12:23SAS Operator SMOKED These Nairobi Insurgents...
Save referenceStakes & Tension
This photo of a lone soldier in jeans and body armour went viral after a real attack in Nairobi. SAS OPERATOR VS NAIROBI SIEGE frames it as one man against a siege. Military fans want to know what he did once inside.
'SMOKED' promises a decisive win in gamer slang, and 'These Nairobi Insurgents' names a real place, which tells viewers this happened rather than being a film.
The jeans under the plate carrier and the phone to his ear make him look like he rushed in, and the winged dagger tells military fans which unit he's from.
When your story is about one person facing overwhelming odds, frame it as a match-up in the thumbnail, the person versus the challenge. Use a real, recognisable image if one exists, and keep the outcome for the video.
Frame one person against overwhelming odds.
What to avoid copying
Don't use playful words like 'smoked' about a real attack where people died, since it can read as making light of the victims.
Apply this pattern to your next video.
Bring the reference into a packaging brief, then decide what your title and thumbnail should each communicate.