STORY-TELLING IN ( ADVERTISING )

BUSINESS

EFFECTIVE

ADVERTISING

IS ABOUT

MASTERING THE ART

OF STORYTELLING

by LUCIA TREZOVA Prague, October, 2014

What people call „stories“ are often just

narratives in best cases, in worst cases it

is just pure information. The story must

have a specific structure and must

contain specific elements to be called

„a story“.

PEOPLE IN MARKETING WHO TALK „STORIES“ USUALLY

DO NOT TALK ABOUT STORIES AT ALL…

FACTS TELL, BUT STORIES

SELL

WHY STORIES?

Because…..

„HISTORY OF A MANKIND IS THE ONE GREAT STORY.

STORIES ARE ALL MYTHS, ALL LEGENDS.

EVERY HUMAN’ S LIFE IS A PERSONAL STORY.

EVERY SPEECH WE GIVE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HAS A

FORM OF THE STORY.

WE THINK IN STORIES, WE LIVE STORIES.

WE CAN’T DO IT DIFFERENTLY.“

WHAT IS A STORY ?

Story is a coherent narrative with plot,

populated with characters, containing twist, and communicating meanings. Stories pass moral judgment on events. They stimulate strong emotions of sympathy, love, anger, fear, anxiety and so forth. They cause our involvement and identification.

So…Let’s summarize all

necessary story elements

which all together make:

10 RULES

FOR CREATING

A GOOD STORY

1.

CREATE A CONFLICT !

NO CONFLICT, NO STORY....

Conflict does not mean necessarily, that

people have to fight or argue. Conflict can

be inside of a person.

Conflict often means the necessity

to choose: from the two directions to go,

between two different motives to follow,

two impulses to obey,

or two values to embrace and pursue...

CONFLICT IS ALSO CHOOSING ONE PRODUCT

AND REFUSING THE OTHER.

2.

STICK TO THE STRUCTURE !

The structure of the good story has not changed since the times of the Greek drama. Good story must contain the same parts as formulated by Aristotle: the Beginning, the Middle and the End.

This structure is applied in myths, in fairy-tales, in novels as well as in all Hollywood movies.

…THIS STRUCTURE SHOULD BE ADOPTED

BY EACH GOOD COMMERCIAL…

LEARN THIS STRUCTURE FIRST !

FOLLOW THE FREYTAG’S TRIANGLE

Exposition - Ground Situation

Inciting Incident

Klimax – Turning Point or AHA Experience

Denouement - New Ground Situation

Obstacle

Obstacle

Obstacle

Reversal

Resolution or catharsis

FREYTAG’S TRIANGLE

BEGINNING THE MIDDLE THE END

LET’S MAKE IT SIMPLE… WHAT IS THE

STRUCTURE OF THE GOOD STORY…?

MIDDLE: conflict, complications, the main hero goes through trials, overcomes obstacles, fights or struggles and suffers

BEGINNING: sets up the situation

END: conflict resolution or catharsis, new equilibrium is created, key message or moral judgment is sent over

3.

MAKE AN INTERESTING PLOT !

Mark Twain agreed. His first rule of writing was

“that a tale shall accomplish something and arrive

somewhere.”

Without the plot you give your audience just pure

information.

WELL… WE ALL CAN REMEBER ADs WITH PLOTS

CULMINATING IN A SURPRISING POINT.

WE ALL KNOW THESE ADs ARE THE BEST.

4.

MAKE A TWIST !

Twist and turns make the story striking. There

are two “events” that can cause a turning point:

an action or a revelation. Something

someone does or something someone learns can cause the story to turn in a new direction.

SOMEONE JUST DISCOVERED THE NEW BANKING ACCOUNT CAN

SAVE MONEY?

SOMEONE JUST EXPERIENCED NEW WASHING POWDER MADE THE

LOUNDRY EVEN WHITER?

SOMETIME IT’S ENOUGH, SOMETIME NOT…

5.

THE HEROES MUST EVOLVE!

Transformation of the main heroes is what keeps

the story compelling. Tales of metamorphosis are

not only ancient, they tap into the deepest recesses

of human consciousness. If we want to turn the

story, we have to change what the main characters

want, desire or value over the course of the

story. Heroes should alter: mentally, physically or

emotionally.

…WHAT KIND OF TRANSFORMATION DOES YOUR PRODUCT PROMISE?

…HOW YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL TRANSFORM BY USING YOUR PRODUCT?

…HOW THIS CHANGE WILL AFFECT THEIR LIVES?

6.

EVOKE IMAGERY !

Words are interesting, pictures are

unforgettable. Words must create visual

images. One image can speak more than a

thousand words. Use words which generate vivid

images and sensual body feelings. Use

metaphors. Use poetic language. Make your

audience see, hear and feel.

I AM SURE IT IS CLEAR. NO MORE WORDS ARE NEEDED….

7.

GIVE THEM EMOTIONS !

Make your audience laugh, make people cry,

make them feel scary, make them feel happy,

make them feel guilty, make them feel

ashamed, make them feel proud or make them

feel smart and clever.

….BUT, YOUR PRODUCT FEATURING IN YOUR ADs SHOULD MAKE

YOUR AUDIENCE FEEL ENPOWERED. ALWAYS.

JUST MAKE THEM FEEL…SOMETHING

8.

LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM !

Make your audience identify with your

heroes. Let your heroes generate

strong emotions. Any emotion, either

positive or negative one creates a

strong bond.

…IDENTIFICATION WILL GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS A SENSE OF

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. IDENTIFICATION WILL CONNECT YOUR

CUSTOMERS WITH YOUR BRAND OR PRODUCT

9.

SAY WHAT YOU STAND FOR !

Stories speak out values and morale.

Stories pass moral judgments. The bad

guys vs. the good guys, the good and the

evil… Good guys not always win, but we

always feel when they should. We can

recognize injustice.

A good story carries an important

message easily recognizable by the

audience. Message is what we want our

listeners to remember when they forget

details of our story.

…CAN YOUR AUDIENCE AFTER WATCHING

YOUR NEW TV COMMERCIAL FORMULATE

CLEARLY WHY THEY DESPARATELY

NEED YOUR NEW PRODUCT? CAN YOU?

10.

MAKE YOUR STORY WORTH

RE-TELLING !

Good stories are told over and over. The same

fairytales are told to millions of children every night.

Why? Because they communicate the universal

truth. Because they tackle the universal values inside us. We want to hear them. Again and again…

THIS IS A SECRET OF ALL VIRAL ADs. PEOPLE WANT TO SHARE

THEM, PEOPLE WANT TO SPREAD THEM. WHY? BECAUSE THEY

FEEL CONNECTED THROUGH THEM WITH OTHER PEOPLE…

IS THAT ALL ?

YES, IT IS.

JUST ONE MORE THING !

HELP PEOPLE CREATE THEIR OWN

STORIES AROUND YOUR BRAND.

InSymbols.

MARKET RESEARCH & TRAININGS

LUCIA TREZOVA

lucia.trezova@gmail.com @trezova

Thank you!