Storytelling isn’t new to advertising but over a decade ago it got dusted down, smartened up and rebranded as the most important trend within the industry. Agencies all quickly jumped on the bandwagon and consistently overused this seductive buzzword in meetings to woo clients.

We know from research within the education sector that stories can bring aspects of the University experience to life for prospective students, but they rely on key facts when it comes to decision making.

It’s important to remember that stories are primarily designed to entertain and exaggerate, purposely moving away from telling the truth. That’s why many of them are empty, forgettable and full of rubbish. Here lies a problem.

Statistics show that 96% of consumers don’t trust ads, especially Gen Z, for they are extremely sceptical of advertising, having grown up and experienced it in all its forms. Stories have predominantly been a catalyst for this lack of trust, due to advertisers’ excessive use of smoke and mirrors blurring the truth. Consumers have therefore become fatigued with the format. The ubiquity of stories has meant they cease to have impact and our brains become impatient and fast-forward to the predictable conclusion. It’s reached a point where to regain trust we need to look at a new strategy, we need to look at telling the truth.

To move forward, advertisers need to work harder and interrogate briefs to champion ownable truths. This will help brands standout with an authentic USP. The advertising will become more immediate, more impactful and audiences will thank them for it.

GEORGE BELL

CREATIVE LEAD