Storytelling has been ‘a thing’ for some time now, along with the idea that evolution has primed us to favour myths over facts. It's a fascinating notion, given all the more credence by phenomena like Trump and Brexit.
Inspired by author Will Storr's excellent 'Science of Storytelling' Guardian Masterclass for fiction writers, I’m going to show how to apply storytelling insights to writing for brands.
1 Start with ‘Cause and effect’
We all build our understanding of the world through constant observations of cause and effect: if you do x, y happens.
Stories tap into this instinctive urge to (literally) make sense. They serve us an account of change. Old-style ‘before and after’ advertising did this to dramatise a product’s benefits. The principle endures, but today we demand richer, more compelling stories.
2 Make it personal
What makes a great story? One vital element is characters we believe in and identify with.
In a classic experiment, Save the Children ran two competing magazine ads. One used a sobering stack of statistics to show the greatness of their need. The other told the emotive story of a single child’s struggle. Guess which generated far more and greater donations?
3 Rally behind something
The greater the emotional connection, the more powerful the story. Like novelists, marketeers can turn up the heat by creating a sense of moral outrage. Think of Benetton in the 80s, Dove in the noughties and Channel 4’s brilliant idents for the 2012 Paralympics.
But tread carefully. Pepsi’s ill-judged, zeitgeist-chasing TV ad with Kendall Jenner has backfired spectacularly.
4 Know your customers’ stories
A safer way to build that emotional connection is to seek out and tap into your customers’ inner narratives. The ones we all tell ourselves to help us negotiate our daily lives.
Mastercard’s ‘Priceless’ and Persil’s ‘Dirt is Good’ campaigns are two long-running, hugely successful examples. We all love a good story that acknowledges and validates our inner beliefs.
5 And understand their values
Great characters have motivations, ambitions and dreams – just like customers. Brilliant brands like Apple and Nike understand yours. They make you the hero of an ongoing story. One in which they help you transform into the ideal version of yourself.
Get to know what makes your customers get up in the morning.
What – and who – does it for you?
