‘It’s not advertising, it’s communication’: Mike Yapp of Google’s The Zoo | Mumbrella360 video
In the new age of storytelling, the user is in complete control. In order to adapt, hypertelling must become the new advertising, explains Michael Yapp, US director of Google's The Zoo, during this keynote session from Mumbrella360.
Advertising is out and communication is the only way forward, Yapp tells the Mumbrella360 audience. “Your communication has to be always on. Notice what I said, communication. Not your advertisement, which is important.”
“I’m not sure what it is anymore, I’m not sure we are talking about advertising anymore. What I like to call it now is innovative communication.
“Stories now have become completely malleable. What do I mean by that? Once they are posted online, things can change,” he explains.
“One of the most interesting things about that change is that the power has shifted.
“We are no longer talking an audience. It’s very rare that we do this online anymore. The user – you – are in control.”
Yapp says in the new age of storytelling, the user expects advertising to be a tool to entertain, inform, or provide utility.
“Why? I’m not going to watch anything unless it’s going to have the anticipation of being entertaining.”
Yapp said he no longer looks for “regular copywriters”, but rather those who are able to create content which can transform into hypertelling.
“When an agency is asking or a brand is asking where should they be looking for writers that can do this kind of content, I say they should at least expose their copywriters to gaming and how gaming writers have been doing.
“Scripts are going to look like decision trees now. Directors are going to direct remotely,” he said.
“The next thing we want to think about is that there’ll be no stage or audience. You’ll be able to walk through it.
“Finally, the user is going to be able to make their own reality. They’ll be able to go where they want to go.
“360 video is basically the entry drug into all of this,” he adds.
“The lines are beginning to blur. The story and medium is beginning to fuse and if we can tell that story and actually manage to edify the user then I think we all win.”
“We are becoming more than simply storytellers, now we are becoming story-doers and I would say those that embrace this very idea can deliver more than a story.
“What they can do is deliver a service, or experience and more importantly an opportunity to learn from the user.”
- We’ve now launched our callout for speakers and session proposals for Mumbrella360 in June 2018. More information is available via this link
To find out about our plans for Mumbrella360 in 2018 sign up to our mailing list
