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What brands can learn from 2007's top films on Jan 06, 2008
No one knows how to tell a good story better than Hollywood. In this storytelling nexus, writers, directors and producers understand that the best stories do two things well: they evoke timeless stories that appeal intuitively to all humans, and they tell these stories in a fresh, unexpected way (without which, we perceive these films as “formulaic.”)
In their book, The Hero and the Outlaw, Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson outline twelve archetypal stories that define the most successful brands. The fact that each of the top 10 films of 2007 tells one of these archetypal stories is testament to the power and relevance of these universal stories today. Brands should take note.
Here are the top ten films of 2007:
1. Spider-man
2. Shrek the Third
3. Transformers
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
6. Bourne Ultimatum
7. 300
8. Ratatouille
9. The Simpsons Movie
10. Wild Hogs
The “hero” story is always widely relevant. Joseph Campbell called it the “monomyth” of human culture, since everyone undergoes, or wishes to embark upon, the hero’s journey—a journey of courage and action. Spider-man, Shrek, Harry Potter, Jason Bourne, and 300 all tell this archetypal story in fresh, engaging ways. Not only do these films chart the archetypal orphan birth to heroic triumph of the main characters, they also feature other classic archetypal figures in the stories--Donkey plays the jester to Shrek, reminding him to try to enjoy life. Dumbledore plays the mentor to Harry Potter, reminding him to discover his true self.
The “rebel” story is at the core of Pirates of the Caribbean. Jack Sparrow evokes the desire within all of us (especially the young!) to rebel against the norms of society. Wild Hogs also evokes this story of rebellion.
Who better evokes the “regular guy” story than Homer Simpson? This archetypal story is about the wish for belonging and acceptance. In his recent book, The Culture Code, Clotaire Rapaille unlocks the underlying “codes” for American’s in a multitude of categories. In a nice way, he pretty much describes the code for being an American as Homer Simpson--the shallow, loveable, live-in-the moment everyman. This explains the longstanding popularity of The Simpsons in this country.
Transformers evokes the “magician” archetypal story. This story is about the desire among all of us to be able to experience growth through transformation. This wish is particularly strong among the very young, who understand the pleasure and discovery of dressing up and transforming themselves, but we see the power of this story every Halloween among adults as well.
Ratatouille, one could argue, celebrates the “creator” archetype. This is the desire among all of us to be authentic and to use artistry to bring to life tangible objects of beauty (and great taste!)
Brands that evoke these archetypal stories in fresh ways also build strong emotional connections (and box office receipts--so to speak) with their targets. Think of Apple once again evoking the “rebel” story with its brilliant campaign for their Mac computers. Mr. PC representing the bumbling bureaucratic and inefficient norms of corporate America versus Mr. Mac representing the authentic rebel against these norms. This brilliant campaign builds on a long history of “thinking different” and being “the computer for the rest of us.” Think of Charles Schwab telling the “regular guy” story against the overpriced services of the major investment house brands—just talk to Chuck.
Mark and Pearson demonstrated that brands which evoke a single archetypal story perform significantly better financially in the long run than brands that do not. The power of these stories for brands is that we do not have to invent them. They already exist deep within us, so we recognize them when we see them. Discovering your brand’s most authentic archetypal story can guide all your brand’s communication so it connects emotionally with your target. And just like the best screenwriters and producers in Hollywood, a great advertising agency can bring the archetypal story of your brand to life in a fresh, compelling way.
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List of Articles
What brands can learn from 2007's top films - Jan 06, 2008
Fruit Loops - Mar 07, 2007
Super Seat - Feb 05, 2007
Regular Guy - Jan 06, 2007
Explorer - Dec 07, 2006
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