Brand storytelling is here to stay. Campaigns such as #LikeAGirl from Always and the annual John Lewis Christmas ad have made the practice mainstream.
But with everyone doing it, brands need to think carefully about the type of content they should be producing and for whom, while considering the types of story that work for their target audience and the message that a story conveys.
Our own research found the best stories tend to come from people who seem genuinely interested in the brand and want to share their wonderful experiences of it. The implication is that advocacy should be a key element of any marketing and storytelling campaign.
Proof that people want stories
79% of people questioned were interested in hearing stories from brands. Stories are more interesting than a hard sell and give consumers the chance to go beyond the product spec. At the same time, a story offers brands the chance to forge deeper emotional ties with their potential customers.
55% of people would consider buying a brand in the future if they really loved the story
The statistic speaks for itself. Good storytelling can equal good sales. While storytelling is often associated with raising brand engagement and recognition, it can in fact achieve more than this – and even influence purchase decisions.
43% of people would like brand stories to be funny
Using humour is a good way to encourage social sharing (if done well and the style works for your brand). That said, 18- to 24-year-olds would equally like
inspirational or dramatic stories.
57% of people prefer stories based on real people and events
There is a preference for real people and events in brand storytelling as opposed to fictional characters that featured in TV ads of yesteryear (eg the Oxo family). 67% also wanted to see “regular” people rather than famous faces. This is perhaps in part because of the increase in peer-to-peer recommendations via social networks and review sites and an increased desire for authenticity.
53% would prefer to see brand-generated content
This shows that people still want to see original content from brands, but they will also go elsewhere to find out the information they need, demonstrating the importance of brands as publishers, as well as advocacy.
Be clear on relevance and targeting
The statistics are a useful guide to what people want to get from brand stories. But the results can vary depending on the industry, company tone of voice and other factors.
Whatever story you tell, it’s essential you have a clear idea of who you are targeting. Any content you produce should be relevant, which means making it valuable and timely for the intended audience.
It’s also essential that content is visible. Creating a great story in itself is no good unless your potential customers hear about it and want to engage with it.
Once people are engaged, there’s a good opportunity for customer advocacy, which in turn can encourage others to engage with your brand. As our research showed, the best stories tend to come from regular people who are willing to share their experiences with the world, so customer advocacy should be at the heart of any storytelling campaign.
Steve Sponder is managing director of Headstream
This advertisement feature is paid for by the Marketing Agencies Association, which supports the Guardian Media & Tech Network’s Agencies hub.
