Movies Are The Best Marketing Teacher

The power of cinematic narratives is often celebrated and discussed. Consider the captivating stories we watch at a theatre or Netflix – their ability to grab us, hold us captive, and reflect our own hearts back at us isn’t just for the big screen. It’s a potent force that marketers can harness too.

We all have anecdotes around a movie, right? Whether that be a memory that transports us to moments with family, a bond with a friend, or even those personal love stories that feel like movies in our own minds.

I’ll never forget the slightly awkward moment watching Interstellar with my parents. When Coop broke down seeing his grown children, I just lost it. Tears streaming down my face, the whole nine yards. Even now, over a decade later, I still wonder what it was about that film that hit me so hard.

Upon re-watching the movie recently, I fell in love once again with the idea of cinematic narratives. All those creative elements that in tandem have the power to grab us, keep us glued to the screen and somehow hold a mirror to our hearts.

But how do you do that?

Well, it comes down to several key elements.  First and foremost: story. You’ve got to have a powerful story, something with a  clear arc.  Think about those films that stick with you – they’re full of challenges, doubt, tests, and ultimately, transformation.  It’s about taking the audience on an emotional journey, one that changes them, even in small ways, and makes them think about things they haven’t considered about themselves or the human experience.  And aren’t that what great marketing aims to do?  To take your customer on a journey, to evoke emotion, and to shift their perspective?

Then, there are all those creative elements that shape the narrative: photography, which helps us live that journey with the character and makes us feel a certain way; lighting, which gives our story that atmosphere that lets us dive headfirst into that universe; immersive sound, which transports us to a completely new landscape; set design, which physically creates that environment with costumes full of texture and spaces brimming with humanity; and of course, acting that makes that whole universe make sense.

But even with all those elements, remember: the story is still at the heart of it all.  And that’s true whether you’re crafting a blockbuster or a brilliant marketing campaign.  Because cinematic narratives aren’t confined to cinemas anymore.  They’re everywhere – and I truly believe that any commercial, any online video, any piece of marketing that uses these cinematic storytelling tools effectively can be incredibly powerful, reaching audiences far beyond traditional ads.

Learning the cinematic language isn’t just for filmmakers; it’s like learning the science of great copywriting, but for the audio-visual age.  Marketing is storytelling. We’re not just pushing products; we’re offering narratives, experiences, and forging emotional links.

Ultimately, understanding and applying cinematic language can get you one step ahead by crafting campaigns that don’t just sell a product, but a feeling.  Campaigns that tell stories that resonate, move people beyond any CTA. So, as we appreciate the power of cinematic storytelling, let’s think about how each one of those movies can elevate our marketing from simply selling to truly connecting.