Trading spaces for true understanding

In the marketing world, we love to talk a big game about really understanding our customers. We pore over data, customer surveys, focus groups, you name it, all to gain deep human insights that unlock the keys to the consumer psyche.

But you know what they say – there's no better way to understand someone than to truly walk a mile in their shoes. Or, in the case of the Ad Council, to adopt the viewpoint of their target audience, to truly understand their feelings about difficult topics through authentic storytelling.

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Making an Impact with Deeply Human Stories

Don't believe us? Let's go straight to the source. According to Michelle Hillman, Chief Campaign Development Officer at Ad Council, "Every story we tell is grounded in immersive research and insights from our target audience...we truly understand and feel what it's like to walk in their shoes.

Sounds simple enough in theory. But putting it into practice for the Ad Council is a whole different ball game – especially when it means producing campaigns that cover some of the heaviest, most intense societal issues we face as a nation.

Tackling gun violence, the opioid epidemic, drunk driving — just a casual Tuesday for the Ad Council team. To get to the bottom of these hard-hitting issues, they have to be present in those critical decision-making moments to fully understand them and capture the humanity behind them. You can watch this 2021 video as an example of authentic storytelling and how it impacted many people's lives.

As Michelle explains, "Some of the most important informing research we do is when we really do spend time in people's homes or with them when they're leaving the bar on an issue like buzzed driving. What is the thought process? How are people making decisions, how do they feel?"

That principle applies just as much to their campaigns around proper gun storage or educating teens on the dangers of fentanyl. The Ad Council teams dig into those real, raw moments and emotional states to understand the psychology behind people’s thoughts and feelings about them. Only then can they craft authentic storytelling moments that truly connect on a human level.

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Striking the Right Balance

But these intense immersive experiences aren't just an academic exercise, Ad Council takes those human insights and filters them through a very intentional strategic lens. The goal is figuring out "how you can intercept them with a message from your brand to make them think about something differently,” she says.

To pull that off, the Ad Council has to walk another tightrope. Their messaging can't just bombard people with sobering facts or preachy PSAs. "Sometimes it's empathy, sometimes it's humor — it really depends on what's gonna break through with new information or get people thinking differently,” says Michelle.

The use of humor might seem counterintuitive, but the Ad Council has found that it’s a powerful tool for opening people's minds and shifting perspectives. As long as it's rooted in authenticity and hits the right tone for authentic storytelling, humor can be that "ah-ha" moment to drive meaningful change.

Of course, striking that balance between gravely important and funny is no easy feat. Go too far into unserious territory, and you've undermined the substance. Play it too safe, and you could completely lose your audience.

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Getting Real with Customers

For any brand manager, the Ad Council's expertise offers profound lessons. While the stakes may not be life-or-death for a consumer product, the principles of immersive consumer understanding apply. Delivering messages rooted in deep human truth requires getting out of the boardroom and into your customers' real, lived experiences.

When you spend time getting in the heads of those you’re trying to reach, you gain empathy and a deeper understanding of what gets people to really hear your message.As the Ad Council has demonstrated, even society's heaviest issues can be made tangible and approachable through authenticity and well-timed humor.

Make sure to listen to the full interview with Michelle Hillman on authentic storytelling and other iconic moments.