Storytelling Long-Format Ads – A Better Way for Effective Consumer Engagement

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume V, Issue III, March 2018 | ISSN 2321–2705

Storytelling Long-Format Ads – A Better Way for Effective Consumer Engagement

Rajesh Nambiar

GNVS Institute of Management, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Abstract: – Brands are betting big on the storytelling format of long duration advertisements or series of ads. Digital medium today gives brands the opportunity to delve deep into the heart and minds of their consumers through long duration ads or series of ads. Long duration ads have undoubtedly allowed the brands to go beyond the regular 30-seconder short format which not only used to restrict the brands from highlighting its essential story but was also a challenge for the advertising agency to integrate the essence of the brand. The duration of ads have now increased from 30 seconds to 3 to 4 minutes. Everyone surely remembers and cherishes the long-format ads like Google re-union; British Airways’ A Ticket to Visit Mum, Fortune oil, Amazon’s ‘when a woman shops’, Tata Sky Prison break, Dabur Vatika’s Brave & Beautiful and many more. Brands like DBS, Google, Amazon, Star Sports, Vodafone launched their brand story through a series of ads in an innovative manner leaving a high impact on each and every consumer. The storytelling long-format of ads or series of ads make the consumers connect quite closely with the product’s core thought thereby leaving a high impact on them with possibly a better engagement.

The storytelling long-format ad or series of ads allows for greater creative freedom and thus allows various routes to customer education, product information/gamification, category and brand build and customer engagement. Engagement can be built around these storytelling long-format ad or series of ads thus captivating customers for even longer.

The advantage of a well-made, clutter breaking, creative storytelling ad – irrespective of its format (long duration or short duration) is that its impact is far greater than a run-of-the-mill ad. While advertising should never be created with duration in mind (as a constraint), the fact is the duration factor does affect them subliminally. Every creative person will reject an idea in his/her own mind if he/she thinks it warrants more than 40-seconds of air time. With diktats like product window and consumption shots also being forced on them by the client, it is natural that most creatives are on expected lines. In that context it is wonderful to see a 4-minute storytelling long-format ad being created for a brand. Brands today are going beyond making the stereotype ads that shows consumption, comparison, product windows etc. Brands are finding ways of communication for better consumer engagement and here is where storytelling long-format ads or series of ads are helping them do it more effectively.

Key words: Consumer engagement, long-format ads, storytelling, digital medium, brands

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