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How To Tell Your Story: Third-Person Point of View in Advertising

Advertising

Gone are the days when there were just a handful of brands, and people knew what each product did. Today, you need to focus on marketing and advertising to tell your story. This will help consumers understand your company, what you sell, and what you stand for.

You have options for how you want to tell your story, and there’s a time and place for different points of view. However, the third-person point of view is often the best option in visual advertising. Here’s why.

Different Types of Third-person POV

The third-person point of view can be freeing. You aren’t limited to one person to tell the story. Instead, you can approach it from multiple angles. Depending on the type of media you’re creating, you can use three different types.

  • Third-person limited follows one person at a time. Perhaps you’re working on a commercial, and a narrator is talking about the benefits of a new medication. It follows one person as they move through life freely, but it can shift as they interact with others and the impact their new perspective on life can have on the world around them.
  • Third-person omniscient shows everything at once. You can set the scene with multiple people voicing their thoughts simultaneously. This can be overwhelming until you focus on the intent. Then, it all makes sense.
  • A third-person objective is an unbiased approach. It is more commonly used when reporting news, facts, or statistics. There aren’t multiple perspectives; there is simply the truth.

Storytelling is powerful, and the points of view you employ when telling your story make a difference to potential customers.

Choosing the Right POV

Advertising is a booming industry. It’s projected to top more than 733 billion with no signs of slowing down. Because there’s so much competition, you must know how to tell your story effectively, and that starts with choosing the right POV that will resonate with your target audience.

Intended Action

When choosing the right point of view for your marketing and advertising campaigns, consider your target demographic. Where do you want them to see themselves in your advertising? What actions do you want them to take after consuming your media?

Answering these questions can help you determine your POV. Use third-person limited if you want the audience to see themselves as the main character.

Create a scenario where they are inspired to take action. A woman entered a store, purchased lipstick, and immediately felt more confident about taking on the day. That perfect shade makes her feel better, and the viewer can feel confident and energized wearing it, too.

If you want a person to be inspired to take action or be a part of a bigger cause, consider using third-person omniscient or third-person objective. A nonprofit may use this to show the devastating cause of global warming and how a person can join together to prevent future devastation.

A properly employed POV can inspire your audience to take action.

Purpose

Some advertisements are simply intended to educate. They may be part of a more extensive campaign or want to spread awareness of a cause or political issue. Consider the purpose of your advertisement and employ the right POV to help you achieve it.

In most cases, the third-person objective can be used to inform. This perspective can be compelling if you are trying to educate your target demographic about an issue. You may want them to understand how a lack of funding impacts the local school system. You may be trying to get people to know how a new shopping center will boost the local economy.

Facts and statistics can be more meaningful in these cases than personal testimonials, at least initially. You can set the scene with facts and complete the narrative with stories. You can move between POVs in a singular campaign.

Brand Identity

As you tell your story, don’t lose sight of who you are as a brand. Your point of view should remain consistent throughout your entire narrative. If you want to empower women to build confidence, don’t run an advertising campaign that tears others down.

You are cultivating an image, and your advertising campaigns, marketing efforts, and social media posts are all critical pieces of the same puzzle. Routinely check in on your campaign’s performance to make sure it resonates with your audience. If it’s not, make adjustments.

You are building a brand identity, so make sure you have a clear point of view on what that is and use it as your north star.

Conclusion

Your advertising and marketing campaigns should inspire people to take action, and third-person storytelling is a great way to get people into the shoes of your brand. It’s up to you to shape what that looks and feels like, especially as you weave between the various types of third-person narration to help capture the different viewpoints.

To read more content like this, explore The Brand Hopper

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