They say that ‘storytelling’ is one of the best techniques for advertising. This is because people buy based on emotions, not logic, and what better way to evoke emotions than through a brilliantly crafted story?
Renowned for its iconic ads, this Ramadan season continues to showcase commercials that know how to tell a story. We’re here to have a quick look at five of our favorites so far and tell you why we love them.
Real Estate: Palm Hills
We’ll kick off our list with a clever ad that showcases high-end storytelling skills and the power of “show, don’t tell”: Palm Hills.
This elegant and chic ad starts with the iconic star Asser Yassin meeting his long-lost love, Salma, by coincidence in a garage. He learns that she’s living in the same place he is: Palm Hills.
They agree to meet up sometime, and that it’s such a small world, but she leaves him without any way of contact — no number, no social media, nothing.
He spends his time trying to find her in all the different venues there. To deliver their message and add depth to the story, he couldn’t find her in the end.
We loved how creative and indirect the approach was. You’ll be left wondering how big the place is that Asser Yassin can’t easily find his friend, so you’ll be inclined to actually be part of that story – of that community. They even show him searching for her everywhere: East and West Cairo and North Coast.
They conclude with, “The world is small, but Palm Hills is big.” That messaging is complemented by the non-distracting music, fast pace, and Yassin’s humorous performance.
We loved that they left it as an open ending: Salma is somewhere in Palm Hills. This is a smart emotional recipe for showing the beauty and diversity of the project.
FMCG: Juhayna
Less is more.
The next nostalgic storytelling masterpiece on our list is Juhayna’s TV ad, which breaks new ground with its heartfelt life journey featuring Mona Zaki.
Their strategy here was to showcase the personal and professional story of the famous actress, from her early beginnings to her fame, spotlighting Juhayna as one of her “supporters” throughout her journey, just like the people supporting her in her life’s challenges.
The way they indirectly relate to Juhayna as a support system in your life is super clever if you ask us.
Telecom: WE
This year’s WE ad delivers a captivating story that shows us the importance of love, companionship, connections, and the power of family.
It serves as a reminder that amidst life’s rapid pace, our loved ones will always hold a special place in our hearts. Elissa’s nostalgic voice complements that powerful message perfectly, assuring that even in our bustling world, we can always express our love to those dear to us.
We loved the beautiful duos of Essam Ommar and Razan Gamal, Khaled El Nabawy and Hend Sabry, and Ahmed Malek and Aya Samaha!
Electronics: Fresh
Ruby and Dina El Sherbiny are once again the stars of Fresh’s latest ad. As always, you’ll find yourself irresistibly dancing to the beats of the music sung by El Sherbiny and Ruby themselves.
We were particularly in love with the choreography and colorful and vibrant outfits, especially those elements directly inspired by Egyptian heritage, such as the burqa.
In the ad, they’re playing with words and painting a story that speaks “Fresh.”
Banks: Banque Misr
“He lived as a hero.”
Banque Misr continues to give us hope for a brighter future through their TV ads.
In the 2024 edition, Ahmed Sadd and Hanan El Mady stun us with their vocal performances, narrating the story of the ambition and resilience of Egyptians. What we also loved in the ad was that we saw some social media-famous people like El Shazly and Ahmed El Shafei.
A Journey Through Life’s Themes
Nostalgia, love, companionship, and resilience – a lot of themes were portrayed artistically in these five ads. From reminding you to keep going in life to the power of support, we definitely learned a thing or two from these ads.