For years I’ve been preaching the power of stories. Stories are what engage people. Stories are how we make people remember things. Stories sell things.
As noted in the International Journal of Information Technology and Management, “Stories are universal, crossing boundaries of language, culture and age. They mirror human thought. All evidence from neurology and psychology leads to the conclusion that humans think in narrative structures. Concepts conveyed in story form – more than ideas explained with logic and analysis – imprint themselves naturally into human minds.”
When you think of your favorite advertising, I’ll bet you there is an interesting story line that drives the communication. Remember why 1984 won’t be like 1984? And today, storytelling is more important than ever. With so many marketers fighting for space in our brains, great storytelling seems to be the way to win the war. The most recent example is obviously the Old Spice guy. Or, more appropriately, the story of the man you wish your man smelled (or looked) like. And good stories have the power to grow. Sometimes even taking on a life of their own. And in the social arena, it can happen in the blink of an eye. So as marketers, we have to be able to respond quickly to help fuel the story fire. Kind of like idea arsonists.
And for all of you naysayers out there proclaiming that the :30 second spot is dead, I say you’re dead wrong. A good story can start anywhere. On the street. On the web. And yes, even on TV.
So the next time you’re wondering how to get someone’s attention, tell them a great story. As the poet Murial Rukeyser wrote, “the universe is made up of stories, not atoms.”
photo credit: Lubs Mary on flickr.
