"Brand Storytelling In The Social Media Era" - Article Summary

 "Brand Storytelling In The Social Media Era" is an article that exposes the successful methods of branding a product through storytelling in the digital realm that truly resonates and connects to people on a meaningful level. The article explores mythological brands and mythic brands, citing that brands with great stories that "inspire people and connect with them emotionally" enjoy greater success.

  The article seeks to answer the question, "What is the state of storytelling for brands today?" According to Seth Godin, “…if I were trying to invent a mythic brand, I’d want to be sure that there was a story, not just a product or a pile of facts. That story would promise (and deliver) a heroic outcome. And there needs to be growth and mystery as well, so the user can fill in her own blanks.” Essentially, Godin is suggesting that in order to create a mythic brand, or a marketable story/concept/idea, then one must provide the consumer of information with the opportunity to think with their brains and feel with their hearts.

 The article provides a few ways in which brands can hook their audience and engage them in good ol' fashioned storytelling.

• Embrace consumers' stories. Basically, the article is suggesting that by allowing for direct involvement and participation by the consumer, they will ultimately feel a greater sense of attachment to the product and its purpose.
• Make use of the moment. In the generation of YouTube, people want their information FAST. It is pivotal that producers are up to speed and in the loop with the latest and greatest. Your ability to produce a meaningful story with brevity is essential. Thus, the use of current videos and themes has become exceedingly popular in this regard.
• Say it with a video. The article also expresses the necessity for video, stating that, "If a picture is worth a thousand words, then you do the math on how much a 4 minute video is worth." Short films and other methods of abbreviated storytelling are being used commercially now more than ever. The reason for this...? STORIES SELL PRODUCTS! People like to hear a good story, and if the product advertised has appeal or utility, then you can rest assured that there is likely a potential customer in the viewer.
• Mix the online/offline world. In the article, it states that, "American Scientist magazine‘s research on what affects people’s buying decisions more: a picture of a product, a description of it, or the real thing, revealed that the people who saw the real thing were willing to pay, on average, 50% more. Digital plays a big part in our purchasing decisions, but gaining the customer in-store is still a battle to be won. So what does this mean? That you should extend the tread of your story from the online to the offline world and vice versa."
• Go Mobile. The articles states, "Nowadays you must reach out to your audience and deliver the message one to one. You need to find them wherever they are and when they are on the go." Everyone has a cell phone, and to most people it is a lifeline without which they would not be able to live or function within society. Companies are using cell phones as agents of digital storytelling to promote their product via phone apps.
• Spread your message across different touchpoints. Ultimately, this suggestion is promoting the use of storytelling through web series. Meaning, companies should utilize a thematic structure according to their logo and image and then produce a series of spots that follow a common storyline, so that people can connect the dots and make a mental investment in the product being advertised.
• Bring your A game. These days, telling a story about a product in the digital landscape is difficult. Times are tough and money is tight. Telling a story about a product that resonates and grows within its 21st century audience to the point of commercial success is rare. Yet, if the digital story has all of the major elements of a good story, then it doesn't matter if it is about a product or not, because it will stay with the viewer and perhaps even be retold to friends and family, not to mention other potential consumers of the product, for its narrative quality. Companies must be innovative and imaginative to tell these types of stories.

 Overall, I found the article to be very interesting and a unique perspective on digital storytelling. It seems very apparent that many companies are using digital storytelling as a means of marketing their product in the 21st century. Yet, the basic methodology of using stories as a means of selling units is not incredibly archaic.Think about it... Companies have used television shows and movies for product placement for decades in attempt to increase sales. Now, it looks like companies don't need to rely on Hollywood to provide storytelling opportunities for successful marketing of their products.

READ THE ARTICLE.