Who: Ancestry, Anomaly (positioning and creative), OMD (media).

What: A TV campaign that unveils a new brand positioning of the genealogy service as a platform to enjoy “personalized entertainment experiences.”

When & Where: The ads are running on TV now.

How: Three ads present climactic moments from a family’s history that are as tense as that of any big-budget, scripted drama on Netflix. At a crucial point in the narrative, the spots cut to black, accompanied by the super: “Without you, the story stops here.”

Why: The insight here is that every family’s history includes remarkable stories. The stories about those moments become richer and more focused the deeper users dive into the history, making more discoveries about connections and uncovering more facts. “With Ancestry’s unrivalled library of historical records—billions globally—your family tree isn’t stagnant,” Anomaly president Candace Borland told The Message. “It builds and unfolds fascinating stories the more connections you discover.”

Marketer quote: “The stories of our ancestors can be just as entertaining and engrossing as anything a Hollywood writers’ room can cook up. And by exploring our family history, we can play a role in uncovering that drama.” —Bill DeGroot, Canadian country manager of Ancestry.