The document discusses 5 suggestions for improving storytelling in advertising: 1) Take your time and don't limit stories to 30 seconds, 2) Consider the context of the audience and programming, 3) Ensure ads are meaningful to audiences rather than just seeking reach, 4) Invite audiences to give their undivided attention rather than interrupting them, and 5) Use transmedia planning to engage audiences across multiple platforms and drive conversations. The overall message is that brands and agencies need to adopt more sophisticated storytelling techniques that treat audiences as partners rather than interruptions.

1. Alain Thys “No Story, No Glory” FUTURELAB

2. The $200 billion question How do we go fromimposingourselvestobeing embraced? FUTURELAB (*) 2012 Global TV advertising forecast = $202bn, Zenith Optimedia December 2010

3. Or being even more ambitious Can we get peopletohit pauseinstead of fast forward FUTURELAB

4. #ChangeMarketing: I don’t have all the answers, but I’mwillingto look forthem.

5. FUTURELAB 5 Suggestions from the world of storytelling

6. FUTURELAB Theywillrequireco-operation Brands, agenciesand TV stations needtodevelop a new approach

7. Orthodoxieswillneedtobechallenged Especiallyiftheystopped making sense FUTURELAB

8. FUTURELAB But considering the prize, the effort is worthit Whatifconsumersembracedourmessageswillingly?

9. FUTURELAB Suggestion #1 Take your time

10. Let’s face it: Only a genius can tell a story in 30 seconds or less. For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn FUTURELAB

11. http://www.angryalien.com/0604/titanicbunnies.html Case: Titanic is a great story, but It justisn’t the same in 30 seconds FUTURELAB

12. FUTURELAB We will continue with this programme after these important messages. Sowhy do we hurry? Where did the 30 second spot come from?

13. FUTURELAB Orthodoxy alert Pat Weaver & Leonard Lavin

14. FUTURELAB Orthodoxy alert As advertising industrialised, the logic becameentrenched in the system

15. Whatif? The 30 second orthodoxy didn’texist? You had the time you needed to tell the story? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMjoEFyWn8w FUTURELAB

16. Suggestion #1 Make sure you have the time you need to tell your story FUTURELAB

17. FUTURELAB Suggestion#2 Consider context

19. Why are they coming ?

20. What is on their mind ?FUTURELAB

21. FUTURELAB Ifyouforgettoaskthem, Things go wrong

22. FUTURELAB “YEAEEEH!!” Some time ago, my son and I had the house to ourselves

23. Movie Night Minimum effort, maximum explosions Don’t worry Mrs. Thys, I’ll take care of your boys. FUTURELAB

24. FUTURELAB We had it sorted + + =

25. On the edge of our seats OMG Will’s in trouble, how will he EVER get out of thiscarchasealive??? FUTURELAB

26. FUTURELAB Time forsome important messages on the benefits of well-fitting female hygiene products.

27. FUTURELAB What’s wrong withthis picture? + + + Femalehygiene Popcorn Will Smith 2 guys

28. Impact requires context Yesterday’shomogeneousaudience has fragmentedintohundreds of subsets. FUTURELAB

29. Impact requires context Today’sfragmentedaudiencemakes context more important than ever (Mediapost, March 2011) Context effects are more pronounced for TV Context effects more pronounced in interrupting than shoulder blocks Positive valenced context improves ad effectiveness Marketing Communications, A European Perspective 3rd Edition, P. De Pelsmacker; Maggie Geuens and Joeri Van den Bergh, FT Prentice-Hall, 2007, p. 247 FUTURELAB

30. Someremarkablepractices FUTURELAB

31. Suggestion #2 Don’t just plan based on (average) numbers. Make sure your creativity matches the context of the programme. FUTURELAB

32. FUTURELAB Suggestion#3 Be meaningful

33. FUTURELAB Orthodoxy alert: Onceupon a time, advertising content matteredtous

34. FUTURELAB Today The bath tub is full

35. Image: (c) Adambooth The commercial messages we oncewelcomed, lost their appeal. Share of voice has become Share of noise FUTURELAB

36. Great storytellers continuouslyadapttheirmessage As we move on andour interests change, so does their story FUTURELAB

37. If we risk tuning out, theydon’tshoutlouder Theyanticipatewith plot-twists and different formats Luke, I amyourfather. FUTURELAB

38. Don’tbe a GRP addict, yetfind new waystogiveyouradsmeaning If I giveyou 30” of my life, what are youoffering me in return?

39. Suggestion #3 Plan forreach, but aimfor impact. Talk aboutthingsthat have real meaningtoyouraudience. FUTURELAB

40. FUTURELAB Suggestion#4 Invite the audience

41. Great storytellers Invite audiencestosit down and listen FUTURELAB

42. FUTURELAB Advertisements Tryto catch our attention whilewe’redoingsomethingelse

43. Remember the soaps? Invite audiences tocome to you FUTURELAB

44. Joinforceswithyouraudience’sfavourite storytellers Encouragechannelstocome up withquality product shows FUTURELAB

45. Joinforceswithyouraudience’sfavourite storytellers Consider product placement that fits the narrative FUTURELAB

46. Or invite themto listen to a story youcraftyourself Leverage the webisode concept to digital TV FUTURELAB

47. Suggestion #4 Invite youraudiencetosit down andgiveyoutheirundivided attention FUTURELAB

48. FUTURELAB Suggestion#5 Go Transmedia

49. Every story seeksto share itself Ifitdoesn’t spread, it’s dead (H.Jenkins) FUTURELAB

50. FUTURELAB This is proven bydevelopments in social TV Live televisionbringsuniteswholetribes on Twitter, Facebook, etc.

51. Many brands wouldliketo center these conversations on them Leveragepromoters, createpositive WOM, “buzz.

52. But there’sjustsolittletotalk about Whatcanyou say aboutthis? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnfHDp19k5s FUTURELAB

53. Media neutrality (simplified) A single ideaiteratedacrossalltouchpoints We allsee the same content = no conversationvalue FUTURELAB Source: http://farisyakob.typepad.com/blog/2006/10/transmedia_plan.html

54. If you want me to talk about you. Tell me a story that makes my conversations more interesting

55. Thisrequiresremarkable content Considerthis classic from 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toD0WzAbb3I FUTURELAB

57. Online & mobile episodes

58. Seasonprequels

59. 5 graphicnovels

60. Games (mobile, boardgame, online, trading card)

61. 11 Paperback novels

62. Series of companionbooks

63. Action figures

64. Feature film (upcoming)

65. Massive amounts of web & fan contentFUTURELAB

66. Transmedia planning (oversimplified) Multiple representations of a story across≠ touchpoints FUTURELAB We canallsee different content and are part of the conversation Source: http://farisyakob.typepad.com/blog/2006/10/transmedia_plan.html

67. How Nokia gotits Emmy nomination Imagineadding TV to the mix FUTURELAB

69. drive conversations,

70. make people part of the storyFUTURELAB

71. Summary # 1 Take your time # 2 Consider context # 3 Be meaningful # 4 Invite the audience # 5 Go transmedia FUTURELAB

72. A finalthought FUTURELAB

73. A finalthought Storytelling is a craft “it takes 10,000 hours of practicetobecome a genius” FUTURELAB

74. FUTURELAB Learnbydoing Set up brand-agency-media dialogues Experiment in story and medialabs Involve architects/puppetmasters Try out new planning systems Call me 

75. FUTURELAB Andaboveall, adopt a mindsettoonlycreateads Thatyouraudiencewouldembrace

76. Start a conversation Alain Thys www.futurelab.net www.alainthys.com Twitter: @FLB_alainthys FUTURELAB