Hi {{ first_name | default: }},
You’ve probably seen it: a video ad pulls you in with an emotional story — and then, suddenly, the product appears. You think: What does this have to do with anything?
That exact moment determines whether your campaign works or fails.
New research shows that storytelling in advertising only works when the product is deeply embedded in the story. If not, viewers become confused — and that confusion cancels out the emotional power of your message.
What did the researchers study?
A research team analyzed 12 real video ads from brands like KFC and Groupon. They had over 1,500 participants rate the videos on three key metrics:
How clearly they understood the message
How emotionally engaged they felt
How they perceived the brand afterward
They discovered a direct chain reaction:
Stronger product–story link → Better comprehension → Higher emotional engagement → More positive brand perception
In other words: if the product doesn’t belong in the story, the whole psychological effect collapses.
👇 In the premium edition below, we break down the mechanisms, share clear guidelines for building strong product–story links, and give you 5 actionable applications for your own video ads.
Subscribe to our premium content to read the rest.
Become a premium subscriber to get access to this post.
UpgradePremium Members get:
- 5-min weekly research summary
- Strategic deep dives
- 3–5 ready-to-test ideas
- Priority for feedback & questions
- Full archive access