The 87th Oscars ceremony took place last night in Hollywood, bringing together the elite of the film industry to celebrate the cinematic successes of the past year. As the ceremony highlighted, films are increasingly being based on true stories, including the hugely popular “The Theory of Everything”, based on the life of Stephen Hawking.
A recent article on Brand Republic has pointed out that brands can learn a lot from films, especially those based on true stories. Robert McKee, the most sought after screenwriting tutor in the world, has said “A culture cannot evolve without honest, powerful storytelling”, and the same applies to brands trying to reach their target audience through powerful and meaningful marketing communications. Customers want to see real stories that they can identify with and evokes an emotional reaction.
Some brands have already caught onto the storytelling trend and are using the approach in marketing campaigns. Airbnb’s “Wall and Chain” campaign, launched in November 2014, was inspired by a customer’s true story. In May 2012 an Airbnb traveller brought her father — a former West German border guard — back to visit a united Berlin for the first time. When they arrived to Berlin they were greeted by a man who served as a border guard in East Germany, just across the Wall from her father over twenty years ago. The short, animated film aims to show the power of hospitality and the strength of the human spirit. With almost 6 million views on YouTube, it is proving popular, even receiving Twitter recognition from Ashton Kutcher!
Z-CARD® can help with powerful marketing communications, with extensive experience providing PocketMedia® solutions to top brands. Take a look at some of our work here. To find out more about how we can help with your marketing campaign, please get in touch on +44 (0) 20 7924 5147 or at zlimited@zcard.com.