Branding Marketing
Tell Me A Story
November 19, 2012
Remember in 1982 when E.T. snuck in an an unprecedented amount of product placement? And fast-forward to 2001 when Josie and the Pussycats parodies the whole notion of product placement in every single scene (note: they didn’t actually get paid for any of it.) How about banner ads – how many of those have you engaged with?
The problem with more advertising, or advertising in general, is that someone is selling to us – so we tune it out. Who likes to be sold to? You don’t choose to be sold to unless you’re getting a big TV and a weekend vacation out of it. Advertising is a one-way conversation.
The question of how do we get more advertising to the consumer has been reversed. The new question is “How do we get more consumers to our brand?”
Last week, the big takeaway from Future-M here in Boston was good, honest, heartfelt storytelling. You’ve got a great story if you can bring a tear to someone’s eye, and/or people want to share it. Because its all about sharing right now.
When people research before a purchase, they look to friends and peers. Whether its in-person or reading comments online, we trust each other to help guide our decisions. This is also why Google, and other communities, use the social graph to show you what your friends are interested in.
Coca Cola just redesigned their website to revolve around stories, not products. Dove embraces “Real Beauty.”And Domino’s listens.
These are real conversations with real people. These brands are confident enough to not only let the public talk about them, but showcase those uncensored conversations. They show a level of mutual trust, respect, and love that you can only get from friends.
About the Author: Michael Flint
