In 1995, Pixar changed animated films forever. Thirty years later, their storytelling rules are changing how brands communicate.

Originally shared by Pixar story artist Emma Coats in 2011, the studio's 22 rules of storytelling have quietly become one of the most referenced frameworks in content marketing. What began as a personal Twitter thread has since found its way into brand strategy sessions, communications workshops and marketing curricula worldwide, proof that good principles have a long shelf life.

Of the 22 rules, five have emerged as the essential pillars, and they hold up just as well in a boardroom as they do in a screening room:

• Keep your brand’s stories simple and uncomplicated.
• Give your brand characters human qualities your audience recognizes and feels.
• Tell authentic stories that your audience will believe.
• Show your audience the problem clearly before offering the solution.
• Know your theme early but always leave room for rewriting and refining.

What makes these rules endure is their insistence on emotional honesty over clever techniques. Pixar spent decades proving that children, the most discerning audience in the world, have no patience for anything that isn't genuine. Whether the goal is a film or a brand campaign, audiences respond to the same fundamentals: a story that is honest, deeply human and worth their time.

VIDEO: PIXAR'S 5 STORYTELLING PILLARS 

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