Seven Stories as Told by the Singularly Sensational Rob Schwartz
"Let me tell you a story..."
That's how TBWA/Chiat/DayNY CEO and BIC Board Member Rob Schwartz began his presentation "The Seven Stories" to a packed audience in the first @BIC Lecture of the semester. Inspired by Christopher Booker's book, The Seven Basic Plots, Rob took guests on a journey of fourteen different brands from Tesla to Disney that adhere to one of seven archetypal stories. Being faithful to their story and amplifying it dynamically and effectively has been the key to differentiation and success. As Rob stated, "In a world of massive fragmentation, the only thing that holds a brand together is its story."
Storytelling isn't new. And science explains why it won't ever lose effectiveness: according to Stanford Graduate School of Business, people are "22 times more likely to remember something when told as a narrative rather than facts alone." And Harvard Business Review states that the body produces "cortisone during rising conflicts and dopamine as the story reaches resolution." As brands begin to more fully appreciate the value of storytelling to brand-building, Rob's application of the Seven Stories as a way to codify brand value was not just a revelation, but a useful tool for BIC students as they develop brand identity and communications campaigns for current class projects.
Sticking around for Q&A, Rob kept the crowd engaged with stories of his own career that's included working for blue-chip brands including Nissan, McDonald's, Pepsi, Thomson Reuters and Visa, to name a few. Along the way he has won nearly every advertising award including Grand Effies, Cannes Lions, and One Show pencils. He has also been a Cannes Lions Jury President and jury member. As CEO at TBWA/Chiat/Day NY Rob was once described as a "CEO's Creative Director." In other words, the rare creative person who is fascinated by all aspects of a business and finds ways to create breakthrough platforms and campaigns that get results and build brands.
