These days, cutting through the noise and connecting with your target audience has become more challenging than ever. With consumers bombarded by ads from every direction, marketers need to find innovative ways to grab attention, build trust, and ultimately drive conversions.
However, one incredibly powerful yet often overlooked tactic for accomplishing this is using narrative ads. By telling interesting stories from a first-person perspective, brands can establish an authentic connection with potential customers, differentiate themselves from the competition, and dramatically boost ad performance and sales.
In this article, we'll dive deep into what makes narrative ads so effective, break down the key components and structure of high-converting narrative ads, and look at several real-world examples and case studies of narrative ads in action. By the end, you'll have a solid framework for crafting your own narrative ads that captivate audiences and drive conversions.
A narrative video ad used by Mercedes Benz
Why narrative ads work
There are several reasons why narrative ads are so powerful for building brand awareness, trust, and driving action:
- They connect with customers emotionally: At their core, narrative ads are about storytelling. They allow you to communicate on a human level, tapping into people's desires, fears, challenges, and aspirations. This forges an emotional bond that is far more impactful than a purely rational, feature/benefit sell.
- They hold attention: In an age of diminishing attention spans, narrative ads act almost like mini-movies or TV shows. By setting up a storyline right away, you give people a reason to stop scrolling and watch all the way through to the resolution or call-to-action.
- They showcase transformation: Nothing is more compelling than seeing a relatable "before" state transform into an aspirational "after" - especially when the mechanism is an accessible product or service. Narrative ads allow you to vividly paint that picture.
- They are memorable: Stories stick in our minds far more than facts and figures. Narrative ads create lasting impressions that alter how people perceive and feel about your brand. This pays dividends long after the initial ad view.
- They piggyback on content: Rather than interrupting content, narrative ads often feel like content. The best ones get saved and shared organically, expanding your reach without additional ad spend.
Nobody reads ads, or nobody watches ads. People read or watch what interests them. Sometimes it's an ad. Narrative ads done right capture and sustain interest, which is more than half the battle.
The anatomy of a high-converting narrative ad
Great narrative ads tend to follow a simple three-part story arc:
- Grab attention: The first 2-3 seconds need to hook the viewer with a bold statement, fascinating fact, or thought-provoking question. Ideally it halts their scrolling and makes the ad impossible to ignore.
- Kick the bruise: Once you have attention, it's time to agitate the pain point or problem that your product or service solves. Tap into those frustrations, fears and challenges to create an uncomfortable tension that demands resolution.
- Build the bridge: Finally, you release that tension by introducing your brand/product/service as the solution. Paint the picture of life after the problem is solved. Create that aspirational vision of transformation.
Importantly, this entire story needs to be told from a first-person perspective by someone your target audience can instantly relate to and trust - typically the founder, a key spokesperson, or an actual customer.
What's more, fancy production is entirely optional. Many of the most successful narrative ads are shot on smartphones in informal settings. The key is authenticity and storytelling, not polish.
Real-world examples
To illustrate the impact of narrative ads, here are two different brands that have put them into practice:
Case Study #1: Glade Optics
Glade Optics is a direct-to-consumer brand that sells ski goggles and sunglasses. After 5 years of slow but steady growth through traditional imaging advertising, founder Kurt Nichols decided to experiment with a narrative ad.
Shot on his iPhone in the back of his car, the minute-long ad features Nichols speaking directly to the camera and following the arc outlined above.
He grabs attention with the line "I've got a hot take: most ski goggles are overpriced sh*t." He then kicks the bruise by explaining how two major brands controlling the category purposely keep prices inflated. Finally, he builds the bridge by introducing Glade's high-quality but affordable alternative and backs it up with social proof like awards and customer testimonials.
The results were astonishing. In the first 90 days the ad was live, Glade generated $4.1 million in revenue - more than doubling what they had done in the previous 5 years combined. And of the new customers acquired, nearly 75% had a touchpoint from this single ad.
Case Study #2: Dr. Squatch
Dr. Squatch is another DTC brand that sells natural men's care products like soaps, shampoos, and deodorants. Their narrative ads have become something of a gold standard in the industry.
In their most famous ad, CEO Jack Haldrup tells the story of starting the company to provide natural products for "real men" in a market dominated by big brands and harsh chemicals. He kicks the bruise by calling out how mass-market products are "full of chemicals you can't pronounce" and make you "smell like a woman." Then he builds the bridge with lines like "Real men use real soap. Men, it's time we demand more."
The other key thing Dr. Squatch does brilliantly is seed their narrative ads with meme-able moments and one-liners that encourage sharing. Lines like "You're not a dish. You're a man" take on a life of their own across social media.
Through ads like these, Dr. Squatch has grown from a $100K/year business in 2016 to well over $100M in annual revenue today.
Integrating narrative ads into your funnel
While narrative ads can be incredibly powerful on their own, they work best as part of a strategic full-funnel approach. Generally this means using them for top-of-funnel awareness and acquisition, supported by more direct-response ads for remarketing and conversion.
Even if you're not explicitly running remarketing, narrative ads tend to bring people into your ecosystem who will then see and convert on other ads without you having to pay for the initial click. It's all about crafting an ecosystem where different ad types and platforms enhance each other.
Some key principles to keep in mind:
- Let the ad do the targeting: Rather than relying entirely on interest/behavior targeting, craft narrative ads that call out exactly who they're for. The messaging and storytelling attracts the right audiences automatically.
- Focus spend at the top: Typically, experts recommend putting 80-90% of ad budgets behind narrative-style top-of-funnel ads, with 10-20% allocated to remarketing and conversion-focused ads further down the funnel.
- Leverage video views: In addition to serving as remarketing audiences, users who watch substantial portions of your narrative ads (think 50%+) are incredibly high value. They've demonstrated deep interest through their attention. Consider targeting them with special offers.
- Monitor brand lift: Narrative ads often produce benefits beyond immediate click-throughs and conversions. Watch for upticks in organic metrics like direct website traffic, social engagement, and brand search volume over time. These are typically leading indicators that your narrative ads are working.
An example of a narrative ad for a nutra offer
Keys to creating killer narrative ad creatives
Of course, none of the above matters much if your actual ad creative falls flat. While much of what makes a narrative ad successful is more art than science, there are a few best practices to keep in mind:
- Make it personal: Again, these ads need to be told through the eyes of a relatable figure - and ideally shot in an informal, conversational style. Think more vlog, less commercial.
- Open with a bang: You need to grab attention in the first 2-3 seconds, either with a bold statement, shocking fact, or counterintuitive question. Give viewers a reason to stop scrolling immediately.
- Evoke emotion: The best narrative ads make us feel something, whether it's frustration, anger, excitement, or inspiration. Speak to both the "before" and "after" states in vivid emotional terms.
- Get specific: While the first-person perspective is key, don't make your story so personal that it stops being relatable. Use details and examples that resonate with your target customers and reflect their experiences.
- Seed sharing: Without being cheesy, work in soundbites or moments with meme potential. Think quotes that sum up the key insight, or bits of humor that beg to be shared with friends. These become social proof.
- Retarget and reinforce: While narrative ads work great for cold traffic, retargeting viewers with timely offers or additional social proof can boost conversions significantly. Use that initial attention grab strategically.
An example of a narrative ad for a shampoo e-com product offer
An example of a narrative ad for a dog e-com product offer
The one-two punch: Boost Facebook traffic with branded search
Finally, while narrative ads can be a game-changer on their own, Experts strongly advise supporting them with branded paid search. The reason is simple: narrative ads often create demand without fulfilling it - and competitors will happily steal that demand if you're not there to capture it.
If your Facebook narrative ads are really resonating, you'll see a big uptick in branded organic search traffic as people go to Google to learn more. By having branded search ads waiting to scoop up that traffic, you can essentially double-dip on the benefits.
However, for this one-two punch to work, you also need a strong branded search experience on your website to reinforce the narrative and nudge people towards conversion. Make sure your landing pages continue the story seamlessly.
Getting started with narrative ads
If you're sold on giving narrative ads a shot for your own brand, the good news is you don't need a huge budget or production resources to get started. All you really need is an understanding of customer psychology, the ability to write a good script, and an iPhone.
Start by really putting yourself in your customers' shoes and nailing down the core story you want to tell. What problem are they struggling with? How do they feel before discovering your product? How will they feel after? What kind of spokesperson can they instantly relate to and trust?
Create your script following the three-act structure of grabbing attention, kicking the bruise, and building the bridge. Keep it concise, conversational, and packed with vivid emotional language.
When it comes time to shoot, focus on authenticity over production values. Use a setting and style that matches where your customer is at in their journey. Avoid overthinking - often the best takes are the most natural ones.
Finally, get your narrative ad up and running with a healthy budget behind it - ideally upwards of 80% of your total ad spend. Monitor results closely and watch for telltale signs of resonance like high video retention, positive comments, and organic sharing.
From there, it's all about iteration, optimization, and expanding the ecosystem around your narrative ad. Retarget engaged viewers, test different offers and remarketing angles, and capture demand on other channels like Google.
Soon, you just might find that your one killer narrative ad has transformed your entire business - and you'll never think about advertising the same way again.
Conclusion
In a digital age where everyone is competing for attention, narrative ads offer a uniquely human way to cut through the clutter and make a lasting impact. By telling authentic stories that resonate, you can turn scrollers into followers, customers into fans, and ad spend into real business growth.
But perhaps most importantly, narrative ads flip the script on advertising altogether. Rather than interrupting or manipulating, you're building real relationships through emotional connection. You're no longer just selling a product - you're giving people a story they can see themselves in.
So don't be afraid to put down the pre-roll and pick up the iPhone. Your future customers are out there, just waiting for a brand they can believe in. All you have to do is give them something real to watch.
