November 1 always feels like a day of change. In stores, the Halloween decorations come down and the Christmas tree goes up while TV screens are suddenly dominated by festive adverts.
Even though brands are likely to dedicate huge portions of their marketing budget to these holiday campaigns, there’s always one that stands out to me: Coca-Cola’s original “Holidays Are Coming” advert.
The advert began in 1995, meaning it has been a part of Coca-Cola’s holiday market for 30 years, yet it fails to be repetitive. Every year, we all wait to know when the festive season has truly begun, based on when that iconic red truck appears on the screen.
Why does it work so well? Because it taps into something universal: human emotion. Nostalgia, in this case, connects people to the brand in a way that product features or slogans simply cannot. That warmth and familiarity is what keeps it relevant, year after year.
That human connection is now more important than ever. In a digital-first world, attention is scarce, feeds are crowded and audiences are constantly bombarded with messaging. Emotionally rich, human-centred storytelling is what allows brands to cut through the noise, build trust and create lasting engagement.
Even Coca-Cola has learned that technology can’t replace the human touch. Last year, when the brand used generative AI to recreate its iconic advert, it faced backlash from consumers who felt the magic had been stripped away. Audiences accused the company of displacing artists and erasing the joy that had always made the campaign special.
It was a reminder that while technology can enhance marketing, it cannot replicate the authenticity and emotional value that comes from real human stories.
This lesson is especially crucial in financial services, where what is being sold is rarely tangible. Companies are not marketing a product you can hold. Instead, they are marketing peace of mind, dreams and the promise of a better future.
Human storytelling makes these intangible benefits feel real. It allows consumers to see themselves in the narrative and it can be used to great effect in financial services..
The emotions human-centric storytelling can evoke are wide-ranging and powerful. Insurance is not just about policies; it’s about safeguarding memories and small joys that make life meaningful. Insuring a phone is a transaction, but insuring the photos and videos of family holidays or the walks with a beloved pet is deeply personal.
Investing, it isn’t just about returns; it’s about turning aspirations into reality, giving hope that a dream holiday, a first home or a once-in-a-lifetime experience is achievable. Pensions, similarly, are about more than numbers. They represent security, pride and the life you’ve always imagined once work is done.
For financial services firms, the strategic shift is clear. Move away from asking, “Is our product good?” and start asking, “How does this product improve someone’s life?” Marketing becomes less about transactions and more about transformation. Every message, every campaign, every touchpoint should answer the question: “Why does this matter to a real person?”
When done well, marketing is not just about selling a product. It’s about helping people imagine (and reach) the life they want to lead.
In the end, the brands that win won’t be those that shout the loudest online, but those that speak to people in ways that feel real.
As technology accelerates and automation becomes the norm, it’s easy for marketing to lose its touch. Human-centred storytelling gives it back. It creates connection, empathy and meaning, which are the very things that algorithms can’t replicate.
The companies that shift from information to inspiration and from products to people won’t just attract attention, they’ll earn trust, loyalty and emotional resonance that endures long after a campaign ends.