If you want advertising to work, tell a story.  I will get the message about your differentiation.

What does a story do? It creates a movie for your mind’s eye. A good story will be played and replayed in the mind for days, weeks, and months to come.

The brand devleopment process is about telling the story to get the experience–and the differentiation.

“You can say the right thing and nobody will listen,” said Bill Bernbach (a very creative ad man and one of founding partners of Dole Dane Bernbach).  “But you’ve got to say it in such a way that people will feel it… Because if they don’t feel it, nothing will happen.”  Dole Dane Bernbach created an ad campaign for Volkswagen, which became a classic—“Think small.”  They used good design and told a story that differentiated VW from the big cars made in Detroit. The advertising was as different to car advertising as the VW was to its competition.

You can tell a story with a photograph or illustration.  One picture of a cowboy is worth a thousand words.  The Marlboro Man was a theme for more than four decades. There was little in the ads except the image of the Marlboro Man on the open range or riding a horse with a beautiful mountain range behind him.  The rest was left up to the imagination of the viewer.  The cowboy was seen as independent, self-sufficient, and uncomplicated.  The mind creates the story that creates the brand.

David Ogilvy, one of the legendary advertising men of the 20th century, had a very small account CW Hathaway, a shirtmaker in Maine.  The company was doing it’s first advertising campaign and had a relatively small budget compared to its competitors.  Ogilvy knew he needed to do something unique to get differentiation and impact for his advertising.  The president of Hathaway knew they were a small account and he appreciated Ogilvy taking his account on.  He promised to never fire the agency or change any copy.

On his way to the photo shoot Ogilvy bought some eyepatches.  Ogilvy gave the eyepatches to the photographer and ask him to “humor me” and shoot the model with an eyepatch.  This was really out of character for Ogilvy who was a copy writer and held art directors in contempt for their use of gimericky visuals but he knew without the eyepatch the photo would be just the same as the competition… a photo of a man in a good looking shirt.  His differentiation was an eyepatch.  It had story appeal.  Ogilvy claimed to be puzzled by it all, he said, “For some reason I’ve never known, it made Hathaway instantly famous.  Perhaps, more to the point, it made me instantly famous.”  That was differentiation.

The results.  The ad in New Yorker cost $3,176.  Within one week every Hathaway shirt in the city was sold.

You don’t have to tell the complete story.  Clairol had a tremendous campaign that asked, “Does she or doesn’t she?” It let the reader fantasize about changing their own hair color at a time when changing your hair color was not looked upon favorably.   Before we can take action we have to be able to see ourselves using the product. We have to fantasize, daydream and visualize.  If we can see it, we can buy it. Differentiation is a key component.

A well told story is a differentiator, it reveals values without saying, “We’re honest and reputable” or “We offer great service.” And do you really believe someone when they tell you they are honest? Didn’t you expect them to be honest and if they have to tell you, don’t you then question it? By sharing our stories, we define “who we are” and “what we stand for.”  Differentiation is the key… check out the Saddleback Leather story.

Saddleback Leather sells heavy leather bags (brands often go against the popular trends and differentiate themselves).  Everybody is going lightweight—not Saddleback Leather. Go to Saddleback Leather and see how Dave reveals a lot about his product and company in his blog or his story “In memory of Blue.”  A good story gets you emotionally involved (I have three Labs and I have to admit I am a sucker for dog stories).

Saddleback also uses good visuals to tell the story.  Some are exaggerated to make a point but isn’t that the point of exaggeration? I don’t think you will have an elephant stomping on your bags. But, if you do, Saddleback will guarantee that it will not be damaged, or they will give you a new bag.

You will recall the story told by Jesus in Mathew 25:14-30 of the three servants that received talents from their master. The one who received five talents invested and gained five more, the second servant invested his two talents and received two more but the third buried his talents and received nothing. The third servant was lazy and did not invest his talents and received no return.  Rather than tell you to work hard and invest your talents, a story was used that you will remember. It doesn’t matter how old you are—you will remember.

When telling your story your audience should be able to visualize it. If not, then it is not concrete enough. Make it visual. We buy with our eyes and a story well told will create a vision that the mind can see and remember.

Can you tell me a captivating story about your service?  Does it tell me how your company makes a difference, a differentiation?  Can you do it with a photo?

Advertise…it pays.