Storytelling Marketing
What people think is storytelling marketing
Storytelling marketing is one of the most misunderstood areas in marketing. You will often hear people parrot back something they read or heard on a podcast about how your customer is the hero, you are the wise or trusty mentor, guiding them through their journey, and the villain is some pain or obstacle they are trying to overcome.
This is a nice and neat definition, it’s easy to remember, and when you repeat it, you may sound like you know what you’re talking about.
The reality is, show me an example anywhere of a successful marketing campaign or messaging that followed this structure. I’ll wait.
What is actually storytelling marketing
What storytelling marketing actually is – it’s any narrative (beginning, middle, and end) device used to convey information. It could be – here’s our story, here’s why we made this, here’s how our thing is assembled, here’s why our thing is better, here’s an unboxing of our thing, here’s a before and after of our product or solution, etc.
There doesn’t need to be a conflict, there doesn’t need to be a villain, or trusty guide. It just needs to be interesting.
The goal with storytelling marketing is to better explain or demonstrate something, build affinity by aligning with your customers’ values, make your thing easy to remember and repeat, provide some education, inspiration, or entertainment, etc.
Examples of Storytelling Marketing
This is far from an exhaustive list, but already you can start to see how these examples are a better way to think about adding storytelling into your brand.
Our story
Why we made it
How we made it
How to use it
Before & after
Product comparison
Product evolution
Unboxing
Assembly
Case study
Testimonial
Social impact
Why Storytelling Matters
There are many reasons why storytelling matters, or is effective. We first buy with emotion, and then justify with logic second. We talk about this in more detail in some of the blog posts (see related content). But, consider these two: emotional investment and memorability.
Emotional Investment
Humans are hardwired to respond to stories. They evoke emotions, create empathy, and build connections. Brands that use storytelling effectively can connect with their audience on a deeper level, fostering loyalty and trust.
Take brands like Nike or Apple, for example. Their campaigns often focus on inspiring stories of personal triumph and innovation, which resonate deeply with their audiences.
This is key. We are not here to simply entertain, we’re here to drive profitable growth, we’re here to build a brand. Stories connect people to brands, and people only buy brands they trust.
Continue reading: The Perfect Ball Game
They say people buy first with their emotions (heart), then justify with their logical (head) second.
Ultimately, you want people to fall in love with your product / brand / design / vision… and have them tell a story to themselves about themselves owning the product. “If I had this, then people will look at me differently… If I had this, then I will be happy…”
Aside from love, here are some commonly used emotions in marketing:
👉 Curiosity – “What is this, I see it everywhere?” e.g. Supreme. AG1.
👉 Mystery – “It looks like it could be this, but it’s not. What is all the hype about?” e.g. Liquid Death. Obey
👉 Shock – “Wow, that is an unusual design! Wow, that is expensive. Wow, that’s a bold claim.” e.g. Tesla. Hermes.
👉 Intrigue – “Did they really get Roger Federer? This looks interesting, I wonder if it actually works.” e.g. On Running.
👉 Confusion – “That is a weird name, I wonder what that means?” e.g. Kith. Warby Parker.
👉 Humour – “That’s a hilarious commercial.” e.g. Dollar Shave Club.
👉 Surprise and delight – “Are they really sending mattresses in the mail?” e.g. Casper.
Remember, visual elements such as colour, fonts, and images can evoke specific emotions. Use them strategically to create the desired emotional response.
You can also tailor your messages to resonate with the individual experiences and emotions of your audience. Personalized marketing can create a strong emotional connection.
Memorability
Stories are not just entertaining; they are also memorable.
Research shows that people are more likely to remember information presented as a story compared to a list of facts. This is because stories engage multiple parts of our brain, making the information more sticky and easier to recall.
53M Views and Counting!
How did this creator get 53.2M views on a single video?
She told a story.
She brought us into a super relatable scenario with universal appeal, made us feel some kind of way about it, and gave us a ‘promise of a payoff’.
This is how you hook, retain, and deliver a fun storytelling experience.
This is storytelling. No heroes, no trusty guides, no villains, just traditional setup, conflict, and resolution.
Now, think about how your brand might use this approach with your social and content strategy.
People Don't Buy Products, they Join Tribes
The brands we buy are statement pieces, they are expressions of our individuality, they communicate our values to the world.
If you’re like me, you have at least one Dyson product, multiple Apple products, a closet full of Lululemon, a shoe rack full on Nike, a Vitamix in your kitchen, a couple Stanley mugs, a Yeti cooler, etc.
These brands made us all care about traditionally ‘boring’ categories, we were willing to pay more for them, and in many cases we would not consider alternatives. They did that through offering a premium quality product, an elevated pricing strategy, and through branding storytelling.
Dispelling the Myths about Storytelling Marketing
Storytelling marketing is any sequential narrative that hooks the viewer at the beginning, guides them along through a journey, and has some conclusion at the end.
Your customer doesn’t need to be the hero, you don’t need to be their trusty guide or mentor, and there doesn’t need to be some evil villain or pain point they are trying to overcome.
It sounds nice, and it’s often repeated, but it’s not true.
Continue reading: Dispelling the Myths about Storytelling Marketing
Over a Decade of Experience
For over a decade, I wrote under the penname Edward Mullen. I have published 17 books (many have gone on to have millions of reads), several short stories, countless blogs, hundreds of YouTube videos, etc. This is a lot of practice with creating narratives that resonate with people.
To learn more about my books, please visit www.EdwardMullen.com.
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