Just a Note, Maybe a Silly One~

Storytelling. A lot of companies have gone there. It’s the latest trend–storytelling–a way to advertise that captures attention in a positive, uplifting manner.

A dog story or a heartwarming family tale grabs our attention, and may cause us to grab a tissue. A neighbor reaches out to help an elderly woman, a soldier returns home, surprising a family member, or even his or her dog. Grabs your attention.

Hallmark Cards was a forerunner in the storytelling ad field. How many remember the holiday card commercials? The special teacher, the wonderful daughter, and the list goes on.

And the coffee commercial, when big brother comes home for the holidays. He puts on a pot of coffee to wake up the parents and surprise them. One of my personal favorites.

Yes, they’re sharing a real-life experience, and that’s wonderful. These stories are designed to trigger memories and emotions. To give you a positive “vibe” about their company and their products.

Humor sells, too.  Like Mikey. Cute baby brother Mikey was a picky eater, so when Mikey liked something, his brothers knew it must be really good. Whoever came up with that one picked a winner.

So what happens when a story doesn’t quite ring true? I’m reminded of an old ad about a certain pair of shoes that were like “walking on a cloud.” I had to ask myself, how did they know? Has anyone ever walked on a cloud? Wouldn’t that be difficult?

What’s your favorite commercial falsehood?

Yes, I’m being funny, today. Short and sweet, for this week’s Hello! Thursday Morning. Storytelling ads are big business, and hopefully many of my freelance writer friends are cashing in on the trend.

I hope you find a Mikey. Then I can say, I knew you back when you were a struggling freelance writer. 🙂

Happy Thursday!

CLICK TO TWEET: Hello! Thursday Morning presents “When storytelling is big business.”