In a recent ad spot, General Motors attempts to reassure the car-buying public that it’s still a company positioned for innovation and growth. When I think of storytelling in television advertising, this spot comes immediately to mind.
(Pictured at left: General Motors HQ, by jeffwilcox)
During the 30 seconds of video, we see images of American landscapes: city skylines glowing during sunrise, people commuting, plants growing, hockey players tackling, and horses racing. Photographs of historic American events flash for split seconds on the screen. Using this imagery, GM tells the story of its American-ness.
Founded in 1908, General Motors can basically tell a story that’s very similar to the story of our country. A company that has been around for 100 years has the advantage of telling a long and epic tale. This ad recounts that history and positions the past beside the present:
“We’re not witnessing the end of the American car. We’re witness the rebirth of the American car…There was a time when eight different brands made sense. Not any more. There was a time when our cost structure could compete worldwide.”
Isn’t this language reminiscent of the kind of language a reader might encounter in a fairy tale? Think “once upon a time”. The speaker in the commercial doesn’t even pretend that what he’s telling is not a story. At the end, he states: “The only chapter we’re focused on is chapter one.”
