Storytelling in marketing: from the images in your head to the story

Fairy tales, stories and narratives are firmly embedded in our early childhood memories. We pass them on to the next generation in the original, adapted or reinterpreted form. Usually associated with a moral, they serve as a kind of instruction, imparting knowledge and experiences of our ancestors. But also to prepare us for our own lives and enable us to make better decisions. These elements, which we find in modern marketing today, can already be found in cave paintings.

From generation to generation, we pass on our knowledge with the help of such stories. We present our audience with facts, background information and a central message or “learning” within a narrative framework - a narrative or fictional story.

He who will not hear must feel

We persuade by arousing feelings and addressing our counterpart emotionally rather than purely rationally. We are generally less open to rational arguments. Instead, we instinctively look for errors or the “small print”. Only when we are explicitly interested in a topic are we curious about figures, details or a look under the metaphorical hood. In everyday life, our attention span is rather low. Even worse - we are overwhelmed by rational arguments. A lack of time and rising stress levels do the rest. The imperative is to prevent and avoid stress, from working from home to leisure time. This requires the right methods, including listening and reading.

Emotional communication, on the other hand, appeals to us. Our right visionary, emotional hemisphere is tickled. We can put ourselves in situations, experience them and identify with situations or characters. In this way, we learn in a playful way without danger or great effort of concentration.

Authentic and credible storytelling

Our information behavior has long since changed accordingly. Long press releases and court reporting of a company with lots of text seem out of date. We live in a visually powerful media landscape and every image and every video tells its own story. Whether private individuals, social media creators, influencers, experts, HR and communication departments from business, industry and society: today, we are always sending messages in search of the right recipients. Good, authentic stories get us heard and attract attention. The brand or product fades into the background in favor of the story and gains resonance when companies communicate coherently and live values credibly. Companies can use various narrative structures or narrative styles to achieve this.

Practical example of teacher recruitment 

Since we are presenting storytelling as part of our teacher recruitment campaign, we would like to show you how good and authentic storytelling works. It is a practical example of how emotional appeal is crucial for attracting more attention from readers. Because only those who tell an approachable and captivating story that includes conflict will find listeners. The story behind “Eine Klasse für sich. LEHRERIN SACHSEN” succeeds because it tells real stories. They describe the experiences, adventures and diversity of the profession and the people behind it. Pupils and teachers are not only important life companions, they also lay the foundations for education, discipline and social skills.

Before you find out what a story involves, how it is structured and what a narrator is, we recommend that you read all about the communication concept. The basics and creation of a concept in 5 steps form the prerequisite for the storytelling of a message and, above all, for a campaign.