Following a session from Laura I’ve been exploring how storytelling can enhance my project from a marketing and advertising point of view. Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing because it helps convey messages effectively to the audience. The way we tell a story can strongly influence how well we sell a product or service to our target customers.
The reason storytelling works so well is that people connect with and remember stories better than just facts and numbers. When we tell a good story in marketing, it goes beyond giving information – it makes the audience feel something. The goal is to make viewers feel a connection that inspires them to take action, like buying a product or interacting with a service.
A well-crafted story in marketing aims to evoke emotions that drive a specific response from the viewer. Whether it’s happiness, empathy, excitement, or nostalgia, the emotional connection created by the narrative is intended to encourage viewers to do something, like making a purchase. So, understanding how to tell a compelling story becomes crucial in influencing people’s decisions and achieving success in marketing efforts.
- Overcoming the monster- The customer is faced with a problem that is threatening our customer. The hero must fight and slay this monster, which often isn’t easy, but they come out triumphant, and receive a great reward. This could work for a customer that has a problem with a product and they could face issues or problems. The product being advertised could be a new and improved version.
- Rags to Riches- At the beginning, our hero is insignificant and dismissed by others.Something happens to elevate them, revealing them to be exceptional. This could work for customers or clients that are being let down by competitors that could be looking for alternative products or services elsewhere.
- The Quest – In the quest, our hero must set out on a long, hazardous journey, and will battle all obstacles until they are triumphant. Similar to rags and riches this could be a similar situation where the client or customer is trying to find a product or service that best suits them.
- Voyage & Return- While also based on a journey, the Voyage and Return is very different from The Quest. Here, the hero travels out of their ‘normal world’ into the overwhelming and unknown, before escaping back to the safety of their home. This may not work for my project but it could be that the user has an organised van and go to a voyage and return to an tidied/ organised van with their racking solution.
- Comedy- A story made up of comedic events, normally involving mistaken identity, misunderstanding or confusion, resulting in hilarious chaos. This could work in the sense that their could be a comical scene where the customer is struggling with their current solution and find a resolution through van racking solutions.
- Tragedy– This is the story without the happy ending. While our other archetypes have seen triumphant heroes and slain monsters, this plot takes a different turn, and ends in loss or death. I can see how this plot could work for certain industries like charities but probably wouldn’t be suitable for my project.
- Rebirth- Our final plot type, rebirth, sees our hero ‘falling under a dark spell’ – whether this is sleep, sickness or enchantment – before breaking free and being redeemed. This works similar to the rags to riches plot in that the customer is failing and they have been saved by a new product or service.
Case Study:
John Lewis Christmas Advert
John Lewis has mastered the art of emotional storytelling, defying digital trends with their Christmas adverts that touch hearts and spark discussions. The adverts prove that understanding your audience and aligning emotions with your organisation’s vision and values is crucial. Identifiable emotions could include gratitude, confidence, optimism, interest, motivation, inspiration, satisfaction, pride, and a sense of purpose. John Lewis, as a partnership, weaves themes of happiness, courtesy, and responsibility into its ads, reinforcing its identity. The company builds anticipation with teasers and utilises social media to generate conversations and momentum.
In 2023, John Lewis broke away from the norm in its Christmas ad, telling a heartwarming tale of unexpected bonds and unique traditions. The narrative revolved around a young boy, Alfie, and his unconventional connection with a Venus Fly Trap named Snapper, born from a “grow your own perfect Christmas tree” kit. Despite family disapproval, Alfie forges a special bond with Snapper, and on Christmas morning, they share gifts, establishing a new and unconventional tradition.
The Marketing Director, Rosie Hanley, emphasizes the ad’s intention, describing it as a joyful story of friendship, making space for others, and adapting traditions states (Rudd, 2023). This not only encapsulates the narrative’s essence but also showcases John Lewis’s keen understanding of evolving dynamics in modern families. The clever strapline, “Let Your Traditions Grow,” subtly encourages viewers to embrace individuality during the festive season.
John Lewis was able to take this marketing beyond the screen, by transforming into a real-world spectacle at Kew Gardens which extended the campaign’s impact. John Lewis strategically leverages Snapper-themed merchandise, from soft toys to Christmas cards, ensuring that the enchantment of the Christmas campaign persists beyond TV screens.
The Snapper campaign by John Lewis follows the classic narrative structure of a “Rags to Riches” story. At the outset, Snapper, a Venus Fly Trap, is seemingly insignificant and even faces disapproval from Alfie’s family, echoing a sense of dismissal. However, as the story unfolds, Snapper becomes the unexpected hero, elevating its status from an ordinary Christmas tree kit to an extraordinary companion. This mirrors the “Rags to Riches” arc, where a seemingly ordinary character or product undergoes a transformative journey, revealing its exceptional qualities. In the context of customers or clients seeking alternatives due to dissatisfaction with competitors, the Snapper narrative aligns with the idea that overlooked or underestimated options can rise to prominence, offering a richer, more fulfilling alternative. The campaign cleverly leverages this storytelling approach to resonate with audiences seeking a change or improvement in their choices, positioning Snapper as the unexpected yet exceptional solution.
Resources
https://www.productmarketingalliance.com/the-what-why-and-how-of-storytelling/ https://seodesignchicago.com/advertising-blog/why-is-storytelling-important-in-advertising/#:~:tex
Rudd, W. by: J. (2023) Brand strategy and John Lewis Christmas adverts., Furthermore Marketing. Available at: https://furthermoremarketing.co.uk/brand-strategy-and-john-lewis-christmas-adverts/ (Accessed: 09 February 2024).