Uncomfortable Truths: Harnessing Discomfort in Storytelling
How Apple uses discomfort in their advertising to get your attention.
Do you have to like a story for it to be good?
Last week, Tim Cook apologized for this Apple commercial, saying it missed the mark.
But I don’t think it did.
With creators feeling threatened with being replaced with AI, many felt the commercial went too far. Several items were crushed including instruments, a TV, a computer, books, paint, an arcade game, a sculpture, and sketches. Then the compactor lifts to display the thinnest iPad Pro to date.
Was this a story gone wrong, or was it intentional?
More importantly, do we have to like a story for it to be good?
About eight years ago, I recommended the book The Paris Wife by Paula McLain to Keturah, a friend of mine. It’s a fictional account of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson. I loved this book. It had a rich story, a complicated plot, and flawed, nuanced characters. It was one of those stories that kept you thinking long after finishing it.
When I got the “I HATE THIS BOOK!” text from Keturah, I knew what chapter she was reading. Ernest Hemingway was a tortured soul and the book lets you marinate in his uncomfortable decisions. As the reader, you understand why he made those choices even though you don’t agree with them.
Keturah was so turned off by Ernest's decisions that it ruined the book for her. We kept debating, “Do you have to like something for it to be good?” The storytelling was impeccable. But what do you do when it leaves you feeling uncomfortable?
In 2007, HBO aired the final episode of The Sopranos with the screen abruptly cutting to black, leaving many fans yelling at their TV. Everyone had an opinion on what the ending meant. Many were unsatisfied, feeling it didn’t wrap up the plot as a series finale. But the episode made people think, spurred discussions, and became part of the zeitgeist.
Advice on storytelling often includes, “lean into emotions.” But it’s not just describing the characters as happy, sad, frustrated, or angry. It’s about being intentional about what you want your audience to feel. Within that, discomfort is often overlooked.
Apple has a long history of provocative advertising. They produced a dystopian commercial in 1984 for their Macintosh making a parallel to the George Orwell book 1984. In 1997 they released the Here’s to the Crazy Ones commercial about those who want to change the world. They produce commercials that make people talk.
Advertising is data-driven storytelling. Apple has unfathomable amounts of data on the behavior of consumers who use their devices daily. They know who their buyers are, how they use the devices, and when they use them. All of which informed this campaign.
This commercial wasn’t a whoopsie, it was an intentional choice to lean into discomfort. I believe Apple wanted to cut through the very noisy landscape across all forms of media by using a page from its provocative advertising playbook. Analysis may have even been done on the potential pushback from creators, and they felt the risk was worth it.
Expensive commercials have a few goals. First is brand awareness – which isn’t an issue for Apple. Next is product awareness – people are talking! Third is sales, which we won’t know for a few weeks. Whether liked or disdained, the commercial brought awareness to the iPad, got people talking, and prompted some to check out the new device.
There are a few more clues that this was part of the plan. First, Apple still has the commercial on its YouTube channel. If they felt it was causing harm, they would have taken it down with Tim Cook’s apology. In six days, it has 2.6 million views. And that doesn’t account for views shared by media and posts across social media. The thumbnail for the image is the stress toy with the eyes building out of it – meant to make you uncomfortable.
Apple is an established brand and can take these risks. People are talking about the commercial and the product. If this was for a product launch and no one knew what an iPad was, it wouldn’t have worked. But this reminded current and potential customers that there is a new release.
Creating discomfort for the audience is a powerful storytelling tactic. It works well in settings like:
A movie trailer for a horror film – making you buy a ticket.
Charities telling the story of a family who lost their home, clothing, and possessions due to a natural disaster – often motivating you to donate.
Therapy and people seeking personal changes – leading to a vow of different choices.
Significant business transformation (like mergers or acquisitions) – leading to acceptance and the path forward.
A eulogy - the unease of the moment becomes comfort shared by those in attendance.
You can use discomfort in other settings, but you don’t want to leave the audience sitting in unease. The key is to have them feel uncomfortable and move to a different feeling. In my TED Talk, I intentionally open with a story about Maria dropping her phone down an elevator shaft. As the story unfolds, you learn why it’s messy, complicated, and uncomfortable. But the story evolves to connect you with a different outcome and feeling.
The Peak End Effect is when the end of an experience influences the overall perception. This is what Apple got wrong. When the compactor lifted to show the new iPad, people were still sitting in discomfort. The commercial ended moments later. Had they shortened the time spent crushing the items and increased the time spent demonstrating the creative features of the iPad, the experience may have been different.
Next time you’re preparing a story, challenge yourself to incorporate discomfort. Build it slowly through the events, like wading into a pool. Or fully immerse the audience with a toe-curling moment. Consider how you can include:
What loss are the characters experiencing?
How are the characters forced outside of their comfort zone?
Where do the events build tension?
What choices do characters make that the audience wouldn’t?
Why are the circumstances messy or complicated?
As you build the story, vividly describe the details so the audience feels like they are alongside the characters in this uncomfortable moment. Let them connect with the feelings of discomfort. Then bring them out and let them fully connect with different feelings before ending the story.*
*There is one exception for incorporating discomfort into stories, and it's around animals. One of my dear friends, Kathleen Ferrari let me read an early draft of her recent novel, Through Another Door which is the third book in a series. Without spoiling anything, there is a scene when a dog is hit by a car. Discomfort for animals often lands more strongly than for humans. We both agreed, you never kill the dog, even in fiction.
***
Want to receive more articles like this one? Sign up for Brain Food here.
I am opening up a few spots this summer for one-on-one storytelling coaching. These range from a one-time coaching session to ongoing across a few months. This may be for you if you are:
Reading The Perfect Story and want someone to guide you through applying concepts
Want to talk through how to apply concepts in a specific setting
Want help figuring out the stories to include in a presentation
Want a check-in on some existing stories
Reach out here for more information.
