Advertising: Narrative in advertising

Narrative is a hugely important element in advertising and marketing.

You need to be able to apply the four narrative theories we have studied previously. Crucially, AQA also make it clear you need to be able to apply narrative theory to both print and moving image texts.

Narrative theories: a reminder

You can find our original lesson notes on narrative here. To summarise each theory in a word or phrase:

• Todorov – Equilibrium
• Propp – Familiar character types
• Barthes – Enigma and action codes
• Levi-Strauss – Binary opposition

Narrative in advertising: Jonah Sachs

American writer Jonah Sachs has highlighted the importance of storytelling in advertising and marketing:

“The story wars are all around us. They are the struggle to be heard in a world of media noise and clamour. Today, most brand messages and mass appeals for causes are drowned out before they even reach us. But a few consistently break through the din, using the only tool that has ever moved minds and changed behaviour – great stories.”

Narrative in advertising: examples

There are a huge number of examples of adverts that use narrative. This marketing blogpost highlights 12 examples (including some we looked at in the lesson).

Sainsbury's World War 1 truce



Airbnb: Breaking Down Walls




Narrative in advertising: blog task




Nike has received critical acclaim for its February 2018 advert ‘Nothing beats a Londoner’. Embed the advert in your blog and answer the following questions:

1) How does the advert use narrative? Apply at least three narrative theories to the text, making specific reference to specific shots or key scenes in the advert.

2) Read this BBC feature on some of the people in the advert. How does the advert use celebrities and less well-known people to create stories in the advert?

3) Read this AdWeek feature and interview on the Nike London advert. How did the advert use technical codes (camerawork, mise-en-scene, editing etc.) to help create narratives that could connect with the audience?

4) What representation of London does the advert offer?

5) Why might this advert appeal to an audience?

Complete this for homework - due on Friday.