I’ve lived between two worlds — advertising and television writing. Both have shaped my POV on Story.

In dramatic television, Story is pretty straightforward: a character’s narrative arc. In advertising, ask ten people what Story is, and you’ll get ten different answers. Story is a framework, a device, a concept, a tactic, a buzzword… it’s complicated. 

It needn’t be. 

To be a sandwich, you better have some bread. Same goes for story: it needs a hero. 

But who? The audience, of course!

Easier said than done.

A brand develops some kind of consumer solution and gets it to market. This journey is full of obstacles and pitfalls. Engineering breakthroughs. Dragons and battles. It takes rigor, ingenuity, hard work, sacrifice. 

It's a good story.

Too often, when brands lean into telling this story, they cast themselves as the hero and position the customer as the one in need of rescue.

But this narrative not only misses the mark… its a dud. A blank. Even worse, it backfires. 

People resonate with stories because they see themselves in them. It's how they work. It’s how they have worked, since forever. Casting an audience as the victim in need of rescue is ineffective; no one identifies with being helpless.

Story, at its core, is about change: a journey from comfort through challenge to understanding. In TV, this journey is grand and dramatic. In advertising, it’s more subtle: choosing one product over another. The dynamics only differ in degree. The hero remains the same. 

So, what is “Story” in advertising & marketing? 

Story is a strategy. 

The insights divined from audience desires. And the brand’s offer oriented toward their satisfaction. 

Position the brand as an enabler, a facilitator in the story of the audience. Be Excalibur to the audience’s King Arthur. New York to Carrie Bradshaw. Be the nice crunchy pickle in the perfect Cuban sandwich. 

TV TIME

From 2015-2019, I was fortunate enough to work with Showrunner Clyde Phillips (Dexter, Nurse Jackie) and join his writing staff for two seasons of premium television: AMC’s Feed The Beast and Amazon’s Goliath, respectively. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Here's some stuff I made

Here’s a few of my favorites:

1) A sketch I wrote and produced for Comedy Central’s animated variety series, Triptank. It afforded me a chance to work with Amy Schumer and Patton Oswalt. They’re as hilarious in person as you’d expect.

2) The pilot-concept we sold to Shadow Machine + Comedy Central. It's about a ragtag crew of dorks who save the world. It didn’t get produced, ultimately. Which is dumb. I think it’s real silly and funny. Click the link below, if you’d like to read it.

The Conspiracy Squad