It’s been a long time since high school. But I still remember an ad for a baby powder-scented perfume that probably graced the pages of Seventeen magazine circa 1991. I remember the ad not because I pined for the perfume or the cute boy who hawked it. I remember the ad because it told a little story. “Why I love lending Nicole my jacket,” read the copy. “When she gives it back, it smells incredible. Like she’s right there, wearing her Love’s Baby Soft.”
I’ve always been drawn to stories, and I’m noticing a clear trend right now toward longer-form and more literal storytelling in all forms of advertising. What do I mean by “story?” Conversational language, a sequential unfolding of events, raising a question and then answering it in an unexpected way.
Video lends itself naturally to a narrative approach, especially with the enhanced capabilities of new media. Storytelling in advertising is nothing new, and even branded webisodes have existed since at least 2002 with BMW’s seminal internet film series The Hire. But even more now, we’re seeing an explosion of narrative, with companies of all kinds embracing story-driven content in the form of TV commercials, branded films, online photo essays and viral videos. A far cry from Love’s Baby Soft, luxury perfumer Dior recently harnessed the power of story with a series of online branded mini-films helmed by big name Hollywood directors and stars, like the David Lynch-directed Lady Blue Shanghai starring Marion Cottilard and the Guy Ritchie-directed Un Rendez Vous, featuring Jude Law.
One of the most evocative television commercials from the past year is the two-minute Chrysler ad from the 2011 Super Bowl. The ad, which stars Eminem, deserves all its hype and its Emmy for telling a story of rebirth and renewal that transcends Detroit.
J. Crew has embraced narrative, too, with catalog advertising that highlights real little moments in the life of its creative director, Jenna Lyons, as well as a a series of behind-the-scenes videos that highlight the making of J.Crew products in Italy.
Pottery Barn’s hipper sister, West Elm, rolled out one of the year’s clearest examples of narrative advertising in this catalog intro. The inside cover and the following page are dedicated to a detailed first-person story about a four-year old and a dog wreaking havoc on a living room, ultimately resulting in the purchase of new slipcovers and a feeling of triumph in the narrator mom.
So what makes a story stick? The best stories combine an anecdote with a moment of reflection. Ira Glass, host of NPR’s This American Life, says anecdote is so powerful because “you can feel through its form [that it’s] inherently like being on a train that has a destination…and that you’re going to find something.” Simply relating a sequence of events is not enough, though. In order for the message to hit home, brands need to wrap up their anecdotes by explaining what it all means and why we should care.
Just one lonely little comment.