Narrative Assets

Walmart's Holiday Ad Tugs At Heartstrings

Whether in Hollywood or in real life, the best stories are those that convey emotion. We might remember a story or movie because it has cool special effects and a star cast, but the ones we really remember evoke something in us that make us feel something - or help connect us to a time when everything was simpler and filled with a sense of magic and wonder. 

Advertising isn't traditionally known as a place that generates the "warm fuzzies", but a few companies are choosing this route as a way to touch customer's hearts during the holiday season.

According to Brandweek, Walmart's holiday ad was voted #1 on the National Retail Federation's annual Shopper's Favourite Holiday Ads survey. The ad is a TV spot where a young boy wishes for snow for his father in Iraq. It's an interesting mix of political commentary, humanity - and carefully crafted promotion that seems to resonate with consumers.

Great brands and stories use emotions to create powerful connecting experiences. Once inside the story, we feel as if we're part of it and tend to empathize with the characters. Their problems become our problems and, in the case of Walmart - the story and message really does affect all of us.

Take a look at the clip to see if the story draws you in. How do the use of emotion and visual elements affect the message of the brand?

To all of my readers....Thank you for your support in 2009. May 2010 bring out the best stories in all of us.

 

  

Rewriting The Story Of Brand Tiger

My father was no Tiger Woods, but he did share one thing in common with the golf legend - his passion for women. While my father's story had little in common with Woods, the effect of his actions on what many thought to be the perfect family had similar repercussions.

Which leads me to the inevitable question: Why would someone who seemingly has it all - the perfect family, wife, kids, lifestyle and career - risk it all on a fling?

 

Scott Bedbury (of Nike and Starbucks fame) said that a great brand is "an emotional connecting point that transcends the product." To Bedbury, a great brand is a "story that's never completely told" - a metaphorical story in essence that's constantly evolving. If this is true, then brand Tiger is a true brand as the plot continues to unfold with new allegations of infidelity appearing on an almost daily basis.

In the world of PR and crisis management, experts know that the best way to face the public in the wake of scandal is to address things head on - and quickly. The fact that Woods has made himself scarce only feeds the tabloid machine and leaves room for future speculation.

Will this type of behaviour and reaction damage brand Tiger and affect his current and future endorsements? Noone knows for sure, but the gaps and inconsistencies in his reaction to the "crisis" leave room for others to rewrite the brand story. It's up to Woods and his team to deal with the situation and present it in the best possible light. If not, fans and the media will take it upon themselves to write (and possibly finish) his brand story - a chance he shouldn't be willing to take.

From a brand perspective, do you think Woods has taken appropriate action to defend his reputation and brand? If a true brand tells a story, then how would you deal with this issue to present the story in the best possible light?

Grand Marnier Uses Retro Visuals To Digitize Brand Story

While leafing through the October issue of Vanity Fair, I came across a new (and very cool) ad from Grand Marnier. The ad takes on a colourful art-deco style and shows a woman's rather tall and curvy legs dancing in red high heels on top of a piano to some rather delighted guests.

As a Grand Marnier fan, I couldn't help but be drawn into the story. I could visualize the scene - fancy party, well-dressed folk enjoying some fine music, company and drinks. The mood is energetic, cosmopolitan and sophisticated - rather playful. The header in the ad sums up the scene as "La Vie Grand Marnier" (the Grand Marnier life), and in an instant I know that this is a life I could understand and appreciate.

The ad is part of a $4 million initiative developed in conjunction with ad agency Lambesis. Kicking off on October 1, the campaign focuses on digital advertising but uses classic French images to tell the brand story.

Reminiscent of Toulouse-Lautrec, the images and their introduction to the digital world will be used in iPhone applications, rich media banner ads, and Facebook promotions. The introduction of a digital campaign is a fairly new direction for the company which is part of an effort to revitalize the brand with a younger consumer target.

The liqueur will also be promoted on billboards in New York and San Francisco and in print magazines targeting consumers who are interested in travel, entertainment and food. A limited edition bottle will also be sold in select stores at a cost of $64.99. The label will feature the words "La Vie Grand Marnier" and the box will feature graphics from the campaign.

The combination of using visually appealing print ads with digital applications is a unique approach to brand storytelling. The "retro" look and feel tells a story on its own...of Grand Marnier's history and unique positioning in the marketplace. One cannot help but use the imagination to connect with the brand experience.

What do you think of Grand Marnier's approach to the campaign? Will the digital component be a hit with the younger target market?

NOTE TO READERS: TypePad is introducing upgrades to the system in the next couple of weeks. I'm hoping that the changes won't affect current feeds, but please be patient if they do! Thank you!

 

 

Following The Script: Brand Storytelling And The Art Of Persuasion

The world's most iconic and successful brands relate to us on both a rational and emotional level. They tell a timeless story that embodies something that affects us deep in our psyche. They give us an experience that is able to transcend time and help us identify our place in the world.

Hollywood screenwriters are masters of the art of story. To be successful, they have to produce a script that masters all the key elements of story in a way that engages and entertains an audience. If the story isn't compelling and has little meaning to the audience, the script and resulting movie will fail. To win in Hollywood, it's critical to get the audience emotionally involved.

In his legendary book Story, famed screenwriting guru Robert McKee defines storytelling this way..."Storytelling is the creative demonstration of truth. A story is the living proof of an idea, the conversion of idea to action. A story's event structure is the means by which you first express, then prove your idea...without explanation."

For a story to be successful, McKee claims that the audience must not only understand it, it must believe it. To get your point of view across, it's essential that you tell a good story.

As marketers, one of our daily challenges is to figure out a way to make our brand stand out from the rest of the pack. By using elements of storytelling in our marketing campaigns, we're making a connection with consumers that's very human and, at the same time, very persuasive.

Consider your life as part of a brand story. What defines you? Are you a Mac person? A Starbucks aficionado?  A Nike person? A Tiffany's type? What is your brand at its core? Does it appeal to the desire for freedom in all of us? The desire for status - or the desire to be unique?

To be successful, a brand must have sales - and McKee hits on this in his definition of story. The idea that a story is the "conversion of idea to action" demonstrates the ability of story to persuade people to do something with the idea. Marketers and advertisers design campaigns to attract consumers to certain brands but without an element of story, chances are we'll forget what the ad was for...and we won't act on it.

The clip below is an excerpt from an interview with George Stroumboulopoulos on CBC's hit show The Hour.

McKee offers other nuggets that can also be applied to the branding world. See how you can apply his thoughts to your own branding campaigns:

• Story is about archetypes, not stereotypes
• Story is about mastering the art, not second-guessing the marketplace
• Story is about respect, not disdain for the audience
• Story is about originality, not duplication
• Story is about eternal, universal forms, not formulas

   

Secrets To Brand Storytelling Can Be Found In The Past

    

Effective brand storytelling is a combination of both rational and emotional components. Even major productions at Hollywood studios follow this concept.Behind every directors vision and screenwriters script, there's a solid marketing and business plan that outlines the day to day details needed to get a movie made.

In the consumer world, most of our decisions involve a combination of rational and emotional decision-making. Not only must a brand tap into our emotions, on some other level it must also give us a valid reason to buy it. If the product doesn't serve our purpose - or doesn't work very well - chances are we won't buy it. At the very least we might give it a try, but switch brands if we end up having a bad experience.

When I worked as a sales rep for NCR in 1985, we were given a book during our training sessions whose concepts are still valid today. The book is called "Open the Mind and Close the Sale" and was written by the then Vice-President of Sales John M. Wilson. The year was 1953.

To be successful in selling, Wilson stresses the importance of using a balanced and integrated approach in your routine. He discusses the importance of having a plan, of the need to arouse interest through visual aids, and the ability of humour and enthusiasm to arouse the emotion needed to close the sale.

Wilson was also a master at tapping into a prospect's emotional side, while appealing to their sense of rationality as well. He listened to his customers, and that skill translated into profits. He tells the story of how he visited one of his prospects who had just moved into a new store. When he stopped by to congratulate the customer, he just sat back and listened. His final proposal integrated the prospect's sense of pride in the store - and he got the sale.

The technology has changed, but the principles behind buying and selling are the same as they were 56 years ago. The same is true of effective storytelling. A finely woven tale has the ability to last generations, and one that is used to tap into brand power has the ability to persuade beyond any marketers dreams.

In the spirit of fine salespeople and marketers everywhere, I'll let Wilson explain why people buy: 

"He had a basic need for what he was buying, and I felt that he would eventually place an order. But the little extra that closed the sale that day and eliminated many recalls was the frequent use of the pride motive - an emotional appeal- to supplement rational reasons for buying."

Why do you buy a certain brand? Did advertisers appeal to your rational or emotional side? Did the brand tell a story - and was that story effective in getting you to buy the product? 

Brand Storytelling Puts Our Lives Into Context

Brand storytelling is a way of creating and maintaining a relationship between a brand - and its end user. The way we react to a brand defines who we are, and involves a complex set of relationships and emotions established in our previous relationship with the brand.

I just returned from a family reunion in Ottawa. While sifting through old photo albums, I realized that many of the products I still use today were products and brands that I used throughout various stages of my life. It seems that every parent took pictures of childhood birthday parties, and every party was filled with images of little ones chowing down on hot dogs and cake. What I wasn't prepared to see, was a bottle of Heinz ketchup - front and centre in the pictures.

Brand storytelling is a way of putting our lives into context. It reminds us of who we are - and why we use certain products. Somewhere underneath, there are deep rooted reasons as to why we keep going back to certain brands. Using brands, it's possible to create a "brand journey" map that offers insights into the brands we choose to use - and why we choose to use them.

For example, on Days 1 and 5 of my journey, I chose to eat at Wendy's. Why?

1. Their reputation for quality food and fast service makes it the ideal choice for a road trip

2. The brand experience is in line with my expectations - it's consistently good and when I drive by a Wendy's I have fond memories of summer road trips

On Day 3, we went to my mother's for dinner where she promptly pulled out a bottle of Mateus from the fridge. She remembered how, as a young adult, I loved to drink Mateus at the cottage - as well as on family picnics. The brand image conjured up positive and fond recollections of family gatherings, even though those gatherings happened over 20 years ago.

 

Using brand images, it's easy to map out the rest of my trip. Tracing these brands would give you a better idea as to my priorities and preferences, as every brand image tells a story. It would give you more insight into who I was as a person and would be an effective tool to connect with people who shared similar experiences throughout their lives. What stories come to mind when I mention Old Dutch chips, Suchard Milka chocolate, Bicks pickles or Starbucks coffee?

Do you think brand story mapping is an effective way of connecting with consumers? Which brands remind you of certain times in your life - and why? How can marketers/advertisers use these principles to their advantage?

 

Chanel No. 5 Launches Internet Film To Create Buzz For Product

    

The fragrance industry has always been known for its inventive advertising that targets the would-be romantic in all of us. Chanel's latest foray into the ad world includes a 2-minute film clip that it recently launched on its internet channel.

Rather than designing a TV ad, Chanel created something that utilizes the power of film to attract and engage an audience. It draws upon the power of old world cinema, and brings us into a story that involves travel, romance and intrigue.

It's so refreshing that Chanel took the time to do it right. The visuals are mesmerizing and you feel as if you're in the middle of an international spy novel. Other brands such as BMW have used the power of cinema to tell a story. Years ago, the film ads created by Guy Ritchie drew huge buzz in the advertising world. They probably sold a lot of product too.

The use of film as an ad tool on the web makes us feel as if we're a player in the brand story. We're drawn into the plot, and can't help but remember (and talk about) our experience. The combination of sound and stunning visuals just add to the fantasy...and can only add to the product's appeal.

The website also features links to a behind the scenes look, as well as the background to the Chanel No. 5 story.

Do you find the use of ad films effective? If so, why? If not, why not? 

Mercedes-Benz Website Appeals to the Senses

As someone who's always on the lookout for websites that are able to convey brand stories in a unique way, I was thrilled to come across the Mercedes-Benz website.

Not only does the website give you all the product information you could possibly need to make a purchase, it takes advantage of key elements of interactivity by engaging our senses and passion for storytelling.

The homepage to the brand's e-Class car features an interesting story in which four-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves and Formula 1 driver and Grand Prix winner Jean Alesi are paired together in a car in order to test the car's "sensitivity" and sense of well-being provided during the driving experience. Just as the car is deemed to be a sensitive instrument, so too is the voice of singer Reeves. Deemed "Concert in E", the result is pure magic as Reeves and Alesi set out to the tune of "Better than Anything."

This highly interactive approach to brand storytelling is successful on several levels:

1) The use of film and sound draws us into the brand and makes us players in the brand story

2) The tune is catchy and increases our propensity for recall

3) During the performance, car features pop up giving us the opportunity to learn more about the brand

4) The approach confirms the message that the sensitivity and overall sense of well-being provided by the brand is similar to the sensitivity found in the human voice

Bravo Mercedes-Benz for this unique approach. You're truly a brand leader and automotive icon! (check out the link to Mercedes-Benz TV too).

What do you think of this approach to brand storytelling? Why don't more companies use elements of storytelling to sell their product or service?

LG Uses Brand Storytelling To Captivate Our Imagination

While browsing through a recent edition of Vanity Fair, I noticed a cool ad by LG. The ad (a 3 page colour spread ripe with visuals) features thoughts and comments by film director Edward Zwick and starts out with the header "The right vision makes stories soar" and quote:

"The way to make a movie is to understand that you're speaking to one person at a time, in the dark. You're telling them a story, gauging their reaction, watching in your mind's eye as they lean forward, making it as personal a telling as you possibly can."

The ad features LG's tagline (Life's Good) strategically placed throughout the spread, along with variations of the tagline that are in sync with Zwick's story ("Life Looks Good"). The visuals are great, and emphasize the integration of both old and new technology. The references to stories and storytelling are quite powerful, and the ad itself seems as if it's designed to represent a mini-film.

There are several interesting things to note about this approach to advertising.

1) The visuals are stunning, and through their clarity are able to easily convey the brand message that "Life's Good"

2) The copy dramatically matches the message of the visuals and one truly feels as if the ad was written by a filmmaker. Keywords such as "Powerfully moving human stories", "good old-fashioned storyteller", and "experience through his exquisite visual storytelling" make the viewer feel as if they're right there on the photo shoot with the director

3) The print ad features a link to the LG website, which offers more information about the director and his experiences with filmmaking. A series of short hip videos are offered featuring Zwick's comments on topics such as Inspiration, Technology and the Creative Process. Perhaps most intriguing is the opportunity to take a visual tour of Zwick's office. The tour is full of artifacts of his life - each with their own story as to how and why they earned a coveted place in his memory.

LG's creative use of storytelling in both traditional and digital ways is right on target. By designing the ad to look like a story in an actual film, we're drawn to the message and can't help but ask which brand this represents. Zwick's narrative is craftily embedded into the brand narrative, and together they weave a story that's both informative as well as compelling.

As brand guru Scott Bedbury once said, "A great brand is a story that's never completely told." LG's approach leaves the reader wanting more...a desire they fulfill by directing readers to an engaging and interactive website.

What do you think of this ad? Does it help LG stand out amongst the clutter?

Unilever Uses "Spielberg Variables" To Boost ROI On Ad Campaigns

In a 2005 article published in the Harvard Business Review, John Kastenholz (then Vice-President of Consumer Insights at Unilever) describes how the company followed storytelling principles used in motion pictures to maximize ROI on ad campaigns.

Back then, Unilever spent around $3.3 billion globally to advertise their brands. Research showed that only 30 out of every 100 television ads tested in the consumer products area would come out ranking as "superior" ads, while 40 out of 100 ads would come out as "average."

To increase the ranking of the ads to the "superior" range, Unilever enlisted the help of New Mexico-based Ameritest/CY Research to design a testing system for their ads. In addition to the usual questions asked in branding campaigns ("Are they well branded? Do they motivate consumers to act?"), Unilever took the process one step further to try to determine whether the flaws that diminished the effectiveness of the ads occurred at the concept stage - or at the executional stage.

To do this, they put the "Spielberg Variables" to work to ensure that each of the ads used the same style and storytelling techniques as those used in feature films. Good movies engage viewers - and are able to move the audience forward emotionally through effective storytelling. Unilever realized that the same principles used in the editing of feature films could be used to edit ad campaigns.

Each ad was deconstructed into frames that indicated some sort of change in direction or action. By analyzing each frame, consumers were able to provide feedback to determine which frames they remembered - and which ones they didn't. They would then describe how they felt emotionally about each frame, and would finally discuss the values (convenience, nutrition, etc.) that each frame conveyed. The process was similar to that used in Hollywood, as flaws were identified at each ad's narrative inflection point (similar to what is done in the process known as a "Director's Cut")

The feedback was then plotted on a "flow of attention" or "flow of emotion" graph to find out where things went wrong. If an ad didn't hook viewers right away, then action could be taken to shift the response from a weak feeling to a very positive one. If the values identified at the test stage didn't match those the brand was trying to portray, then the images could be identified and corrected.

Out of the 60 ads approved for airing, 25 which started out as "average" performers tested in the "superior" range after using the Spielberg variables technique.

By using this technique, Unilever has been able to identify and quantify some of the intangible aspects normally associated with the design of ad campaigns. How people feel about a product is key to whether or not they buy your brand - or someone else's.

Can you think of examples of ad campaigns where the storytelling approach is similar to that used in Hollywood? Why aren't more companies using this approach to increase the value of their advertising dollars?