So much so, that companies are increasingly embracing brand storytelling in the era of the connected digital consumer. What is Brand Storytelling? When done correctly, research shows the powerful impact storytelling can have on us: Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts & figures alone Our neural activity increases 5X when listening to a story Storytelling lights up the sensory cortex in the brain, allowing the listener to feel, hear, taste, and even smell the story As a result, in a time when captivating consumer attention is the ultimate commodity, it has never been more important for companies to tell the right stories. The Best Stories Are Not Your Own Land Rover’s campaign offers a brilliant example and a reminder that the best stories are not your own, but those of your customers and your fans. Brand Storytelling Example #2: Ikea’s Improve Your Private Life Campaign IKEA Singapore Highlights The Power Of Humor In Storytelling Every company speaks to the value of their products and services, but how many successfully turn those products or services into a laugh-out-loud funny yet relatable story? Your Action Item: Connect with Your Customer-Service Facing Employees so They Understand Key Messages to Communicate An actionable tip is to connect with your customer-facing employees, such as community managers and customer service reps. This campaign is a good reminder of just how valuable their efforts are in further driving engagement around your brand storytelling efforts. To educate South Africans about the importance of saving money, Sanlam Bank launched a 5-part web series called One Rand Man, featuring a young professional who embarks on a social experiment – getting paid only in one rand coins. Whether you’re trying to spark change or prove to a customer why your products or services are a good fit for them, seek out stories that are either true or highly relatable. Your Action Item: Leverage Visual Storytelling to Bring Your Stories to Life An actionable tip for businesses is to leverage visual storytelling to bring your stories to life.
We have been sharing stories from the beginning of human civilization — for good reason. Stories captivate our attention and build communities by bringing ideas, emotions, and experiences to life in a memorable way. So much so, that companies are increasingly embracing brand storytelling in the era of the connected digital consumer.
What is Brand Storytelling?
Brand storytelling is defined as the art of shaping a company’s identity through the use of narratives and storytelling techniques that facilitate an emotional response and establish meaningful connections.
When done correctly, research shows the powerful impact storytelling can have on us:
- Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts & figures alone
- Our neural activity increases 5X when listening to a story
- Storytelling lights up the sensory cortex in the brain, allowing the listener to feel, hear, taste, and even smell the story
As a result, in a time when captivating consumer attention is the ultimate commodity, it has never been more important for companies to tell the right stories. The stories that stop us in our tracks, the stories that move us to tears, the stories that challenge us and change our perspective.
In a time when captivating consumer attention is the ultimate commodity, it has never been more important for companies to tell the right stories. Click To Tweet
There’s a magical spark that happens when consumers truly connect with a brand’s story, but how do companies source those unicorn, one-of-a-kind stories? Inspired by our book, The Laws of Brand Storytelling, here are three brilliant examples of brand storytelling you may have missed.
Brand Storytelling Example 1: The Land Of Land Rovers Campaign
Land Rover Showcases Why The Best Stories Come From Others
In celebration of Land Rover’s 70th anniversary, the company brought to life the true story of, “The Land of Land Rovers,” a remote area in the Indian Himalayas. The video tells the story of the local drivers who rely on a fleet of meticulously maintained 1957 Land Rover vehicles to provide transport and supplies along the treacherous mountain roads between two small villages, Maneybhanjang and Sandakphu.
To bring this remarkable story to life, Land Rover’s team made the village of Maneybhanjang their home for ten days in order to get to know these brave drivers and experience their everyday life. The end result delights the viewer with its stunning cinematography, while hearing from the drivers and villagers only further reinforces the incredible off-road capabilities of Land Rover vehicles.
The Best Stories Are Not Your Own
Land Rover’s campaign offers a brilliant example and a reminder that the best stories are not your own, but those of your customers and your fans. Sourcing those stories might be tough, but when you find those that truly touch people’s hearts, invest in bringing them to life and prioritize them over your product message.
Your Action Item: Get to Know Your Customers
To uncover the best customer stories, our best tip is to invest in getting to know your customers. From asking for customers to share their stories and memories with your company or products through social media or email campaigns, to running contests to encourage stories, top companies create a culture of sharing and storytelling.
Additionally, look at the many customer-facing touchpoints in your business, from sales to customer care, public relations, retail employees, and more. Employees on the front lines always have the best stories, but don’t necessarily know who to share them with. Whether it’s through regular check-ins, internal contests or targeted employee communications in newsletters or in the employee break room in-store, create processes for employees to share.
Brand Storytelling Example #2: Ikea’s Improve Your Private Life Campaign
IKEA Singapore Highlights The Power Of Humor In Storytelling
Every company speaks to the value of their products and services, but how many successfully turn those products or services into a laugh-out-loud funny yet relatable story? Consider taking a page from IKEA Singapore’s Shelf Help Guru campaign. The video campaign stars Fille Güte, a ‘Shelf Help Guru,’ who wants…
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