the story brief

SAY HELLO TO: THE STORY BRIEF

©2013 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved | 1

A FRAMEWORK THAT CAN GUIDE YOU TOWARDS AWARD-WINNING CREATIVE ‘TURFS’, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT CREATIVE


LIFE AS A WRITER

Created and co-wrote Valiant, an animated feature film released in 2005. Commissioned to write further screenplays for DreamWorks, BBC Films, Working Title, UK Film Council.

LIFE AS A CONTENT STRATEGIST

Director of Content Strategy, Critical Mass, London.

Clients incl: Citbank, Hewlett Packard, South African Tourism, Goodyear & Dunlop

[email protected]

@george1971 (I don’t tweet much but I do reply!)

GEORGE WEBSTER

QUICK INTRODUCTION

Okay, that’s a slight overclaim

But do I have you attention?


Great!



GRABBING AND KEEPING ATTENTION IS THEIR BUSINESS


Hollywood knows that true character is revealed in the choices we make under pressure. By focusing on the wants and needs of a character and pushing them into extreme choices - we the audience become emotionally invested in their outcome.

Hollywood takeaway:

Learn how to develop and utilize your brand’s unique point of view of the world to maximum effect.

1. EXAGGERATED CHARACTER POV


Hollywood knows how to grab attention and put bums on seats. That’s why it returns again and again to a storytelling framework that is ‘high concept’ gold.

Hollywood takeaway:

If we consider predatory thinking to be about ‘reframing the conversation’ then using Clash of Context is a brilliant way to approach doing this.

2. CLASH OF CONTEXT

Find out more about Clash of Context here


3. COMIC OPPOSITES

Hollywood is in the entertainment business and making us laugh is BIG business. The comic opposites framework is Hollywood’s banker bet to make this happen.

Hollywood takeaway:

Together with Clash of Context, this highly flexible framework takes seconds to understand yet is behind some of most successful marketing campaigns of all time.

Find out more about Comic Opposites here


APPLYING THESE HOLLYWOOD TOOLS


1.  Start with an insight

2.  Identify the villain

3.  Reluctant hero’s feelings

4.  Bestow the brand gift

5.  Confront the villain in his lair

6.  Write the story brief

CREATE A STORY BRIEF

CAMPAIGN STORY FRAMEWORK


1. START WITH AN INSIGHT


Because at the heart of effective advertising is a powerful insight into your customer.

In an agency, where account planners have the responsibility of writing a creative brief, this framework can act as a bridge between such a brief and the development of creative concepts. If you don’t have an agency but do have some insights, this framework can help you arrive at interesting ideas to explore – even if you don’t regard yourself as creative!

WHY DO THIS?



2. IDENTIFY THE VILLAIN


Hollywood knows that nothing moves through story without conflict. And nothing drives conflict quite like a pro-active villain hell-bent on carrying out his evil plan. Pro-active villains help reveal the true character of our hero as they’re forced into action.

Tip: identifying ‘the strongest villain’ can be tricky. Use your insights to guide you. Choose a villain that raises the stakes the most. The villain may also be your brand, a clear sign of needing to ‘reframe the conversation’.

WHY DO THIS?



3. RELUCTANT HERO’S FEELINGS


Luke didn’t think he was up to defeating Darth Vader. Sarah Connor didn’t believe the Terminator was real. Rocky didn’t want to take the fight against Apollo Creed. Heroes are reluctant for a reason. They’re ill-equipped for the challenge they’ve been given.

Tip: occasionally the obvious feeling the hero has towards the villain is ‘Not their problem’. For example, this is especially true for charity campaigns. In such cases the brand gift you bestow is ‘Make it their problem’.

2. HOW DOES THE VILLAIN MAKE THE RELUCTANT HERO FEEL?



4. BESTOW YOUR HERO A GIFT


Because that’s the beauty of being a brand (and a mentor). You can. Arnie and Bruce usually get machine guns. Rocky Balboa and Po from Kung Fu Panda gained belief. Luke Skywalker mastered the force.

Turn your reluctant heroes into powerful heroes ready and able to confront the villain. In this framework the brand gift is always the direct opposite of how the reluctant hero feels about the villain.

WHY DO THIS?



5. CONFRONT THE VILLAIN IN HIS LAIR


When Luke finally masters the force he doesn’t wait for Darth Vader to find him. He seeks him out and blows up The Death Star. Likewise Rocky Balboa doesn’t run. He steps into the ring against the unbeatable Apollo Creed and gains belief despite the pounding he receives in the early rounds. And then, of course, there is James Bond...

Powerful heroes don’t hide. They seek out and confront their villains face to face.

WHY DO THIS?



6. WRITE THE STORY BRIEF


By writing the brief as a simple story that unifies both the customer and brand’s desires this enables us to set up a common problem.

This then allows the brand to play a mentor role that enables the customer and brand to achieve their common goal. Ultimately a mentor such as Yoda, or Mickey from Rocky, helps turn reluctant heroes into powerful heroes who are able to to face down their respective villains.

WHY DO THIS?



TEMPLATE <WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE?>


Brand heroes WANT <what the brand wants> BUT there are problems with (figuratively speaking) life and death stakes involved.*

*This story uses an ABC structure.

Find out more about ABC storytelling here


EXAMPLE 1: DUMB WAYS TO DIE


DUMB WAYS TO DIE

METRO CAMPAIGN

EMBARRASSED

Agency: McCann Worldgroup

Brand: Melbourne Metro Rail

40 million YouTube views

2.8 million shares

Winner of 7 Webby Awards 2013


My guess is the insight here was that commuters were not paying attention or noticing Metro’s safety messages.

START WITH AN INSIGHT



METRO CAMPAIGN

?


Image credit: © O.V.D -‐ Shu6erstock


METRO CAMPAIGN

ACCIDENTAL DEATH


Image credit: © O.V.D -‐ Shu6erstock


3. RELUCTANT HEROES FEELINGS


3. HOW DOES THE RELUCTANT HERO FEEL ABOUT THE VILLAIN?

METRO CAMPAIGN

EMBARRASSED ?

Image credit: © Nomad Soul -‐ Shu6erstock



METRO CAMPAIGN

EMBARRASSED

GRIEF, SORROW, SOMBRE, DOWNBEAT, TEARS, BLACK, FUNERAL MUSIC,

Image credit: © Nomad Soul -‐ Shu6erstock


4. WHAT IS THE BRAND GIFT METRO BESTOWS OUR HERO?

METRO CAMPAIGN

EMBARRASSED ?


4. WHAT IS THE BRAND GIFT METRO BESTOWS OUR HERO?

METRO CAMPAIGN

EMBARRASSED

SMILES, HUMOUR, LAUGHTER, BRIGHTNESS, COLOUR, UPBEAT MUSIC



METRO CAMPAIGN

?



METRO CAMPAIGN

ELECTROUCTION

CUT IN HALF

SET ON FIRE

CRUSHED




Brand heroes WANT <what the brand wants> BUT there are problems with (figuratively speaking) life and death stakes involved.


METRO CAMPAIGN

WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE?

Travel passengers WANT <to stay alive> BUT they don’t pay attention or don’t notice the safety warnings and this causes them to die by accident which is incredibly tragic and sad.

HOW CAN METRO HELP?

Explore a ‘fish out of water’ story by talking about the dangers of accidental death in a fun, lighthearted manner. Bright colourful characters. Uplifting music not downbeat. Tell the truth to comic effect in a tone that can make the audience laugh at themselves. This will allow us to confront the dangers of electrocution, being crushed or cut in half in a direct and powerful manner.

STORY BRIEF FOR CREATIVE TEAM


EXAMPLE 2: POO POURRI


POO POURRI

POO POURRI CAMPAIGN

EMBARRASSED

Creators: Harmon Brothers, Joel Ackerman

Brand: Poo Pouri

20 million+ YouTube views

4 million+ units subsequently sold


My guess is the insight here was, unsurprisingly, that women found the idea of doing a smelly poo rather embarrassing. This embarrassment being heightened if they were at a party, at work, or their boyfriend’s place.

START WITH AN INSIGHT



3. RELUCTANT HERO’S FEELINGS



POO POURRI

?



POO POURRI

EMBARRASSMENT, SHAME, HORROR


3. WHAT IS THE BRAND GIFT POO POURRI BESTOWS OUR HERO?

POO POURRI

EMBARRASSED ?


3. WHAT IS THE BRAND GIFT POO POURRI BESTOWS OUR HERO?

POO POURRI

CONFIDENCE, PRIDE, SATISFACTION

EMBARRASSED



POO POURRI

?



POO POURRI

AT BOYFRIEND’S, AT PARTIES, AT OFFICE



POO POURRI

Brand heroes WANT <what the brand wants> BUT there are problems with (figuratively speaking) life and death stakes involved.


POO POURRI

What’s the challenge?

Women WANT their poos not to smell BUT their poos do smell and they die with embarrassment especially at parties, in the office or at their boyfriend’s pad.

How can brand help? [Brand positioned as mentor]

Develop a brand world or create a powerful brand hero to tell women they no longer have to be embarrassed about doing smelly poos in even the most embarrassing of places because Poo Pourri solves the problem. For maximum clash of context the brand world/ brand hero should talk about this embarrassing subject in a tone full of unabashed confidence, pride and satisfaction.

STORY BRIEF


NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.


FOR UPDATES

Follow me here

THANK YOU.


the story brief

Marketing

critical mass

storytelling framework

exible framework

hollywood takeaway

strongest villain

comic opposites framework

creative brief

comicopposites hollywood