The Story Isn't The Idea

No doubt storytelling is important in advertising— but only if you have a story to tell. Otherwise, it just lays there flat like a buzzword that doesn’t provide any buzz or persuasion.

I often question when the industry lands on a term as being the savior for all things advertising. Of course, it has its place, and rightfully so.

But it shouldn’t be a substitute for an advertising idea. 

In a best-case scenario, the story intertwines with consumer need and values, and what the brand stands for and can offer its target. It makes a connection the way friends do. In the worst case, it’s squeezed into a 30-second commercial with a broad audience and disappears. The simplest research metric: after the ad ends, are people thinking about the brand—or wondering what they just watched?”

In my humble opinion, stories, backstories (real or otherwise), mostly belong in the realm of content, where willing or already loyal consumers actively choose to indulge in a brand's narrative. If consumers love a brand, they're likely to stick around for the whole story.

An opt-in content experience and a forced advertising interruption are two different things. If there's no time to tell it right, forget the indulgent storytelling—tell me why the product matters to me, and make it quick.