The Three Question Ad Audit Every Brand Needs to Run Right Now
"Advertising is the loudest, most publicly visible, and highest-stakes storytelling that your brand will do. And one misaligned ad can destroy and erode years of trust that you have built."
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Most brands treat advertising like a numbers game.
But advertising is still storytelling. In fact, it's the loudest, most publicly visible, and highest-stakes storytelling your brand will ever do. And if that ad is misaligned with your brand narrative, one spot can erase years of trust in a matter of days.
In this solo episode, Rain breaks down the advertising chapter of The Chief Storytelling Officer and the role advertising plays in the Narrative Operating System—the tip of the spear, the ask, the first point of contact between your brand and the people you're trying to reach.
Using the now-infamous 2019 Peloton holiday ad as a cautionary tale and Aviation Gin's rapid-fire response as a masterclass in brand alignment, Rain unpacks exactly what separates an ad that builds community from one that blows it up. He closes with a three-question ad audit you can run on your own campaigns today.
In this episode, you will learn how to:
Understand where advertising fits in the Narrative Operating System — as the tip of the spear, not the whole system
Diagnose why the Peloton ad failed — not just as storytelling, but as a break in brand alignment
Recognize why Aviation Gin's response worked and what let them move that fast
Audit any ad with three questions — does it reflect your values, is it recognizable without the logo, and does it invite transformation?
Build advertising that invites people in to your story world, instead of just pushing them toward a transaction
“Advertising is the loudest, most publicly visible, and highest-stakes storytelling that your brand will do. And one misaligned ad can destroy and erode years of trust that you have built.”
- Rain Bennett
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Some of the highlights of the episode:
00:00 — Advertising Is the Highest-Stakes Storytelling You Will Do
02:05 — Where Advertising Fits in the Narrative Operating System
04:13 — The Spear Metaphor: Story Is the Staff, Advertising Is the Tip
06:10 — The Peloton Holiday Ad Disaster: What Went Wrong
08:55 — Brand Misalignment: The Real Reason the Stock Dropped $1.5 Billion
10:20 — Aviation Gin Strikes Back: A Masterclass in Brand Alignment
13:43 — The Numbers: 9 Million Views, Doubled Sales, $600 Million Sale
15:54 — The Three-Question Ad Audit: Run It on Your Own Campaigns
As always, I hope you enjoy the episode!
Rain
🔗 Links and Resources:
Book → The Chief Storytelling Officer → https://www.rainbennett.com/store
Episodes Referenced → EP 235 (Marketing), EP 225 (Brand), EP 230 (Product) in the Narrative Operating System series
Case Studies → Peloton's 2019 holiday ad, and Aviation Gin's “Peloton Wife” response ad
Ad Campaigns Referenced → Nike's “Just Do It,” Patagonia's “Don't Buy This Jacket,” Apple's “1984”
Agency Referenced → Wieden+Kennedy (Nike's long-standing creative agency)
For more storytelling tips and strategies,
Visit my website rainbennett.com, or
Follow me on TikTok @chiefstorytellingofficer
Follow me on Twitter @rainbennett
Follow me on Instagram @rainbennett
Follow me on Facebook @thestorytellinglab
Subscribe to my Youtube Channel