The Power of Brand Storytelling

 

Brands are now being asked to connect with their consumers on a deeper level than ever before. A humanitarian generation is paving the way for the future of content, and the future is in the emotive. Video production is changing with this; we now see a shift away from the old "look at my product and what it does" sort of content to a new form of storytelling, peeling away the layers of a brand and providing consumers with a more authentic and truthful story.

Brand storytelling precisely what it sounds like: telling the story of a brand. It's done in a narrative that moulds together the facts and emotions that your brand evokes; this could be the story behind your brand, why it matters, or how it changes people. Don't be fooled into thinking you'll need a high-end production studio to do this either; you won't. Like we've said, the future is in the emotive – the more authentic, relatable and truthful the content is, the more consumers connect with it. This makes brand storytelling such an effective way to engage with consumers and build a lasting and established relationship with them.

Facts are important. People like to see hard evidence and statistics to back up claims and develop a brand's credibility, but the truth is, they're just not that memorable. If I told you that brand storytelling is 22 times more memorable than facts, you'd probably forget in a few minutes. However, if I weaved this into a story littered with beautiful imagery or even a rhyme, you might be more inclined to remember. It's almost like being back at school – we've all got at least one mnemonic stuck in our head from our school days.

They stick, whether you want them to or not, and this is the power that brands are now tapping into. Unfortunately, impactful stories or mnemonics can also make us vulnerable, and vulnerability is what generates 'neuro-associations' – in other words, we're more likely to create an association with a brand and its products.

Remember the John Lewis Christmas Adverts? There's probably at least one you remember. Their ads are so effective because they tap into exactly what we discussed above – storytelling and vulnerability. You'll find yourself propelled back in time, associating Christmas with all the feelings you felt as a child, and you'll probably get a bit emotional too. That's the key to all of this – emotional content.

If you're targeting younger generations, this is of real importance. The next generation is full of socially switched on humanitarians, hungry for justice and a fairer world. They value authenticity, and in an online world reeling with fake news and fake brands, they've developed a very adept filter to cut through the rubbish. They're more likely to use ad blockers and protect their privacy, and they hate brands being invasive – basically, authenticity is the watchword for the next-gen.

Tapping into the emotive through brand storytelling engages them and other generations so effectively because it uses our brains in different ways. According to researchers at Ohio State, when a narrative transports us, we're far more likely to view the protagonist in a favourable light and embrace their own beliefs and worldviews. This all well and good, but how exactly can you pull it off?

Well, marketers must be storytellers. Knowing how to tell a story is the key to making an impact. Briar Goldberg, an executive communication coach, summed it up perfectly with the 'classical narrative arc':

step one: settings and characters

step two: tension and conflict

step three: climax

step four: resolution

step five: the new normal

You can read more about it here. I can already hear some brands shaking at the thought of 'tension and conflict', but not everything's peachy, and remember: it's the natural and relatable content that makes a real difference.

Thomas Gerace, CEO of Skyword, says, But, unfortunately, and music is a word you think you understand until you try to define it", and he's right. For brand storytelling to be impactful, you need to understand what makes a good story and what makes your audience tick. It's the sort of understanding that'll make your storytelling stand out in a world of its own.