Have Story, Will Sell

February 19, 2008 By

Lewis Lazare ran an item in his Sun Times column on Feb. 8 about research indicating the three most-liked commercials in the 2008 Super Bowl of Advertising were all story-driven.
This led legendary director, Joe Pytka, to send Lazare a note.

I have been lobbying for years to change the way advertisers think, and the results of the commercials I directed that were mentioned in your column reinforce this notion. I’ve treasured my relationship with the long-form commercial through my work for Hallmark and Anheuser-Busch, and I’m grateful for your insight into what we both regard as a serious problem in our industry — the disregard for respect for the public.
The notion of telling a good story is quickly becoming a lost art — both in commercials and cinema — and I commend you in recognizing that. Please keep this forum open.

Here’s a long-format storytelling spot for Hallmark from Pytka and Leo Burnett:

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Filed Under: Directors
About David Burn

I wrote my first ad for a political candidate when I was 17 years old. She won her race and I felt the seductive power of advertising for the first time. Today—after working for seven agencies in five states—I am head of brand strategy and creative at Bonehook in Portland, Oregon.