The Great Research Thinking (GRT) webinar deals with advertising. The role of "helpers" -- or archetypes that move narrative along -- is explained. The presentation merges thinking on French semiotics and Hollywood screenwriting, creating a powerful framework for advertising narratives.

1. ALPHABET
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Joseph Sassoon
THE ROLE OF HELPERS IN ADVERTISING
BRIDGING THE WAY FROM SEMIOTICS TO STORYTELLING
Revelation
2009 Great Research Thinking Webinar Series
Based on the speech given in Istanbul
at the Esomar World Conference – Qualitative 2008

2. CONTENTS
A NEW METHOD
THE FRENCH SCHOOL OF SEMIOTICS
AMERICAN STORYTELLING
THE ROLE OF HELPERS - EXAMPLES
CONCLUSIONS
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3. CONTENTS
A NEW METHOD
THE FRENCH SCHOOL OF SEMIOTICS
AMERICAN STORYTELLING
THE ROLE OF HELPERS - EXAMPLES
CONCLUSIONS
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4. AN ORIGINAL METHOD
Our method for analysing ads is a convergence between two
particularly suitable ways of studying stories:
Semiotics of the French Theories concerning the
school (École de Paris), creation of myths born in
which Alphabet has the place which, more
adopted over many years than any other, feeds
as its main method of contemporary
analysing advertising imagination: Hollywood
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5. IN OTHER WORDS…
We combine two cognitive tools of extraordinary value, with diverse
characteristics and some affinity – never previously brought
together:
SEMIOTICS SCREENWRITING
LOGICAL APPLIED ART
CATEGORIES
AD ANALYSIS
Main reference: Main reference:
Jean-Marie Floch Christopher Vogler
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6. CONTENTS
A NEW METHOD
THE FRENCH SCHOOL OF SEMIOTICS
AMERICAN STORYTELLING
THE ROLE OF HELPERS - EXAMPLES
CONCLUSIONS
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7. THEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS OF THE FRENCH SCHOOL
MEANING
is a process by
which
A DEEP VALUE
is set in
A NARRATIVE
STRUCTURE
then filled with
FIGURES AND SIGNS
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8. THE BASIC ANALYTICAL GRID
Widely based on Floch’s perspective, it has four fundamental levels:
1) SURFACE LEVEL
visual/colour codes
verbal/sound codes
campaign development
proxemics
2) FIGURATIVE LEVEL
analysis
concrete figures/gestures
rhetorical structure
spatial/temporal choices
3) NARRATIVE LEVEL
general scheme of action
actants and archetypes
narrative sequence
semiotic modalities
4) DEEP LEVEL
values of the advertisement
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9. RHETORICAL STRUCTURE
Analysing the rhetorical structure is crucial in the study of
advertising, where usually the most important (verbal/visual)
figures are:
> hyperbole
> metaphor
> antithesis
Examples of great But it is also necessary to understand
advertising and exploit figures such as:
metaphors:
> metonymy
> Exxon Tiger
> Marlboro Man > oxymoron
> litotes
> calembour, etc.
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10. A PERFECT METAPHOR
PERONI BLONDE
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11. A PERFECT METAPHOR
PERONI BLONDE
BLONDE
TEMPTING
FRESH
FULL-BODIED
NATURAL
EFFERVESCENT
Remarkably, these terms can refer equally to the product and
to the girl
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12. AN ULTIMATE ANTHITESIS
GOOD VS. EVIL
VIOLENCE SPORTSMANSHIP
Emphasizing the contrast between Heroes and Villains
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13. NARRATIVE OUTLINE
According to the French school, the narrative outline is based on
these main ‘actants’:
Addresser
Hero (or Subject)
Object of Value
Anti-Hero
Helper (often Magic)
Opponent
In advertising, the product typically covers one
of these roles:
Hero, Object of Value or Helper
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14. EXAMPLES OF NARRATIVES
In fables:
A king (Addresser) orders a prince (Hero) to look for the magic sword
(Helper) to kill a dragon (Anti-Hero) with and free the princess (Object
of Value)
Anti-Hero
Addresser
Hero Helper Object of Value
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15. EXAMPLES OF NARRATIVES
In movies:
Snow White (Hero) together with the 7 Dwarves (Helpers) opposes the
plans of the queen/witch (Anti-Hero) and of the crow (Opponent) to
join up with her love (Object of Value)
Opponent
Hero
Object of Value
Anti-Hero
Helper
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16. EXAMPLES OF NARRATIVES
In advertising:
In the film 1984 to launch Macintosh a girl (Hero) runs with a heavy
hammer (Helper) and is pursued by guards without faces (Opponent).
She throws the hammer at a large screen where floats the face of a
Big Brother (Anti-Hero), gaining the freedom of the subjugated men
(Object of Value)
Anti-Hero
Hero + Helper
Object of Value
Opponent
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17. ACTANTS: HERO
In advertising:
In movies:
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18. ACTANTS: HELPER
In movies: In advertising:
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19. ACTANTS: ANTI-HERO
In advertising:
In movies:
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20. ACTANTS: OBJECT OF VALUE
In advertising:
In movies:
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21. NARRATIVE SEQUENCE
According to semiotics, in the development of stories there are four
fundamental steps and three trials connected to them:
Addresser’s path
Manipulation Sanction
Hero’s path
The king asks the
prince to free his
Competence Performance
daughter
GLORIFYING TRIAL
QUALIFYING TRIAL DECISIVE TRIAL
The king gives the prince
The prince finds the sword The prince defeats the dragon
his daughter’s hand
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22. NARRATIVE SEQUENCE
This approach can be of great use for analysing:
commercials press ads posters websites
In the case of a static image, clearly the message must focus on a
specific semiotic step – but other steps are often implied:
Visible: the decisive trial (athletic
performance)
Implied: the qualifying trial (drinking
Gatorade) as a previous necessary
step
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23. LIMITS OF THE SEMIOTIC APPROACH
1. HOWEVER, THE DEFINITION OF THE ACTANTS IS TOO
SIMPLISTIC
It does not take into account the many possible differences among
Heroes, Helpers, etc.
2. THE NARRATIVE SEQUENCE IS TOO RIGID
It does not encourage to find new creative ways to tell a story
NEEDED: SOME FRESH INSIGHT ABOUT HOW GOOD
STORIES CAN BE TOLD
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24. CONTENTS
A NEW METHOD
THE FRENCH SCHOOL OF SEMIOTICS
AMERICAN STORYTELLING
THE ROLE OF HELPERS - EXAMPLES
CONCLUSIONS
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25. FROM SEMIOTICS TO STORYTELLING
A different set of competences about storytelling:
HOLLYWOOD
an extremely rich an extraordinary ability to
literature about create stories which
professional transcend boundaries of
screenwriting, made of age, nationality,
thousands of books language, culture
The best of screenwriters’ books build on the principles of myth
Fundamental reference:
Joseph Campbell’s celebrated work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces
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26. CAMPBELL AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE HERO
The most influential American author in the analysis of myth structures
Call to adventure Elixir
Threshold crossing
Brother-battle Return
Helper
Dragon-battle Resurrection
THRESHOLD OF ADVENTURE
Dismemberment Rescue
Crucifixion Threshold struggle
Abduction
Tests
Night-sea journey
Wonder journey
Whale’s belly Flight
Helpers
strong influence
1. SACRED MARRIAGE
on George Lukas for
2. FATHER ATONEMENT STAR WARS
3. APOTHEOSIS
4. ELIXIR THEFT
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27. VOGLER’S CONTRIBUTION
A smart adaptation of Campbell’s model to screenwriting:
Ordinary World
ACT I ACT III
Separation Return
Call Return with Elixir
Refusal of Call
Resurrection
Meeting Mentor
ORDINARY WORLD
Crossing First Threshold Road Back
SPECIAL WORLD
Tests, allies, enemies
Reward
Approach
ACT II-A ACT II-B
Ordeal
Descent Initiation
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28. A NEW MIX OF PRINCIPLES
Vogler’s model goes beyond that of the French school in analyzing the narrative
sequence:
Ordinary World
ACT I ACT III
Separation Return
Call Return with Elixir
Refusal of Call
MANIPULATION SANCTION
Resurrection
Meeting Mentor
ORDINARY WORLD
Crossing First Threshold Road Back
SPECIAL WORLD
Tests, allies, enemies
COMPETENCE PERFORMANCE
Reward
Approach
ACT II-A ACT II-B
Ordeal
Descent Initiation
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29. EXAMPLE: THE MACINTOSH 1984 CULT COMMERCIAL
Paradigmatic case of
Line of men staring at a giant video…
action Hero
Ordinary World
Call Return with Elixir
Refusal of Call “And you will see why 1984 won’t be like 1984”
Manipulation Sanction
Resurrection
Meeting Mentor
ORDINARY WORLD
Crossing First Threshold Road Back
SPECIAL WORLD
The girl runs in with a hammer
Men who were previously stupefied are now free
Tests, allies, enemies
Competence Performance
Guards without faces try to stop her
Reward
Approach The screen implodes and the supreme guide disappears
She runs up to the big screen
Ordeal
The girl throws the hammer
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30. ACTANTS AND ARCHETYPES
The American approach also enriches the rather abstract semiotic
definition of ‘actants’. For instance:
Hero/Subject Helper/Mentor Anti-Hero/Shadow
Hero of growth Master Villain, enemy
Hero of action Bearer of magic gifts Antagonist
Involuntary hero Inventor Femme fatale
Hero as Warrior Shaman, initiation wizard Projection (Mr. Hyde)
Hero as Lover Dark Mentor Cruel father/mother
Solitary hero Ex-hero Monster, alien
Group-oriented hero Inner Mentor (conscience) Humanised villain
Catalysing hero Comic support Force of nature
It’s not enough to put a certain product in the role of Hero: one
has to decide what kind of Hero the product should be
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31. CONTENTS
A NEW METHOD
THE FRENCH SCHOOL OF SEMIOTICS
AMERICAN STORYTELLING
THE ROLE OF HELPERS - EXAMPLES
CONCLUSIONS
Alphabet
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32. THE ROLE OF HELPERS
As one of the three strongest role for a product or brand to play in
a story, the HELPER is certainly a very rich and intriguing character
Here are some examples:
magic chastity magic magic
elixir belt horse boots
love
coach genie rescuer
potion
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33. MAGIC ELIXIR
The magic elixir is a strong Helper of Heroes
in many fairy tales, cartoons and fantasy
movies
But it is also very
meaningful for
functional and
power
beverages,
advertised as
performance
boosters
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34. CHASTITY BELT
The chastity belt is an archetype of coercion in the realm of love –
a Helper used for chaining
The “How far would
you go for love’
campaign from Cartier
is a sophisticated,
symbolic interpretation
of it
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35. MAGIC HORSE
In myth and movies the horse is a
quintessential Helper – a symbol of freedom
Today’s equivalent is the motorcycle, and the
comparison may sometimes be literal
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36. MAGIC BOOTS
Boots can sometimes be a magic Helper,
as suggested by ‘Cat in Boots’ fairy tale
and several cartoons built on it
In advertising, this
role is often
assigned to
sports shoes,
portrayed as the
best ally of
modern Heroes
(the athletes)
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37. LOVE POTION
Love potions are a mythical Helper for people
determined to be loved at all costs, in tales and movies
The ‘Axe Effect’ commercial brings this
notion to an amusing and hyperbolic
conclusion
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38. COACH
In a lot of movies the coach is a very familiar
Helper, whose support is often crucial to win a
battle
This Budweiser
commercial
uses a very
special coach,
for a training
reminiscent of
another,
famous one
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39. GENIE
The Genie is an classical Helper,
most of all in Oriental fairy tales
such as Aladdin
This Adidas ad hints at the same
archetype, with curious results
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40. RESCUER
In many action and drama movies the
Helper acquires the traits of the Rescuer
or Savior
This is what happens in an
ad of the Catholic Church,
devoted to saving
youngsters from drug
addiction
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41. CONTENTS
A NEW METHOD
THE FRENCH SCHOOL OF SEMIOTICS
AMERICAN STORYTELLING
THE ROLE OF HELPERS - EXAMPLES
CONCLUSIONS
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42. CONCLUSIONS
ADVANTAGES OF THIS METHOD
It may provide:
a greater articulation and refinement of the analysis
indications for the roles products and brands can play
ideas and solutions for improving the creative process
an escape from over-standardized narrative formulas
elements of distinctiveness compared to competitors
Final aim:
CONTRIBUTE TO CREATING BETTER ADVERTISING
STORIES
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