I shake my head in disbelief when I read about “expert” bloggers and seminars stressing the importance of storytelling. I’ve understood the importance of storytelling since writing for my junior high school newspaper. And yet some people writing about this topic act as if the concept of storytelling is like Indiana Jones finding the ark. Please.
A YouTube video reminded me that storytelling might be as old as the ark itself. The 1972 Miami Dolphins and Coach Don Shula just visited The White House, where President Obama honored their undefeated season. This event inspired me to find old videos of the Dolphins on YouTube. I discovered a 1973 espisode of The Don Shula Show. Don Shula is the NFL’s winningest coach and he regularly appeared on TV to discuss the team’s lastest games. The show includes commercials from Eastern Airlines and McDonald’s.
I didn’t even realize I was watching one of Eastern’s ads. The ad shows kids visiting the Lincoln Memorial and learning about America’s history. Toward the end of the ad, Eastern dicusses the value of flying kids to the nation’s capital. In another Eastern ad, viewers watch emotional encounters among couples and families at an airport. Then there’s a McDonald’s ad showing a kid appreciating eating there with his dad.
The emotional couples at the airport remind me of one of Apple’s ads this year. Apple’s commerical shows kids and families learning and benefitting from its products. Eastern and McDonald’s aren’t shouting about their incredible services as if they just purchased airtime for a late night infomercial. The companies connect with potential customers by making an emotional connection. And that’s how it’s done.
For us, storytelling is better when the story is about a specific person who is not an actor. But in 1973, Eastern and McDonald’s used their own version of storytelling. Remember this the next time someone acts if storytelling is the latest and greatest marketing tool. It’s a great approach but it’s not new. As for businesses which ignore this concept, that’s a whole other story. Some companies can’t let go of in-your-face tactics that make you feel 20 salesmen are staring you in the face. And if those companies don’t buy into storytelling that’s been effective since 1973 and before, they won’t grasp it in 2013.
You probably don’t want to watch 18 minutes of The Don Shula Show, but the ads I’ve discussed are in the six-minute and 12-minute marks.