During the Superbowl this past Sunday, amid all the commercials for chips, beer, pop, cars and household products – only one commercial stood out for excellence in storytelling. The ad is a reflection of the human experience – raw and touching – and a celebration of love. The ad, simply titled “Loretta,” came from one of the biggest tech companies in the World.
If you’ve ever watched shows such as Netflix’s Black Mirror, or even going way back to episodes of The Twilight Zone, you might be convinced that a tech-focused future is bleak, leaving people feeling disconnected and ultimately isolated. Yes, technology has its negative side effects – everything from sleep disorders caused by too much blue light exposure to the evident link between social media and anxiety and depression.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xSxXiHwMrg
However, Google’s 2020 Super Bowl spot reminds us what the heart of technology is: to make our lives better. In the commercial, you hear a man’s voice asking Google to help him collect memories of his late wife, Loretta. The ad begins with the problem that many of us will eventually face with age: how to not forget. The man’s voice is weathered, yet warm and joyous. You see pictures of travel, anniversaries, babies and children, laughter. The man isn’t sad, but the cut to Rick saying bon voyage to Ilsa in Casablanca adds just the right amount of tears to achieve the storytelling.
The commercial concludes with probably the most important message of human existence:
We have the choice to move forward, don’t dwell and enjoy your life while you have it.
What makes this storytelling work so well?
It’s incredibly relatable – it makes you think of your own partners, or your parents or other loved ones. It’s about hope, gratitude, love, energy and spirit. The private moments within your relationships that are the memories we want to think about forever. And, Google is here to help.
Google’s global message is focused on using technology to improve the human existence. Another great example is the Reunion ad from Google India. All of the same concepts are present – memories, relationships, family, and connection – made easier to achieve by the use of technology. The future is much brighter than we think, and the past will be a quick search away.
Hey Google, we’ll always have Paris.
