Adults tend to think that storytelling is for children. That is a completely incorrect notion. Many “adult” sectors require good storytelling, and it is, in fact, a major component in marketing. A successfully marketed business is one that is able to concoct the right story for their brand.
What is the Importance of Story in Marketing?
A business should come up with a compelling story to promote their brand. Of course, there are certain reasons for making this a priority.
1. Story contains emotions
Story is loaded with emotional values. Those can be joy, sadness, or even anger, depending on the stance that you are taking. The audience relates easier with emotional content as they also experience emotion on a daily basis. It would make them relate better to your brand.
2. Story is more engaging
Because story contains emotional values, it becomes more engaging to the audience. Imagine if you have to read or watch factual information for hours. You will lose interest quickly. Besides, in storytelling, it will encourage the marketers to present information in more innovative formats.
3. Story helps people grasp the abstract concept
Sometimes, the business wants to deliver an abstract concept. This will likely make the brand less inclusive as only a few people can get the message it tries to deliver. Story can provide a relatable application of that abstract message. It can aid people in understanding the brand’s message even better.
4. Story is easily passed on
Mouth-to-mouth promotion still seems to be an effective tool. Experts say that information in a story format is easier to remember. Not only that, people will have an easier time trying to pass story to others rather than citing trivia. People are also more motivated to relay stories.
5. Story creates a sense of community
You will notice that certain brands have their own followings. Some of them attribute it to successful storytelling. As stated, story creates connectedness with the brand and other people. Those who are compelled by the story will be likely to form their own community.
Some Successful Stories in Marketing
It should be easier for you to understand the importance of storytelling in real-life examples. Some brands have successfully managed campaigns to make them more compelling to new market segments.
1. Guinness’s Women Rugby Campaign
The first example is the infamous beer brand, Guinness. It launched a campaign that focused on the roles of Japanese women across eras. The campaign showed how in the past, women in Japan were expected to fulfill domestic roles.
However, in modern days, women have more diverse roles. This campaign showed the Japanese woman rugby team. It aligned with the Rugby World Cup held in the country at the time of the campaign. It successfully increased the interest in the sport and the brand itself, particularly from the target demographics.
2. Apple’s Working From Home
The notion of working from home is especially popular due to the unfortunate pandemic. Apple took the chance to create a campaign about this phenomenon. It presented the experiences of working from home of people with various social backgrounds.
People like this campaign particularly because it painted a realistic picture of working from home. There are funny things that can happen when working at home because home life and work occur at the same time. However, the stress level is also something that cannot be ignored.
Components of Effective Storytelling
To create an interesting story, you must pay attention to the important components. Here are the things that would make storytelling effective:
1. Relatable storyline and character
The story is directed to a specific target audience. To reach them emotionally, it is important to develop a storyline and create characters that the audience can easily relate to. A story about the daily life of a regular person tends to resonate better with the audience, although a top story may fare well too sometimes.
2. The main problem
A story should present the main problem that is being experienced by the main character. This problem should be a problem that can easily be encountered in daily life. It can be something as mundane as having a bad internet connection.
What is important is presenting the problem in an interesting manner. You may try to look into a different perspective. Adding emotional values to this is also necessary to move the audience’s hearts.
3. A great resolution
Lastly, the story should present a great resolution to the problem. Of course, there are interesting stories that left the audience hanging. However, if you aim to promote your brand to solve the customer’s problem, it is not enough.
The resolution should also be something that a customer expects. The solution should be realistic, although you may present it in a unique way. If not, the audience might be disappointed.
As seen, storytelling is not an easy process. Nonetheless, if you want your brand to be successful, you should make it your top priority. It is something that makes your brand stay in people’s minds for a longer time.
