3 minute read
JUST A THOUGHT
We all have a story to tell, says Idenna creative director James Neale. So let’s tell it
ONCE UPON A TIME…
Storytelling is the most powerful form of communication ever invented and is likely to be one of your business’s most effective marketing tools. Why? If you think about it, we all tell stories - and have been all our lives.
We tell stories to inspire feelings, which can then be turned into actions. From the child who earns a little extra pocket money because she told her parents how well she did at school that day, to the new recruit at work who’s in line for a big promotion because he’s made sure his boss knows about him smashing his quarterly targets. You get the picture - the better the story, the quicker you advance. In the simplest of terms, stories take you and your audience on a journey.
Great stories create human connections as they inspire, influence and create a sense of togetherness, and so storytelling is crucial to help inform, persuade, motivate and entertain. The Idenna team are all united in our belief in storytelling, so I asked them why they feel it’s so important for brands to weave this art form into their fabric.
Copywriter & researcher, Kate: “Iconic stories bring us together us through shared experience, from the sublime to the ridiculous, whatever the format. Whether a cautionary tale, a myth about stealing fire from the gods, or a genius 15 second advert, stories leave their mark on people - a compelling reason for businesses and brands to understand the potential power of stories, take charge of their own, and make the most of them.”
Filmmaker & photographer, Sam: “There is an innate, pre-linguistic, gut reaction you have when you hear a good story. It can genuinely change the way you look at the world, the way you behave and, of course, ignite a desire inside you to pass it on. Such a thing has to be important.”
Graphic & web designer, Yestin: “The art of storytelling is not a new thing; we’ve been telling stories for thousands of years, like cavemen drawing on walls and Egyptians using hieroglyphics in tombs. Storytelling helps customers quickly get to know your brand and understand who and what you are. They can immerse themselves into your values, culture, drawing emotive links between their lives, your brand story and what you are selling.”
Studio manager, Tania: “Creative storytelling is important because it can be inspiring, influential, educational and memorable. There’s always a story behind a good brand and sometimes the people behind the brand don’t realise how good they are - by teasing out the why, a story can celebrate and spread the word about the what.”
Filmmaker & photographer, Simon: “Storytelling in advertising is not just about the narrative of one advert but the customer’s journey; from the first initial hook, to what you want them to do next, to where they can buy your product. The whole customer experience should be thought about as one conjoining story. People like stories but how many times have you thought ‘well that’s ten minutes of my life I’m not getting back?’ The same is true in advertising; if you have a story to tell, tell it - but keep it simple and to the point.”
Digital marketing manager, Becky: “The shoe makers that promise ‘One for One’, the period products that taught you it’s okay to throw ‘#LikeAGirl’, the fast food chain that apologised for a royal ‘FCK’ up - you can name each of these brands through the stories they tell. In an oversaturated market it’s not enough to just have a great product. Your business needs to stand out, and telling an impactful story creates a personal connection that can make people feel something much deeper than the thing in the box alone.”
