The Twist in the Tale

I recently came across this commercial from Guinness. If you have not seen it, watch the clip before reading further.

As the commercial unfolded, I was thinking that the message would have something to do with perseverance and commitment in the face of adversity. And, indeed, the first word from the voiceover at 0:34 (when one of the players struggles to right himself after being knocked over) is “Dedication”. The game continues and we hear about “Loyalty”.

But at 0:42, something unexpected happens. The game ends and we learn that all of the players except one are able to walk without any assistance whatsoever, and we hear, at 0:47, the word “Friendship”. And that’s when we realize what the story is truly about. And it sticks because we didn’t see it coming. At least I didn’t.

Here’s another commercial with a story built on the same principle of a surprise twist:

It’s the surprise ending—the twist in the tale—that often makes a story memorable. Many great movies and books are based on this principle. And those are the ones we talk about: “Man, it blew my mind when I realized that she was the murderer!”

Here’s a highly entertaining list of “25 turns, pivots and twists to complicate your story” from novelist Chuck Wendig.

We can apply the same principle in the stories we tell in our speeches. Not every story needs a twist, of course, but having a surprise ending can be a powerful way to reinforce a message. Below are five ways to give your stories a twist. Can you think of others?

• Tell a story about yourself but only reveal that it was you at the end.

• Tell a story about a famous person but only reveal the person’s identity at the end.

• Tell a story where things are going badly but there is a positive ending.

• Tell a story where things are going well but take a turn for the worse.

• Tell a story that reveals an unlikely connection between two people and/or events.

And to conclude on a lighter note, here’s one last story with an unexpected twist!

Photo courtesy of Ben White