KISS – Keep It a Simple Story

The traditional hype surrounding the Super Bowl ads were no different this year.  However, the art of effective story telling – as created by good writing – was rekindled with one single spot from an unexpected – Google.

Entitled “Parisian Love”, the 60-second spot mesmerized the viewer with a story of romance that began with online academic research. The ad used Google’s global search engine to incrementally pace into descriptive snippets that moved the viewer from schools to jobs to restaurants to churches to baby cribs. The ad hit a home run with many watching the Super Bowl, some reporting they were moved to tears. Why? Because the ad told a great story. It’s that simple.

Good story telling often times requires a defined beginning and end. The Google ad did that by demonstrating its own search engine product.  Well-thought-out sensory touches can make a good story a great story. Google did that through selective, but audible sounds heard only three times during the ad. And the story’s point must resonate with target audiences. Even the most die-hard, beer-guzzling football aficionado could appreciate the point of this story.

Kudos to Google’s creative team! Thanks for reminding us that, as writers, we need to keep it a simple story.

Susan Hart, APR, is an independent Public Relations consultant with 25+ years of experience. Beginning as a journalist, she represents clients in health care, financial, technology and real estate offering professional writing as a primary service. She is accredited by the PRSA.