How to tell stories like ads
I’ve seen big brands create ads, and in those ads there is a very relatable story. As a creative, when I come across this a story like that, I wish I could somehow present it like they do.
After careful analysis, I’ve come to notice that there’s something the big brands do that most of us don’t.
There is a part of a secret language, storytelling, that is spoken and understood only by a select few.
Once I understood the main idea, I‘ve never watched a movie, read a book, or an ad in the same way ever again.
In my analysis, I have learned over time, we’ve been shaped by stories.
Encountered them since the time we came to this earth, and it is how we know the things that we know. It shapes how we think, it makes us who we are.
The earliest form of storytelling dates to 65,000 BC and is thought to be primitive cave paintings and art, so the first forms of storytelling were visual.
They conveyed messages similar to picture books.
Our understanding of stories has developed as we discover how sophisticated we are.
It is worthy to point that the easiest form of storytelling is oral storytelling where stories were passed down through word of mouth.
Stories help us make sense of the world and helps to share that understanding with others.
What we know today as history, is because of the art our ancestors once painted.
We learn about others and find understanding and empath for them through their stories.
In the same way quotes have deep meaning behind them, they were created as a result of a certain experience and level of understanding of the person who wrote it.
Visual storytelling has been used to educate, entertain and inspire. It seems so simple to put into action and yet somehow, we still suck at it.
In my analysis, I asked the question “why do they do it so well?”
I immediately thought “it’s because visual storytelling is the gateway to truth-telling, which helps inform our opinions, decision-making and self-views.”
Okay, that might not be exactly what I was thinking, that’s just from Google.
But I wasn’t entirely correct.
I figured the main problem was we tell stories to inform, they tell stories to transform.
We want to innovate, but they want to renovate.
They know they can tell a story can by spitting facts and statistics, but because they want us to remember the details clearly, they tell a story.
And we can all come to the conclusion that story is at the heart of everything.
From the songs, the movies, the ads and other mediums used to pass a message, exists a story.
Telling a story has one underlying objective: to get and retain attention.
Somehow stories cause the brain to come alive.
Have a complicated concept? Tell a story.
Everything that goes viral has a story. Stories determine what we live for and what we die for.
That’s why it’s a tool for artists only because I believe everyone is an artist in their own unique way.
It so powerful it can make an audience of thousands seem like friends sitting around a campfire.
A good story doesn’t happen by accident, it is orchestrated from the very beginning.
In my line of work (brand identity design), this is what I call strategy.
Humans are drawn towards clarity and not clutter, that is why we see story as a sense-making device. When I say clarity, I do not mean “less.” I mean creating a clear picture in the mind of the audience.
It is done by selecting a series of events that make the most sense to a story’s listener.
Just like all music is vibrations, and all noise is vibrations. The difference between music and noise is the structure of the vibrations.
For a story to connect, the events happening must be placed in a way that interest’s the reader and keeps them reading.
So, I understand what it means to tell a story and why the brands I admire have done it so well.
To make it worth your time, each ad I reviewed had answered these questions:
- Who is my audience and what do they want?
This question does not need any introduction because it works. You can’t target everyone (because you certainly don’t want everyone). This question helps you understand the people you’re writing to. I might as well say that you’re wasting your time if you don’t answer this question.
2. What is their problem and how does it make them feel?
Have you ever been so immersed in reading something such that you pay no attention to things happening around you?
That is what is means to focus, because you have found “interesting content!” It doesn’t happen by chance; it’s all planned from the beginning.
Most would think of interesting content as dopamine releasing content, and you’re right. Content is supposed to be backed by emotions. And it can be any emotion.
3. Who do they need to meet or what do they need that will help them?
This is where you pitch without being too pushy, the perfect opportunity to make them care.
Making people care is about talking from a place of emotion, and not sounding desperate because people share what they care about and I care about articles like this so that’s why I’m sharing it with you.
4. What plan would they come up with after interaction with the ad?
This is more of you telling them what to do after they’ve encountered the ad.
If they care about your message, there’s no need for all the “killer tactics” you see on content.
A simple “Sign up using the link in the description” or comment “X” would do the job.
5. What does it feel like to take action on that plan?
This is where some brands build community.
If you look at the “Share a Coke” campaign, you’ll notice that it was all about building community and it worked like a charm.
The audience knew what it felt like to share a coke or even print someone's name on a can that says “Share a coke with Ann.”
It’s not necessary to do this on a large scale like they did, but you can think of other ways to foster community or belonginess.
I have 2 more questions but it’s more a repetition rather than help.
This is what I’ve learnt and have used it here.
Try reading from the top again and you’ll notice you’re now reading with the mindset of a creator (it happened to me too).
