Marketing Storytelling

Marketing Storytelling is the practice by which a Story is told for Marketing purposes.

• A Story that talks about a Product or a Brand.

 

Why?

Because Stories can provide a lot of information about a Product…

• Where it comes from.
• How it was manufactured.

… And are easy to Remember.

 

Also, Clients emphasize with Stories, not with Products.

• We have a whole Page dedicated to “Branding“.
  • If you are interested in how Brands are built, you should check it out.

 

Think about Harley-Davidson.

 

On the other hand, if you don’t tell a Story, your Product will be judged only by:

• Technical features.
• Price.

 

And that means that, as soon as your competitors develop a slightly better Product, you’ll lose your Clients.

 

You’ll understand it better with one example:

 

Jack Daniel’s is to Whisky (Bourbon) what Harley-Davidson is to motorcycles (choppers).

 

Its name is associated to:

• Rock.
• Being a maverick.
• Being different.
• Not following the rules.

 

But, isn’t it just a mass-produced Bourbon?

 

Yes, but the company has been:

• Sponsoring Rock concerts for years.
• Using advertisements with American values.
• Differentiating its product from common bourbon for years.
• Using story-based ads.
• etc.

And all that together, has created a Story: the Story of Jack Daniel’s.

 

Jack Daniel’s always tries to differentiate its product in its advertisements.

 

Jack Daniel’s wants you to have “a Jack Daniel’s” not a Bourbon.

• Why?

Because if you conceive it as a Bourbon, you might realize that there are many more options with a similar or even better taste.

 

Jack Daniel’s uses American history to associate values to its product.

In this example you can perfectly appreciate how a good Story surrounds the product, and attracts customers.

 

But… How can you tell a good Story?

We have analyzed several Brands and Products, studying:

• Why some stories were successful while others were not.
• What these Stories have in common.

In addition, we have used our Professional Experience to judge the results.

 

Here you have our Conclusions:

How do I Start Storytelling?

 

• 1. Be Authentic.
  • Your Story must be Unique.
    • It should capture your Client’s attention.
  • Don’t use Common or Easy references.

 

• 2. Be Real.
  • Your Story should be as Real as possible.
    • It should fit your product.
  • Don’t lie.
    • You can use different inspirations or interpretations, but never lie.

 

• 3. Be Coherent.
  • Your Product and your Story should be coherent.
    • If you sell handmade bags of average quality, don’t target Luxury Markets.
  • Quality, Price and Image must match.
    • Otherwise, you’ll lose credibility.

 

• 4. Target your Potential Clients.
  • Focus on your potential Customers.
    • If you try to reach everybody, you’ll fail miserably.
  • And, once you have done it, don’t miss your target.
    • It is a very common mistake.

 

• 5. Be Transcendent.
  • People love transcendent Stories.
    • A greater good.
    • “Rebel” stories.
    • World Change.
  • Explain Why your Product is transcendent.
    • Or at least why you think it is.

 

• 6. Create a Community.
  • Your product should “give access” to a Community.
    • Think about Harley-Davidson.
  • If there is something that people need today, it is to be part of something.
    • And your product must be the “Key” that opens this door.

We are aware that, meeting all these “requirements” is difficult.

You need a very good Strategy, Time and Money.

• Many large and successful companies have tried, and failed.

 

Perhaps, you can meet 1 or 2 of these “requirements”.

• But, the more you you meet, the better.

 

Now, we’ll give you some examples of successful products with good Stories behind:

All these companies that we are about to mention needed: time, a proper strategy and, of course, a good product.

• As you will see, their products meet practically all the “requirements” mentioned above.

 

Let’s see what we can learn from them:

 

We have analyzed Louis Vuitton several times.

• It is a very well built Brand.

 

But, what Story does Louis Vuitton tell?

 

The journey.

• The never-ending journey.

 

Louis Vuitton makes references to Journeys, usually beyond tourism.

 

Louis Vuitton was born as a simple brand of travel bags.

• Bags for Journeys.

But Today, they use the concept “Journey” as a metaphor for life.

 

Look at the Angelina Jolie’s picture:

• You can’t see any other “tourist” in the picture.
• She has a meditative face.

It seems that she is looking for herself.

 

But how is this Real? (regarding the factors we mentioned earlier).

• Louis Vuitton has been synonym with “traveling” for decades.
• It manufactures high quality bags.
• Many important powerful and famous people use its bags.

They have a “Real” and “Coherent” background.

 

They moved from the traditional conception  of “Journey” to one more “transcendent“.

• Their Story, is your own Journey in life.

There is no need to explain who Michael Jordan is.

 

And, almost as well known as him, are the Air Jordan.

• A very successful Nike-Jordan product.

 

Michael Jordan is a “Sports Legend”.

 

So, what Story do you think the Air Jordan tell?

Michael Jordan’s Story.

• A Story about a living legend.
• A Story about ambition.
• A Story about making history.

And this Story is undoubtedly Transcendent.

 

These basketball shoes have his name so… It would be impossible to be more Real.

• What about Coherence? Nike Sponsored Michael Jordan, so it is absolutely coherent Story.

Other product that needs no presentation: Chanel Nº 5.

• The Parfum “par excellence”.

 

There is no other fragrance as famous as Chanel Nº 5.

 

But… Why is this fragrance so famous?

What Story does it tell?

 

For its legendary “Parfum”, Chanel uses important celebrities.

 

Chanel Nº 5, has always been linked to:

• Marilyn Monroe.
• The Glamorous Hollywood.
• Transcendent celebrities.

It tells a Story about that “glamour” that never expires.

 

Look at the Brad Pitt image above:

• They use a Black and White image.
  • Evoking the past, what lasts…
• He is not a young smiling child.
  • He is a very good and transcendent actor.

 

All this together is very coherent with Chanel’s product:

• Chanel Nº 5 is a very expensive “Parfum” that lasts; physically speaking.
  • Since it has a high oil fragrance concentration, it adheres much more to the customer.
• In addition, its “fragrance” has not changed in decades.

 

Therefore, this product represents perfectly the concepts of:

• Durable, Glamour and Exclusivity.

Marketing Storytelling is the practice by which a Story is told for Marketing purposes.

 

Stories can provide a lot of information about a Product and are easy to Remember.

• Also, Clients can emphasize with a Story, not with a Product.

 

A good Story should:

1. Be Authentic.
2. Be Real.
3. Be Coherent.
4. Target your potential clients.
5. Be transcendent.
6. Create a community.