim: __. Next action: __. Final text checked: __.Browse the founder guide library for the next task in your workflow.