At my childhood dinner table, we would sit around telling stories. My dad was a teacher, so every day he would come home with a story about a breakthrough moment in his psychology class, or the masterful way he disciplined the hallway bully with an unexpected ten-page assignment. My mom would join in and regale how she discovered the new, delicious recipe we were all devouring. Each one of us would take turns sharing the events of our day. It was a time to come together, laugh and bond.

As much as we avoid human interaction today, we truly crave it. After a long day of staring at a computer, checking email and texting, hanging out and talking to friends and family is the highlight of the day.

Since the beginning of man, sharing tales has been innate to every generation, and at the core of any good story are relationships. Reaching your audience through TV ads should reflect just that.

English professor and blogger, Carl Pullein, at presentinenglish.com, mentions storytelling in TV ads “don’t have to be long or complex to make a point. They just need to be simple and relevant to what we are talking about.”

Here are five different ways TV ads engage audiences through storytelling:

1. Sharp Wit

Have you ever noticed how much people are like cats? Yes, cats. Cats do their own thing, but eventually they all end up lying in a pile on top of each other or fighting for the same piece of food.

The same can be said for technology. I have to say, I am in love with the Galaxy SIII commercials. I’m an avid Apple fan and user – and will continue to be – but this commercial is pure genius:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR8A3T6sPzU

The ad presents how even strangers can develop relationships over inanimate objects. Proving how people flock to the same products, but are also frustrated by the same setbacks. Standing in line for a new headphone jack and a lighter phone probably isn’t very exciting. The viewer can relate because they’ve probably stood in that same line or are potentially contemplating a new brand.

Score one giant point for Samsung. It takes a pretty big pair of apples to go after Apple.

2. Resonating Music

There is a local sporting goods store commercial that melts my heart every time I see it. The music alone creates a bond between the audience and the product. It’s during commercials like this where I don’t even realize my food is burning or that clever Facebook post is waning, because I’m so captivated by the perfection of the voice and melody:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWe_xt8-7kA

Many times music is used as the emotional undercurrent supporting the voice-over, but here it comes across on the screen without the need of other dialogue. The simplicity of the song is enough to sustain the written message.

This is storytelling at its finest. It’s one of those TV commercials where you say to yourself, “Yes. I feel that way. How did they know?”

3. Tearjerkers

Watch the “Wahpeton Welcome” commercial and it makes even the most urban-minded person nostalgic for small town friendliness and a white picket fence:

This ad makes you want to move to this town, buy a house and have a few kids who run through the sprinkler.

Tearjerkers are good because they connect on the basic level of human needs: family and desire for security. Most often viewers want to see people just like them, going through the day-to-day “stuff” that we all strive for.

4. Generational Gaps

30-second TV commercials are like short TV episodes. You have to establish a relationship very quickly to capture the audiences’ attention. One commercial that comes to mind is Folgers Coffee “Peter Comes Home For Christmas:”

Set in the 80s, the little sister is looking out the window, awaiting her brother’s arrival home from college. It pulls at your heartstrings. I distinctly remember this commercial because I was that little sister.

A generation later, the same premise works today, with a much older Peter coming home from Africa realizing that his sister is all grown up:

Reviving this former relationship works because younger generations grew up with the commercial and are now adults seeing it through different eyes. Universally, the commercial relates to all generations through the anticipation of seeing family at the holidays. The smell of the coffee filling the air is a delicious scent that reminds us of warmth and good times. It hits home.

5. Food Bribes

We can all relate to simple, yet silent commercials. One of the most inventive I’ve seen lately was a food bribe commercial aired during the 2012 Super Bowl. I refer to it as “The Doritos Dog:”

https://youtube.com/watch?v=VBvBqfB977w

The commercial makes its point by showing how easily humans can be bought with food:

Man is planting trees in the yard.

Dog is noticed burying “something” in the dirt nearby.

We see the missing cat poster.

We see the Dorito bribe happening.

The relationship of “dog is man’s best friend” is paralleled with food.

In this scenario, all the action was simple and barely a word was exchanged.  You could probably turn off the sound and still understand the story behind the commercial. Here, the man is dog’s best friend, and he could care less about the cat. After all, he’s eating non-stop bags of Doritos to keep him quiet.

And the Story Lives On…

The authors of storytellingday.net remind us, “The history of storytelling reveals that stories come in all varieties: Myths, legends of all kinds, fairy tales, trickster stories, fables, ghost tales, hero stories and epic adventures.”

A story is something you remember. Like a good friend or a beautiful memory, you come back to it time and again. It holds your heart in its hands for a brief moment and can resonate throughout your being for a lifetime.

Commercials are simply short stories, reminding us that we’re all the same. We are just everyday people with problems to be solved. By sharing relatable stories, and creating a bond between your audience and your product, you will prove that what we share is real and valuable. Marketing in this format will help make your brand stick with your audience and inspire them to choose it.

If you need help creating a commercial that tells your story and builds a lasting relationship with your audience, give us a call at 701-478-1111 or visit absolutemg.com/contact. We have helped numerous businesses tell their stories in creative, relatable ways.