Differentiating a Brand Image with Emotional, Storytelling Visuals – and a Little Borscht Belt Humor
by Peter Hochstein
Even with the sound turned off, three 30-second spots created for Scripps Health in San Diego suggest human interest stories.
For example, one spot portrays an overturned kayak, seemingly floating dead in the water. Suddenly the kayak seems to right itself. The camera reveals that the kayak is under the control of a previously submerged woman. She paddles away toward distant mountains. Finally, a full-screen title appears: “Scripps. WhereGreaterThingsHappen.org.”
With the sound on, the same imagery no longer merely suggests. It becomes a testimonial that, in 30 seconds, tugs at emotions.
“I’ve been a kayaker my whole life,” says the woman’s off-camera voice, while the view is of the overturned kayak. “But one day, I felt my heart racing uncontrollably. And doctors discovered I have an abnormal heart rhythm. But fortunately, I went to Scripps, where they used a procedure called ablation …”
Then, as the kayak gets righted, she continues, “… repairing my irregular heart rhythm. And saving my life.” She paddles toward the distant mountains and her voice-over adds, “I’m Mary Rose. And I was a kayaker before. And I’m a kayaker again.”