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Modern commercials are essentially 30- to 60-second movies or TV episodes. And just like these beloved entertainment alternatives, commercials are defined by the art and effort that go into their stories.
Effective modern commercials are measured by their ability to captivate, engage, and remain memorable. If your commercials fall short in checking these three boxes, there’s a chance that your target customers or clients might not act on the information you have given them simply because they’re not convinced enough.
As a professional filmmaker and storyteller at Garage Door Films, Andrew Boomer knows that while many elements are combined to create an effective commercial, it is storytelling that binds them.
Here are Andrew’s expert tips on the art of turning commercials into compelling stories.
Direct Your Commercial Around A Story to Captivate the Audience and Make it Memorable
Storytelling defines the success or oversight of a commercial—not information, animations, A-list celebrities, fast-paced scenes, or exotic locations.
While storytelling may only indirectly communicate the product or service being advertised, it is proven advantageous in accomplishing goals that are much more important.
Storytelling engages and captivates the target audience, allows them to relate to the product or service, and makes the commercial–and consequently the product or service–memorable.
This is why storytelling is significant for modern commercials; people are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of commercials a day. You need yours to be spectacular enough to be memorable.
And when people remember your commercial, they remember the product, service, or company as well. Consider this as the first step in building the relationship between you and your target audience.
Storytelling does not stand alone however, there are a few other essential pieces to the modern commercial puzzle, but consider the “story” as the cornerstone around which everything is built.
Construct A Structure for Your Story and Keep Narration to A Minimum
Like any story, a commercial must have certain requisite parts. This includes a lead character or spokesperson, side characters, and a problem to solution chronology.
A lead character or spokesperson makes your commercial relatable and recognizable. It’s the lead’s story that gets us hooked, the lead’s challenge that we follow, and the lead’s solution that we watch out for—which should be your product or service. This makes your commercial stand on its own, a mainstay in the commercial conversation, and a reference point for your target customers or clients.
Side characters can serve a multitude of purposes: providing product, company, or service information in an engaging way, being a humorous foil or serving as a relatable representation of the target customer or client.
As a final crux in story structure, the story of your commercial must have an evident problem-to-solution frame. You need to present the problem and then the solution your product or service can provide.
This is where you supply your information. But, remember to keep the narration to a minimum. Infomercials may not be an effective type of commercial in the modern landscape as it was before.
While some industries, products, or services may require more narration and explanatory information than others, keep in mind that the narration should never come at the expense of the story. Here is where Andrew says you can “tell the audience about your product without telling them about it”.
Remember, the Beginning and End of the Commercial are the Most Crucial Moments
Because commercials are similar to movies and TV episodes lasting just a minute at most, you have to get your audience engaged from the beginning. Think of it as a short story. You have seconds to captivate and engage your audience.
The beginning of your commercial – the beginning of the story – must have that “wow” factor. Anything less, and the viewer will pull up their phone and ignore potential information that appeals directly to their needs. The interesting story and comprehensive information mean nothing if you can’t pull your audience in from the beginning.
The ending of your commercial is equally important. This is where you can definitively extrapolate your solution, whether that be a brand, product, or service. Relate it to the target customer or client so they will act on it and continue to think about it long after your 60-second window has elapsed.
Think of this also as the pinnacle of the story. This is the moment that your target audience will remember if it is done effectively. They would either leave wondering what that was about or be surprised to realize it was a brilliant commercial for a brand. Nevertheless, it would leave them thinking about it.
As a professional filmmaker, content producer, and director, Andrew knows that an effective commercial can be the deciding factor in getting your company or brand to live rent-free in the minds of your target audience.
Follow his tips to create an appealing commercial that has storytelling at its heart and can effectively communicate to your target audience.
If you would like to learn more about Andrew’s thought process or the services he and Garage Door Films provide, you can see their work and visit their website here. You can also interact with them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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This content is brought to you by Shahbaz Ahmed.
Photo provided by the author.