List maintained by Amrit Vatsa.

Every business deserves great storytelling.

We help B2B, B2C and Tech startups with story-led brand & marketing - strategy + execution.

What’s new?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Hp8PWYJkU

<aside> 📌 We keep adding to the below list of creative-devices typically deployed in ads. If you find a new creative device (or a good example of an existing one), just DM Amrit and we will add to the list here.

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Narrative Techniques

• Story - Protinex, Teamwork, Orange Business, ShoeDept, Amazon (aam), Pure Leaf, Coors, Computer Associates, CrowdStrike, MGComet, Canva India, CarMax, Zomato Diwali 2024, Amazon (janitor-singer), Shera Ceiling Board, Mulberrry
• Show the product / service in a creative way - Getty images, Liquid Death
  • Product superiority demonstration - on camera - Ather, iphone, BMW, Volvo, Amaron battery, Google Pixel, Minute Maid, Die-hard battery, MGComet, Smart car
• Us vs. them (or some such comparison / contrast) - B-Tex, Confused.com, JPMorgan WM, Embrace Pet Insurance, Liquid Death, Apple Vs PC, Vrbo, Smart car, Pepsi, Knorr, Mulberrry
• Show the problem creatively - Orange Business1, OB2, Savlon, ProstateCancerUK, Computer Associates, CityofLA, Meesho, CarMax, Computer Associates, Vrbo, Shera Ceiling Board
  • Made up problem - Colgate (sleep)
  • Show a villain - Teamwork, Bible app, CrowdStrike, Jupiter
• Show the benefit creatively - SwissCaution, ProstateCancerUK, Amazon (Adam)
  • Hyperbole / exaggeration / dramatize the benefit - HP, Rungta, WayFair, Teamwork, [Confused.com](http://Confused.comhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMfFuKK4FUI), Vadilal, Zeera, Tango, Currys, Klorane/Garnier (strong hair), JPMorgan WM, PlutoTV, Allbirds, CarMax
• Life before & after the product - Zendesk, CentreFresh, Meesho, Kawasaki Ridge, CarMax
• Metaphors (verbal / visual) - or analogy - Zendesk, BurgerKing, Computer Associates, Kawasaki Ridge, Apple M4 [watch this CoreInsight video on why metaphors are helpful in ads]
• Response / commentary on something trending / topical (moment marketing) - Samsung (responding to the 2024 ipad ad fiasco), Coors (commentary on an NFL rule), BattlBox, Zomato Diwali 2024
  • trending content as a hook - an example
• Heritage / founder story - CoreVoice
• Product repositioned - Liquid Death
• “We not good” approach
  • Brand accepting its limitations (we are not the most valuable thing in the world compared to other things) / What the product doesn’t do - Coke, Amazon (aam), Smart car
  • Perceived negative attribute → to positive - example, Oslo city, Liquid Death, Smart car
  • Brand pointing out a broader issue with the category itself - Vivo, Liquid Death, USCellular
• Keyword as an anchor - Protinex (”strength”), Pure Leaf (”break”), Workday (”rockstar”), USCellular (”ironic”)
  • Wordplay - Linkedin, AirAsia