The Power of Storytelling in Out-of-Home Advertising: Lessons from Lenny Rachitsky's Interview with Nancy Duarte

Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising has the unique potential to create impactful, four-dimensional storytelling experiences. Unlike traditional 2D digital advertising, OOH advertising can engage consumers in their real-world environment, taking into account the unique time and context in which they encounter the ad. This article will draw on insights from Lenny Rachitsky's interview with Nancy Duarte to explore the potential of OOH advertising from the perspectives of performance marketers, sales representatives at OOH media operators, and the consumers themselves.

Chapter 1: The Audience as the Hero

In the interview, both Nancy Duarte and Lenny Rachitsky emphasize the importance of making the audience the hero of the story. Too often, marketers focus on their brands or the features of their products, forgetting that the key to a great story is to make the audience feel like they're the hero. Similarly, sales reps at OOH media operators often focus on the units they're selling, overlooking the fact that their audience is the marketer, who needs to feel like the hero in the story the sales rep is trying to tell.

As Duarte puts it, "The presenter should act as a mentor to the audience, guiding them through the story and helping them to understand and accept the message." In the context of OOH advertising, this means that the ad should guide the consumer on a journey, helping them envision a better future state where they are the hero.

Chapter 2: Performance Marketers and OOH Advertising

For performance marketers accustomed to the 2D context of internet marketing, the transition to OOH advertising can seem daunting. However, as Nancy Duarte emphasizes, "stories are a powerful tool to convey messages and engage audiences." OOH advertising offers an opportunity to tell these stories in a more immersive and contextually relevant way.

Performance marketers should consider the unique advantages of OOH advertising. As Duarte suggests, a great presentation (or in this case, an ad) should follow a structure similar to a story, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. In the context of OOH advertising, this could translate to a series of ads that collectively tell a story, each ad serving as a chapter in that story. The time and place in which the consumer encounters each ad adds a unique dimension to the story, making it more memorable and impactful.

Moreover, Duarte's advice to show empathy towards the audience and understand their perspective is particularly relevant to OOH advertising. Performance marketers should consider the mindset of the consumer at the time and place they encounter the ad. Are they rushing to work, or are they leisurely enjoying a day out? Understanding these nuances can help marketers tailor their messaging to be more effective.

Chapter 3: Sales Representatives at OOH Media Operators

Sales representatives at OOH media operators play a crucial role in shaping the way marketers perceive and utilize OOH advertising. Drawing from Duarte's insights, these sales reps can guide their buyers to think of OOH not just as a generic medium, but as a powerful storytelling tool.

Duarte's concept of the presenter as a mentor can be applied here. Sales reps should guide their buyers through the process of creating an impactful OOH campaign, helping them understand how to use the unique advantages of OOH to tell a compelling story. They should also help buyers see each ad unit as a potential building block in their story, rather than just a standalone ad.

Furthermore, Duarte's emphasis on the use of visuals and data in presentations can be translated to OOH advertising. Sales reps should encourage buyers to use visuals strategically to enhance their story and use data to support their messaging.

Chapter 4: The Consumer's Perspective

From the consumer's perspective, OOH advertising has the potential to offer a more engaging and memorable experience than traditional 2D digital advertising. As Duarte suggests, "the presenter should act as a mentor to the audience, guiding them through the story and helping them to understand and accept the message." In the context of OOH advertising, the advertiser plays the role of the presenter, guiding the consumer through the story told by the ad campaign.

It's important for both buyers and sellers in OOH to put themselves in the mindset of the "hero" of the story they're trying to tell. This hero is the consumer who encounters the ad. By understanding the consumer's mindset and tailoring the ad campaign to fit into their real-world context, advertisers can create a more impactful and relatable story.

Conclusion

OOH advertising offers a unique opportunity to engage consumers through impactful, four-dimensional storytelling. By considering the unique time and context in which consumers encounter the ads, performance marketers can create more engaging and effective campaigns. Sales reps at OOH media operators can guide their buyers to see the potential of OOH as a storytelling medium, and consumers can enjoy a more engaging and memorable ad experience. As Nancy Duarte emphasizes, "stories are a powerful tool to convey messages and engage audiences." By applying these insights, all stakeholders in the OOH advertising ecosystem can harness the power of storytelling to create more impactful ad campaigns.

The Story of this Article

This article itself is an example of the principles it discusses. It aims to guide you, the reader, on a journey from understanding the status quo of OOH advertising to envisioning a future state where OOH advertising is a powerful tool for storytelling. Whether you're a performance marketer, a sales rep at an OOH media operator, or a consumer, this article aims to make you the hero of your own story, empowering you to harness the power of storytelling in OOH advertising.

Quotes from the Interview

1. Nancy Duarte: "Stories are a powerful tool to convey messages and engage audiences. They can help to humanize data and make complex ideas more relatable."

2. Nancy Duarte: "A great presentation should follow a structure similar to a story, with a clear beginning, middle, and end."

3. Nancy Duarte: "The presenter should act as a mentor to the audience, guiding them through the story and helping them to understand and accept the message."

4. Lenny Rachitsky: "The pandemic has forced presenters to adapt and find new ways to engage audiences in a virtual setting. Presenters should embrace this change and see it as an opportunity to innovate and improve their presentation skills."

These quotes serve as guiding principles for each of the three perspectives discussed in the essay, reinforcing the power of storytelling in OOH advertising and the potential it holds for marketers, sales reps, and consumers alike.

You can watch the original interview in full below: