Storytelling Should Be the Focus, Not Technology

Over the weekend I was reading AdWeek and I stumbled upon an article that directly reflects everything I have learned in my Campaign Planning and Management course. The article is titled "Marketers Should Look Beyond the Dazzle of CGI and Embrace Storytelling." Immediately, I thought of my campaign class because for the past 15 weeks Professor Spotts has been emphasizing the importance of storytelling and promoting a brand by telling a story that connects to the prospect's inner layer. This is everything I have been learning!

The world of marketing has evolved in many ways. As technologically-advanced graphic tools keep growing, advertisements have been upgraded. The article compares two advertisements. One for Tesla and one for Audi. The commercial for Audi is called "Birth" and it is argued that a story is completely lost. Although it received over 800,000 views on YouTube, unless consumers understand the science of CGI, then you cannot connect with the story. Essentially, it is one Audi giving birth to another Audi. It uses unreal technologically advanced assembly line producing the Audi's. Yeah I'll admit it is pretty cool, but what story is being told there? None. There is no way for a consumer to emotionally connect that advertisement. Jim Signorelli emphasizes the importance of storytelling in his book "Storybranding 2.0." Once both the brand's inner layer and the prospect's inner layer align and a story reflects that alignment, an emotional connection results.

The advertisement does not do anything I was taught while reading Storybranding 2.0. It could be a commercial for BMW, Mercedes, etc. You do not look at the commercial and go, "That's an Audi commercial." It does not communicate Audi's inner layer. The only way for Audi to communicate that inner layer is to tell a story, which they failed to do.

So, what does this say about the evolution of marketing? Is storytelling a dying tactic? Well, it certainly shouldn't be. We're entering an era where self-driving cars and hover boards are being produced, which affects what marketers think is effective. As more and more people are becoming technologically obsessed, their inner layers are evolving as well. I can see what Audi was trying to do there, however I just do not agree with it. I understand the "cool" part of showcasing the talent of your effects team, but they are forgetting the whole purpose of an advertisement. They need consumers to feel emotionally connected, which will drive purchase intent. I can guarantee that nine out of ten times when you ask a marketer what drives purchases, they'll answer, "Emotions." So, how are these CGI advertisements influencing emotion?

Like I said before, I'm not going to lie and say it is a bad advertisement. The effects are pretty cool, but I just don't see how they are connecting with potential consumers. It goes against everything I have learned over the past 15 weeks and I am glad that the knowledge I have obtained from class can help me analyze advertisements like Audi's "Birth."