Level up your marketing campaigns with a good story.
The art of storytelling is a universal aspect of human nature, developing from childhood and transcending across all cultures. Certain stories date back millennia, with origins that can be traced to roughly 6,000 years ago.
Our brains have evolved to love stories. A cognitive psychologist named Jerome Bruner suggests we are 22 times more likely to remember a fact when it is wrapped in a story. Stories have the power to connect us, to leave us sitting on the edges of our seats and to bring tears to our eyes.
Benefits of Storytelling in Marketing
Using artful storytelling in your marketing campaigns can pose a number of benefits.
- Build a connection with your audience on a deeper level with stories that speak to them.
- Increase brand awareness and attract new customers when stories are shared and discussed on social media or other platforms, generating buzz and promoting word-of-mouth marketing.
- Build trust by telling a story that can establish a sense of transparency and authenticity.
- Make your brand memorable through a compelling narrative. People are more likely to remember something they’re emotionally invested in.
- Communicate values and mission in a way that is easy to understand.
- Create emotional appeal to resonate with your audience, establish a sense of empathy, and inspire their behavior and decision-making.
- Simplify complex concepts through a well-crafted story consumers can relate to, no matter how complicated the product or service is.
- Differentiate from competitors and set your brand apart.
Examples of Big Brands Telling Stories in Their Marketing
Find out how the world’s biggest brands incorporate storytelling in their marketing initiatives and campaigns.
Airbnb
On the 25th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Airbnb released an animated video that inspires a sense of belonging and celebrates a united Germany through a remarkable true story of an Airbnb host and guest.
Starbucks
In this video, Starbucks plays with elements of storytelling to give viewers a new perspective on its coffee, showcasing different parts of its business cycle and a look at its operations behind-the-scenes. This way, Starbucks explains how the brand is helping the environment, ensuring farmers make more money and delivering sustainable, top-notch quality drinks to its consumers.
Nike
As part of Nike’s ‘You Can’t Stop Us’ campaign, the brand released a video following the victory of a young girl learning to swim for the first time. The film not only celebrates the spirit of Middle Eastern women but also represents togetherness in sports—all while featuring its modest swimwear collection.
Side note: Turn on the closed captions (CC) to read the English subtitles.
Apple
This video—which is part of an extended, nine-minute ad—sees a team of geeks bring a product idea to life. Instead of taking an emotional approach like Nike in the previous example, this video by Apple plays on humor and drama, like a mini-sitcom, to get their message across.
In this video, Google uses storytelling to introduce a new application, Google Trips. You see a character goes faces a number of obstacles, which are resolved using this app.
Amazon
Amazon dropped a Super Bowl commercial in 2021 for its smart assistant Alexa, starring actor Michael B. Jordan as the physical embodiment of the product. The video was designed to showcase the features of the Alexa device while playing on the idea of women’s fantasies in a funny and engaging way.
Conclusion
A simple story has the potential to evoke emotions in us and stay rooted in our memories for years to come.
So the next time you brainstorm a new marketing idea for your brand, consider adding storytelling to deliver your key message.
If you are looking for help getting started, reach out today.
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