5 Timeless Storytelling Strategies to Use in Your Next Marketing Campaign Telling a good story in your marketing is not just about coming up with a clever catchphrase or producing a heartwarming video, but seeing the world through your customer's eyes and crafting a narrative that resonates with them.
By Erica McMillan •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As humans, storytelling is ingrained in our nature, from ancient cave paintings to modern social media. In today's business world, storytelling is essential to create a deeper connection with the audience. It goes beyond product promotion, helps build trust and emotional connection, and drives sales.
Let's explore five timeless storytelling strategies and learn how to implement them in your marketing campaigns.
Storytelling strategy #1: The mystery story
A mystery story taps into your audience's natural curiosity and problem-solving tendencies. If you want to capture their attention and maintain their interest throughout your marketing campaign, a mystery story is a great choice. The key to a successful mystery story is to create a sense of intrigue and suspense. You need to provide partial information or clues to keep your audience guessing and wanting to learn more. Lastly, encourage your audience to take action and uncover the solution to the mystery.
Real-world example: In 2014, Honda launched a series of short films called "The Other Side." The campaign aimed to showcase the two distinct sides of the Honda Civic: one practical and family-friendly, and the other sporty and high-performance.
Honda created a dual-narrative video that allowed viewers to switch seamlessly between two different stories by pressing the 'R' key on their keyboard. The video featured an apparently ordinary dad who, with the press of a button, was revealed to have a secret life as a getaway driver. The campaign's innovative use of digital technology and its unique storyline captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.
Related: How to Use Storytelling to Sell Your Brand and Vision
Storytelling strategy #2: The transformation story
If you want to truly inspire or motivate your audience, consider using a transformation story. This strategy centers on the journey of a person who moves from a state of struggle to a state of success with the help of your product or service. The key element of a transformation story is to highlight the specific challenges the person faced and the steps they took to overcome them, ultimately leading to a positive outcome. You can build genuine trust with your audience by sharing real-life examples of transformation.
Real-world example: Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign has been a massive success for the brand. The campaign features real women of all shapes, sizes and ages to promote body positivity and self-love. In one particularly powerful ad, a forensic artist draws two portraits of a woman — one based on her own description and one based on a stranger's description. The results showed the audience how they often see themselves as less beautiful than they really are and how Dove's products can help women feel more confident and beautiful.
Related: Harness the Power of Storytelling to Transform Your Business for the Better
Storytelling strategy #3: The community story
There's no better feeling than a sense of belonging, and the community story strategy achieves just that. It highlights the shared values, beliefs and interests that bring your customers together. As a result, your customers develop an emotional connection with your brand and a sense of community around it.
Real-world example: REI's #OptOutside campaign is an excellent example of the community story in action. In 2015, REI announced that it would close all its stores on Black Friday and encourage its employees and customers to spend the day outside instead.
The campaign aimed to encourage people to spend time in nature, and it quickly gained traction, with many people sharing their outdoor activities on social media using the hashtag #OptOutside. REI's campaign struck a chord with many people looking for a break from the commercialism of the holiday season and a chance to reconnect with nature and their communities.
Related: If You're Not Buying What You're Selling, You're in Big Trouble
Storytelling strategy #4: The satirical story
If you want your marketing to be memorable, consider adding humor, irony or exaggeration to critique or mock an idea. This is what a satirical story accomplishes in a campaign. You can use humorous videos, cartoons or witty social media posts as the satirical story. It's a timeless strategy that can help you create engaging content and attract attention. But you must find a balance between humor and the intended message, ensuring that the satire is not too offensive or repulsive to the audience.
Real-world example: In 2019, Burger King launched a campaign called "The Whopper Detour." They used geolocation technology to offer customers a one-cent Whopper when they ordered it through the Burger King app within 600 feet of a McDonald's location. The campaign was a humorous way of poking fun at Burger King's biggest competitor and encouraging customers to try their product instead.
Storytelling strategy #5: The interactive story
You get true engagement from your audience by encouraging them to participate in your campaign. This is where the interactive story comes into play. An interactive story is both fun and informative by including interactive features like quizzes, games or the freedom to make choices, just like what Netflix did in their interactive shows.
Real-world example: "Choose Your Own Adventure" is an interactive storytelling format used by Netflix, where the viewer is given the power to make choices that determine the story's outcome. The viewer is presented with options at key points in the story, and their decision affects the direction of the narrative. This format allows viewers to have a personalized and engaging viewing experience, as they have control over the story and can explore different paths and endings.
Some last words
In a nutshell, storytelling is one of the powerful pillars in marketing that helps you connect with your audience on an emotional level. By trying out any of the strategies mentioned above, you could create engaging and memorable content for your audience. Whether your goal is to build brand awareness or drive sales, adding stories to your campaigns can help you stand out. Don't hesitate to try them and see how they can help you create a stronger bond with your audience.
