The Power of Lived Experiences in Creative Campaigns
What do I mean by ‘lived experience’. It’s a moment, a feeling, an emotion, a ritual. It can be singular, or shared with others. But it’s personal and relatable.
I see lived experiences as an opportunity to tell a story. Any creative or strategist will probably feel the same way. Lived experiences are what we use to base all creative ideas on. Truths that will resonate with people. That’s when we know we’re onto something – a tug of the heartstrings, an ear-splitting smile… proper human stuff.
Recently I – like much of the creative industry on LinkedIn – fell hard for Cadbury’s ‘Made to Share’ campaign (shout out to VCCP and Girl&Bear).
Image credit: Alice Goodrich
Image credit: Alice Goodrich
Each one of these bars encapsulates a lived experience – ones that many people can relate to which is what’s made them so shareable across social media platforms *and* in real life.
I found myself scouring the shelves in Tesco to find the most appropriate bar to bring home and share with my boyfriend. The one I chose?!...
We curled ourselves up on the sofa with the bar, laughing and debating which section belonged to who prompting a new, shared experience. A meaningful moment for connection and a friendly reminder to do more of the cooking…
It’s clear that these scenarios were driven from customer insights. You can hear the conversations surrounding these moments or rather, you’ve actually had them.
The underlying psychology of relatable storytelling stems from the innate need for human connection. I’m sure you’ve experienced a conversation with someone who is so passionate about what they’re saying, so animated and bright that you too feel yourself becoming energised from them. Being drawn to the emotions of the story allows us to empathise, imagine ourselves in the story and in doing so creating a deeper connection in the process.
The ability to tap into that level of storytelling and audience insight requires a level of emotional intelligence that AI has yet to embody. Finding the inner truth, the emotive hook and proper human insight is an art, and it’s what makes this limited campaign so refreshing.
It’s a reminder that advertising can be honest, deep and in the case of Tony’s Chocolonely it can also be truth. They took the Cadbury’s campaign one step further by adding a social-purpose lens to their proper human storytelling. See Emma Baines post here.
Now, someone pass me the chocolate!
Using real insights – proper human stuff that hits right in the feels – is core to how we approach our projects at Foleyo Creative.
If that’s important to you too, we’d love to work with you!
