A neat read that pertains exactly to my blog mission is the book The Idea Writers by Teressa Iezzi. She takes the reader through the world of an advertising copywriter and examines the current culture in the field. With a straightforward and witty approach, Iezzi also gives some insight on how to become a great creative in a rapidly changing and competitive industry.
One of the chapters I enjoyed reading is called “The Storytellers.” Most of the best ads out there do not focus on the product, but tell a story. They involve the consumer and bring something to life in their minds. An example used in the chapter is the BMW Films “The Hire.” The first one in the series of eight is posted below.
It was such a monumental move because no other brand had made solely entertainment for the internet. Despite some of the videos being a little cheesy, they were ingenious. There was no announcer voice, annoying font or lame catch phrases. They built a character and created stories, pieces of art to make a statement in the world.
The chapter also goes on to talk about another great example of storytelling in the digital world. I would encourage you to read about Beta 7, a fictional beta tester for a SEGA video game. Interactive storytelling is becoming so popular it almost seems normal. The truth is advertising is all about creating a story to relate a customer to a product. The source of creativity is finding connections, examining relationships and building off other ideas. Ty Montague, former creative director at Wieden, explains the reality of advertising – “Unlike traditional storytelling where you complete the thing and you put it out there, it’s a living thing that requires ongoing curation and involvement on the part of storytellers and participants.” To be creative is to be able to tell a story – one that is alive.
Idea Culture 